A key challenge when building a modular system is finding the right balance between flexibility and consistency. Today, I want to share my experience designing the context structure for new module development in HyperGraph, my open-source framework for LLM systems.
The Context Challenge
While working on HyperGraph's documentation, I noticed an interesting pattern: the context needed to work on existing modules was quite different from what you'd need to create a new one. Existing modules required deep, specific knowledge about their implementation, while new modules needed a broader understanding of system patterns and conventions.
This realization led me to explore a more structured approach to module development.
Vertical vs. Horizontal Context
I started thinking about context in two dimensions:
- Vertical Context: Deep knowledge about specific module internals, needed for existing modules
- Horizontal Context: Broad understanding of system patterns and conventions, crucial for new modules
For new modules, the horizontal context proved to be more important. You don't need to know every detail about how the backup system works, but you do need to understand how services interact with the event bus or how state management works.
Building the Foundation
After several iterations, I settled on a minimal but comprehensive set of core components that every new module developer should understand:
- Core Services: The backbone of system integration
- Event System: How modules communicate
- State Management: Handling persistence and shared state
- Validation: Ensuring system consistency
- Metrics: Monitoring and observability
The interesting part was realizing that you don't need to understand the internals of these systems - you just need to know how to interact with them correctly.
From Theory to Practice
To make this knowledge actionable, I created two main tools:
- A comprehensive guide that documents the context requirements for new module development
- A module generator that scaffolds new modules following our best practices
The generator was particularly fun to build - it's amazing how much boilerplate you can eliminate while still maintaining flexibility. Plus, it serves as a living example of our conventions and patterns.
Lessons Learned
Through this process, I learned some valuable lessons about module development:
Less is More: The minimal context needed is often smaller than you think. Focus on interfaces and contracts rather than implementations.
Patterns Over Rules: Instead of strict rules, provide clear patterns that developers can follow and adapt.
Tooling Matters: Good tools can encode best practices without forcing them. Our module generator guides developers without restricting them.
Documentation is Key: Clear documentation about the "why" is as important as the "how".
Looking Forward
This work has already improved our development process, but there's more to do:
- Create interactive tutorials for new module development
- Build better validation tools for module structure
- Enhance the generated code with more best practices
- Develop better testing templates
Personal Reflection
This project reminded me that good architecture isn't just about code - it's about making development smoother and more enjoyable. By thinking carefully about what developers need to know, we can create better systems that are both powerful and approachable.
What's your experience with modular system development? How do you handle the balance between flexibility and consistency? Let me know in the comments!
Part of my work on the HyperGraph project
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