IMetadataAware

Defines a message that supports metadata for passing data between handlers in the processing pipeline.

Definition

Assembly: CloudNimble.SimpleMessageBus.Core.dll

Namespace: CloudNimble.SimpleMessageBus.Core

Syntax

CloudNimble.SimpleMessageBus.Core.IMetadataAware

Summary

Defines a message that supports metadata for passing data between handlers in the processing pipeline.

Remarks

Metadata provides a way to attach additional context and data to messages without modifying the core message structure. This is particularly useful for cross-cutting concerns like tracking, auditing, user context, and handler-to-handler communication. The metadata survives serialization and can be accessed by any handler in the processing chain.

Examples

public class OrderCreatedMessage : IMessage, IMetadataAware
{
    public Guid Id { get; set; } = Guid.NewGuid();
    public ConcurrentDictionary<string, object> Metadata { get; set; } = new();
    public string OrderNumber { get; set; }
    public decimal Amount { get; set; }
}

// Usage in handler
public async Task OnNextAsync(MessageEnvelope envelope)
{
    if (envelope.Message is IMetadataAware metadataMessage)
    {
        // Read metadata set by previous handlers
        var userId = metadataMessage.Metadata.GetValueOrDefault("UserId");
        var requestId = metadataMessage.Metadata.GetValueOrDefault("RequestId");

        // Add new metadata for downstream handlers
        metadataMessage.Metadata["ProcessedBy"] = "OrderHandler";
        metadataMessage.Metadata["ProcessedAt"] = DateTime.UtcNow;
    }
}

Properties

Metadata Abstract

Gets or sets the thread-safe metadata storage for passing data between handlers in the processing pipeline.

Syntax

System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary<string, object> Metadata { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary<string, object> A ConcurrentDictionary`2 where keys are string identifiers and values are objects containing the metadata. The dictionary must be thread-safe as it may be accessed concurrently.

Examples

// Setting metadata in a publisher
var message = new OrderCreatedMessage { OrderNumber = "ORD-001" };
message.Metadata["UserId"] = currentUser.Id;
message.Metadata["RequestId"] = Guid.NewGuid();
message.Metadata["Source"] = "WebAPI";

// Reading metadata in a handler
var userId = message.Metadata.GetValueOrDefault("UserId")?.ToString();
var isFromAPI = message.Metadata.ContainsKey("Source") &&
                message.Metadata["Source"].ToString() == "WebAPI";

Remarks

This metadata dictionary is preserved during message serialization/deserialization and provides a mechanism for handlers to communicate with each other without coupling their interfaces. Common use cases include tracking user context, request IDs, processing timestamps, and handler-specific state.

When using metadata, prefer well-known key names and document their usage to avoid conflicts between handlers. Values should be serializable types to ensure compatibility across different storage providers.