Development Milestones & File Organization

File-Based Milestone Approach

Milestone 1: Foundation Setup

File: 01_foundation_setup.md
Focus: Basic module structure and connectivity
Deliverables:
- Working Odoo 18 module skeleton
- Basic N8N API connection test
- Simple menu and views
- Authentication working

Milestone 2: Data Models & API Layer

File: 02_data_models_api.md
Focus: Core data structure and communication
Deliverables:
- N8N workflow model in Odoo
- API service layer for N8N communication
- Basic CRUD operations for workflows
- Error handling and logging

Milestone 3: Canvas Integration Research

File: 03_canvas_research.md
Focus: Understanding and planning the visual editor
Deliverables:
- Analysis of N8N's canvas implementation
- Research on Odoo OWL canvas possibilities
- Decision on integration approach
- Proof of concept for node display

Milestone 4: Node Overlay Implementation

File: 04_node_overlay.md
Focus: Solving the node overlay challenge
Deliverables:
- Working node overlay system
- Drag and drop functionality
- Node connection mechanics
- Canvas interaction handling

Milestone 5: Workflow Editor Integration

File: 05_workflow_editor.md
Focus: Full workflow creation and editing
Deliverables:
- Complete workflow editor in Odoo
- Node library integration
- Workflow validation
- Save/load functionality

Milestone 6: Execution & Monitoring

File: 06_execution_monitoring.md
Focus: Running and tracking workflows
Deliverables:
- Workflow execution trigger
- Real-time status updates
- Execution history
- Error reporting and debugging

Current Priority: Milestone 3 - Canvas Research

Immediate Research Questions:
1. How does N8N's canvas actually work under the hood?
2. What are Odoo OWL's capabilities for creating interactive diagrams?
3. Can we embed N8N's canvas directly, or do we need to rebuild it?
4. What's the simplest viable approach for node overlays?

File Organization Strategy

project_planning/
├── milestones/
│   ├── 01_foundation_setup.md
│   ├── 02_data_models_api.md
│   ├── 03_canvas_research.md ← Current focus
│   ├── 04_node_overlay.md
│   ├── 05_workflow_editor.md
│   └── 06_execution_monitoring.md
├── research_notes/
├── code_snippets/
└── decisions_log.md

Benefit: Each milestone becomes a focused work session with clear deliverables, preventing the "jumping around" problem.