¶ Integration Layer
The Integration Layer in Fuse establishes the foundation of cross-system communication — connecting systems, applications, and services to enable secure, observable, and composable interoperability across domains.
Integration alone is not the goal — it’s the starting point for orchestrated, governed collaboration in Fuse.
¶ Overview
Integration refers to the technical process of linking systems, applications, or components so they can send and receive data, commands, or events.
This includes:
- API connections (REST, SOAP)
- Message queues and event triggers
- File transfers (CSV, XML, EDI, flat files)
- Database access (SQL, ETL, stored procedures)
While many platforms treat integration as the end-state, Fuse treats it as the entry point to intelligent interoperability.
¶ Key Capabilities
- Protocol Connectors — HTTP, FTP, TCP, SMTP, WebSockets, SQL, EDI, SCIM
- Format Transformers — JSON, XML, CSV, HL7, X12, custom mappings
- Dynamic Mappings — Runtime-driven transformations, enrichments, and protocol adaptation
- API Façade Layering — Securely expose APIs for legacy or hybrid systems
- Observability — Full tracing, error handling, token propagation, and event logging
Fuse makes integrations:
Composable — Reusable across workflows, automation, and orchestration
Governable — Token-scoped and policy-enforced
Observable — Full auditability and traceability across all integration activities
¶ Common Integration Patterns Supported
| Pattern | Description | In Fuse |
|---|---|---|
 Point-to-Point |
System A connects directly to System B | REST, SOAP, FTP, SMTP, SQL |
 Hub-and-Spoke |
Central orchestrator coordinates communication | Fuse orchestration and event bus |
 API Gateway |
Unified API layer for many back-end services | API façade with security, identity, and governance |
 Message Bus / ESB |
Shared pub/sub event-driven architecture | Messaging adapters, retries, error recovery |
¶ Limitations of Integration Alone
Integration solves connection, but not coordination:
No shared meaning — systems send data but lack context
Tight coupling — changes break fragile dependencies
Limited recovery — no built-in resilience or governance
No policy awareness — lacks role, token, or context propagation
Fuse elevates integration by embedding it inside an interoperable, governed execution model.
¶ Integration Across Domains
In Fuse, integration powers domains like:
- Security — Secure system-to-system authentication and scoped token exchange
- UI — Trigger real-time updates or human-in-the-loop experiences from integration events
- Workflow — Launch orchestrations from system events, API calls, or message triggers
- Messaging — Adapt external message queues into policy-governed flows
Integration is the bridge between external systems and internal orchestrated domains.
¶ When to Use Integration Alone
Fuse allows integration-only patterns when:
- Connecting simple point-to-point systems
- Running scheduled data transfers (ETL, file sync)
- Exposing APIs or listening to basic events
- Performing limited transformation without workflow orchestration
But when decision-making, state management, approvals, or AI collaboration is required —
move into:
¶ Explore Further
Domains of Interoperability — Learn how integration supports cross-domain execution
Automation Layer — Trigger rules and tasks automatically from integration events
Orchestration Layer — Compose multi-step logic from integrated triggers
Interoperability Layer — Move from simple connections to governed, intelligent collaboration