Week 2: Refactoring and Cloud Integration

 June 16–20, 2025

Christian M. Lagarde – 3rd Year Computer Science Student
Bicol University 

From Local Logic to Cloud Literacy: The AWS Transition

The second week of my internship at StraStan Solutions Corp. brought with it a shift in both environment and expectation. Where the first week had grounded me in local backend development using Express.js and Node, this week pulled me into something far larger—the cloud.

It started with an AWS setup tutorial that would lay the foundation for everything we were about to build. The transition from developing purely on my machine to understanding infrastructure-as-code was disorienting at first. AWS CDK was no longer just a buzzword—it was the bridge between code and scalable deployment.

Node.js Conversion: Building on Familiar Ground

While I explored the AWS ecosystem, I was also tasked with converting the Project Task Manager API—originally built in Week 1 using Express.js—into a more modular and cloud-ready Node.js version.

This wasn’t a copy-paste job. It required refactoring routes, cleaning up logic for future deployment on AWS Lambda, and ensuring that encryption/decryption, pagination, and CORS configurations were intact and cleanly separated into reusable modules.

The Node.js structure had to reflect not just functionality but scalability and maintainability. This version would serve as the backend template for potential future serverless deployment, so I worked with extra care to document and comment each section.

Cognito and Lambda: Familiarization in Layers

Midweek, I took a deeper dive into Amazon Cognito and AWS Lambda. The learning curve was steep but rewarding.

Cognito introduced me to token-based authentication, user pools, and identity pools—all vital components for secure user management. I reviewed sample workflows, configured basic user pool settings, and familiarized myself with how authentication integrates with API Gateway and Lambda functions.

On the Lambda side, I studied how individual functions handle logic triggered by specific API routes. Unlike the monolithic approach I was used to in Express, Lambda development forced me to think in small, focused execution units, each optimized for performance and isolation.

These weren’t just tutorials—I was preparing myself for the upcoming transition of our entire backend into a serverless framework. Every line I read, every function I explored, was laying the groundwork for more complex system design.

Documenting the Journey: Postman and Precision

By Thursday and Friday, I shifted gears toward API documentation, using Postman to map out each endpoint in my updated Project Task Manager system.

For each route—/tasks, /tasks/:id—I documented:

  • Request structure

  • Response formats

  • Authentication requirements

  • Error scenarios

  • Encryption handling logic

This wasn’t just about checking a box. Clear documentation would help future collaborators understand how to interact with the system without diving into the source code. Postman collections, complete with sample data and environment variables, became a form of communication—between developer and tester, developer and client, or even developer and their future self.

Reflection: The Shift from Task to System Thinking

What defined Week 2 wasn’t just the tasks I completed—it was the shift in mindset. I was no longer just coding features. I was beginning to understand systems.

Working with AWS, Cognito, and Lambda made me appreciate that real-world development isn’t just about making something work. It’s about designing for scale, thinking about security before it breaks, and planning for people who will use or maintain your work after you.

My Week 1 project had started as a technical exercise. Now, it was evolving into a real-world cloud application prototype, with authentication, encryption, and documentation built into its DNA.

Completed Highlights

  • Completed AWS setup and CDK familiarization

  • Refactored Project Task Manager backend in modular Node.js

  • Explored Cognito user pool setup and token authentication concepts

  • Studied Lambda function triggers and architecture

  • Created complete Postman documentation for updated API

As Week 2 closed, I wasn’t just more knowledgeable—I was more intentional. Every function I wrote, every permission I studied, felt like another step toward building systems, not just software.

Week 3 would build on this foundation—and I was ready.

End of Week 2 Narrative

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