Agent skill
attio-reference-architecture
Production reference architecture for Attio CRM integrations -- layered project structure, sync patterns, webhook processing, and multi-environment setup. Trigger: "attio architecture", "attio best practices", "attio project structure", "how to organize attio", "attio integration design".
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/tree/main/plugins/saas-packs/attio-pack/skills/attio-reference-architecture
SKILL.md
Attio Reference Architecture
Overview
Production architecture for applications that integrate with the Attio REST API (https://api.attio.com/v2). Covers project layout, layered service design, sync patterns, and operational concerns.
Project Structure
my-attio-integration/
├── src/
│ ├── attio/ # Attio API layer (isolated)
│ │ ├── client.ts # Typed fetch wrapper with retry
│ │ ├── types.ts # Attio API types (AttioRecord, AttioError, etc.)
│ │ ├── config.ts # Environment-based config loader
│ │ └── errors.ts # AttioApiError class
│ ├── services/ # Business logic (uses attio/ layer)
│ │ ├── contacts.ts # People/company sync logic
│ │ ├── pipeline.ts # Deal pipeline management
│ │ ├── activity.ts # Notes, tasks, comments
│ │ └── sync.ts # Bi-directional sync orchestrator
│ ├── webhooks/ # Incoming webhook handlers
│ │ ├── router.ts # Event type routing
│ │ ├── verify.ts # Signature verification
│ │ └── handlers/
│ │ ├── record-events.ts # record.created/updated/deleted/merged
│ │ ├── entry-events.ts # list-entry.created/updated/deleted
│ │ └── activity-events.ts # note/task/comment events
│ ├── api/ # Outbound API routes
│ │ ├── health.ts # Health check (includes Attio)
│ │ └── webhooks.ts # Webhook receiver endpoint
│ ├── cache/ # Caching layer
│ │ ├── schema-cache.ts # Object/attribute definitions (30min TTL)
│ │ └── record-cache.ts # Record data (5min TTL, webhook invalidation)
│ └── index.ts # App entrypoint
├── tests/
│ ├── mocks/ # MSW handlers for Attio API
│ ├── unit/ # Service logic tests (mocked API)
│ └── integration/ # Live API tests (CI-gated)
├── config/
│ ├── attio.development.json
│ ├── attio.staging.json
│ └── attio.production.json
├── .env.example
└── .github/workflows/attio.yml
Layered Architecture
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ API Layer (routes, webhook endpoint) │
│ - Receives HTTP requests │
│ - Validates webhook signatures │
│ - Returns health status │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Service Layer (business logic) │
│ - Contact sync, pipeline management │
│ - Bi-directional data mapping │
│ - Event-driven automations │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Attio Layer (API client, types, errors) │
│ - Typed fetch wrapper with retry │
│ - Error normalization (AttioApiError) │
│ - Pagination helpers │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Infrastructure Layer (cache, queue, monitoring) │
│ - LRU + Redis caching with webhook invalidation │
│ - Rate limit queue (p-queue) │
│ - Structured logging and metrics │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Rule: Each layer only calls the layer directly below it. The API layer never calls the Attio client directly.
Core Components
Component 1: Service Layer Facade
// src/services/contacts.ts
import { AttioClient } from "../attio/client";
import { cachedGet, invalidateRecord } from "../cache/record-cache";
import type { AttioRecord } from "../attio/types";
export class ContactService {
constructor(private client: AttioClient) {}
async findByEmail(email: string): Promise<AttioRecord | null> {
const res = await this.client.post<{ data: AttioRecord[] }>(
"/objects/people/records/query",
{
filter: { email_addresses: email },
limit: 1,
}
);
return res.data[0] || null;
}
async upsertPerson(data: {
email: string;
firstName: string;
lastName: string;
company?: string;
}): Promise<AttioRecord> {
// Use PUT (assert) for idempotent upsert
const res = await this.client.put<{ data: AttioRecord }>(
"/objects/people/records",
{
data: {
values: {
email_addresses: [data.email],
name: [{
first_name: data.firstName,
last_name: data.lastName,
full_name: `${data.firstName} ${data.lastName}`,
}],
...(data.company ? { company: [{ target_object: "companies", target_record_id: data.company }] } : {}),
},
},
}
);
return res.data;
}
async addToPipeline(
recordId: string,
listSlug: string,
stage: string,
value?: { currency: string; amount: number }
): Promise<void> {
await this.client.post(`/lists/${listSlug}/entries`, {
data: {
parent_record_id: recordId,
parent_object: "people",
values: {
stage: [{ status: stage }],
...(value ? {
deal_value: [{ currency_code: value.currency, currency_value: value.amount }],
} : {}),
},
},
});
}
async addNote(recordId: string, title: string, content: string): Promise<void> {
await this.client.post("/notes", {
data: {
parent_object: "people",
parent_record_id: recordId,
title,
format: "markdown",
content,
},
});
}
}
Component 2: Webhook Event Router
// src/webhooks/router.ts
import type { AttioWebhookEvent } from "../attio/types";
type EventHandler = (event: AttioWebhookEvent) => Promise<void>;
export class WebhookRouter {
private handlers = new Map<string, EventHandler[]>();
on(eventType: string, handler: EventHandler): void {
const existing = this.handlers.get(eventType) || [];
this.handlers.set(eventType, [...existing, handler]);
}
async route(event: AttioWebhookEvent): Promise<void> {
const handlers = this.handlers.get(event.event_type) || [];
if (handlers.length === 0) {
console.log(`No handler for event: ${event.event_type}`);
return;
}
await Promise.allSettled(handlers.map((h) => h(event)));
}
}
// Usage
const router = new WebhookRouter();
router.on("record.created", async (event) => {
if (event.object?.api_slug === "people") {
await syncNewContactToExternalCRM(event.record!.id.record_id);
}
});
router.on("record.updated", async (event) => {
invalidateRecord(event.record!.id.record_id);
});
router.on("list-entry.created", async (event) => {
await triggerPipelineAutomation(event);
});
Component 3: Bi-Directional Sync
// src/services/sync.ts
export class AttioSyncService {
private lastSyncCursor: string | null = null;
/** Outbound: push local changes to Attio */
async pushToAttio(localContact: LocalContact): Promise<string> {
const attioRecord = await this.contacts.upsertPerson({
email: localContact.email,
firstName: localContact.firstName,
lastName: localContact.lastName,
});
return attioRecord.id.record_id;
}
/** Inbound: pull Attio changes to local (webhook-driven) */
async handleAttioChange(event: AttioWebhookEvent): Promise<void> {
if (event.event_type === "record.updated") {
const record = await this.client.get<{ data: AttioRecord }>(
`/objects/${event.object!.api_slug}/records/${event.record!.id.record_id}`
);
await this.updateLocalFromAttio(record.data);
}
}
/** Full sync: reconcile all records (run periodically or on demand) */
async fullSync(objectSlug: string): Promise<{ created: number; updated: number }> {
let created = 0, updated = 0;
const PAGE_SIZE = 500;
let offset = 0;
while (true) {
const page = await this.client.post<{ data: AttioRecord[] }>(
`/objects/${objectSlug}/records/query`,
{ limit: PAGE_SIZE, offset }
);
for (const record of page.data) {
const existed = await this.upsertLocal(record);
existed ? updated++ : created++;
}
if (page.data.length < PAGE_SIZE) break;
offset += PAGE_SIZE;
}
return { created, updated };
}
}
Component 4: Multi-Environment Config
// src/attio/config.ts
interface AttioEnvironmentConfig {
apiKey: string;
webhookSecret: string;
baseUrl: string;
cache: { schemaTtlMs: number; recordTtlMs: number };
rateLimit: { concurrency: number; intervalCap: number };
}
const configs: Record<string, Partial<AttioEnvironmentConfig>> = {
development: {
cache: { schemaTtlMs: 60_000, recordTtlMs: 10_000 },
rateLimit: { concurrency: 2, intervalCap: 5 },
},
staging: {
cache: { schemaTtlMs: 300_000, recordTtlMs: 60_000 },
rateLimit: { concurrency: 5, intervalCap: 8 },
},
production: {
cache: { schemaTtlMs: 1_800_000, recordTtlMs: 300_000 },
rateLimit: { concurrency: 10, intervalCap: 15 },
},
};
export function loadConfig(): AttioEnvironmentConfig {
const env = process.env.NODE_ENV || "development";
const envConfig = configs[env] || configs.development;
return {
apiKey: requireEnv("ATTIO_API_KEY"),
webhookSecret: process.env.ATTIO_WEBHOOK_SECRET || "",
baseUrl: "https://api.attio.com/v2",
cache: envConfig.cache!,
rateLimit: envConfig.rateLimit!,
};
}
function requireEnv(key: string): string {
const val = process.env[key];
if (!val) throw new Error(`Missing required env: ${key}`);
return val;
}
Data Flow Diagram
External System Your Application Attio CRM
│ │ │
│ Local change ──────────────────▶ │ │
│ │ PUT /objects/people/records ──▶ │
│ │ ◀── 200 { data: record } │
│ │ │
│ │ Webhook: record.updated │
│ │ ◀──────────────────────────── │
│ ◀── Sync update ────────────── │ │
│ │ GET /objects/.../records/... ─▶ │
│ │ ◀── 200 { data: record } │
Error Handling
| Architecture issue | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Service calls client directly | Tight coupling, hard to test | Add service layer facade |
| No cache invalidation | Stale data after updates | Webhook-driven cache invalidation |
| Sync conflicts | Both sides updated same record | Last-write-wins or conflict resolution queue |
| No circuit breaker | Attio outage cascades | Add circuit breaker in Attio layer |
Resources
Next Steps
This is the capstone skill. For specific implementations, refer to the individual skills in this pack.
Recommended Agent Skills
Expand your agent's capabilities with these related and highly-rated skills.
dockerfile-generator
Dockerfile Generator - Auto-activating skill for DevOps Basics. Triggers on: dockerfile generator, dockerfile generator Part of the DevOps Basics skill category.
branch-naming-helper
Branch Naming Helper - Auto-activating skill for DevOps Basics. Triggers on: branch naming helper, branch naming helper Part of the DevOps Basics skill category.
readme-generator
Readme Generator - Auto-activating skill for DevOps Basics. Triggers on: readme generator, readme generator Part of the DevOps Basics skill category.
makefile-generator
Makefile Generator - Auto-activating skill for DevOps Basics. Triggers on: makefile generator, makefile generator Part of the DevOps Basics skill category.
gitignore-generator
Gitignore Generator - Auto-activating skill for DevOps Basics. Triggers on: gitignore generator, gitignore generator Part of the DevOps Basics skill category.
pre-commit-hook-setup
Pre Commit Hook Setup - Auto-activating skill for DevOps Basics. Triggers on: pre commit hook setup, pre commit hook setup Part of the DevOps Basics skill category.
Didn't find tool you were looking for?