# Architecture

Currently, questionnaire management is supported with a *module* of the main application, the `Input System`. As such, it shares its release and deployment lifecycle, and it accesses reference data, dataset metadata, and statistical data and metadata directly through the same storage APIs and protocols.

![](https://2629756582-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LJXuKKhSqLtrt6pGxSr%2F-LJXuOv2ynLnxf6XGbSP%2F-LJXuTKh7mnqIlKB1A22%2Farch-00.png?generation=1533889085557200\&alt=media)

For the evolution of questionnaire management, we make a different architectural choice. We place it in a standalone and dedicated *application*, `sws-questionnaires`, and accept that the application will communicate with the `Input System` through network APIs that retrieve and re-ingest all the relevant data and metadata.

![](https://2629756582-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LJXuKKhSqLtrt6pGxSr%2F-LJXuOv2ynLnxf6XGbSP%2F-LJXuTKjtcsh3CNzqZVM%2Farch-10.png?generation=1533889085522261\&alt=media)

In fact, we introduce a second standalone application, `sws-forms`, a satellite of `sws-questionnaires` which renders questionnaires as online forms from the public side of the firewall.

![](https://2629756582-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LJXuKKhSqLtrt6pGxSr%2F-LJXuOv2ynLnxf6XGbSP%2F-LJXuTKlAKvOFj9hfwQ0%2Farch-20.png?generation=1533889079258797\&alt=media)

We make these choices in the background of our broader plans for the `Statistical Working Platform`, where the `Input System` becomes part of a suite of distributed and functionally-focused applications, cooperating and coordinated but otherwise autonomous in release, deployment, and operations. The `sdmx-browser` was a first example of such application, `sws-questionnaires` and`sws-forms` are two additional ones.

![](https://2629756582-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LJXuKKhSqLtrt6pGxSr%2F-LJXuOv2ynLnxf6XGbSP%2F-LJXuTKnp_g-D6kLkAut%2Farch-30.png?generation=1533889086041752\&alt=media)

In this Section we revisit the choice of a distributed platform in the specific context of questionnaire management. We then discuss in more depth the architecture `sws-questionnaires` and `sws-forms,` as well as their interfaces with the `Input System` and each other.
