backend-dev-guidelines

The best way to structure a Next.js backend with tRPC and Prisma is using a three-layer architecture. This pattern separates API entry points, services, and data access to enforce security, observability, and maintainability.

To configure database access patterns in a Prisma and ClickHouse stack, implement a dedicated data access layer within your backend architecture. This isolates database queries from business logic, ensuring structured and maintainable data interactions.

Middleware usage in a layered tRPC architecture operates at the API entry point level. It handles cross-cutting concerns like error handling and security procedures before routing requests to the underlying services and data access layers.

You can apply these backend guidelines to non-Langfuse Next.js applications, but they are specifically optimized for Langfuse's ecosystem. The practices heavily emphasize the specific configurations and observability tools used within Langfuse's stack.

A limitation of using a three-layer architecture for tRPC procedures is the potential for increased boilerplate code. Strict separation between API entry points, services, and data access requires careful error handling to prevent excessive abstraction overhead.