aitbc/docs/ecosystem/certification/ecosystem-certification-criteria.md

AITBC Ecosystem Certification Criteria

Overview

This document defines the certification criteria for AITBC ecosystem partners, SDK implementations, and integrations. Certification ensures quality, security, and compatibility across the AITBC ecosystem.

Certification Tiers

Bronze Certification (Free)

Target: Basic compatibility and security standards Valid for: 1 year Requirements:

• SDK conformance with core APIs
• Basic security practices
• Documentation completeness

Silver Certification ($500/year)

Target: Production-ready implementations Valid for: 1 year Requirements:

• All Bronze requirements
• Performance benchmarks
• Advanced security practices
• Support commitments

Gold Certification ($2,000/year)

Target: Enterprise-grade implementations Valid for: 1 year Requirements:

• All Silver requirements
• SLA commitments
• Independent security audit
• 24/7 support availability

Detailed Criteria

1. SDK Conformance Requirements

Bronze Level

• Core API Compatibility (Required)

  • All public endpoints implemented
  • Request/response formats match specification
  • Error handling follows AITBC standards
  • Authentication methods supported (Bearer, OAuth2, HMAC)

• Data Model Compliance (Required)

  • Transaction models match specification
  • Field types and constraints enforced
  • Required fields validated
  • Optional fields handled gracefully

• Async Support (Required)

  • Non-blocking operations for I/O
  • Proper async/await implementation
  • Timeout handling
  • Error propagation in async context

Silver Level

• Performance Benchmarks (Required)

  • API response time < 100ms (95th percentile)
  • Concurrent request handling > 1000/second
  • Memory usage < 512MB for typical workload
  • CPU efficiency < 50% for sustained load

• Rate Limiting (Required)

  • Client-side rate limiting implementation
  • Backoff strategy on 429 responses
  • Configurable rate limits
  • Burst handling capability

• Retry Logic (Required)

  • Exponential backoff implementation
  • Idempotent operation handling
  • Retry configuration options
  • Circuit breaker pattern

Gold Level

• Enterprise Features (Required)

  • Multi-tenant support
  • Audit logging capabilities
  • Metrics and monitoring integration
  • Health check endpoints

• Scalability (Required)

  • Horizontal scaling support
  • Load balancer compatibility
  • Database connection pooling
  • Caching layer integration

2. Security Requirements

Bronze Level

• Authentication (Required)

  • Secure credential storage
  • No hardcoded secrets
  • API key rotation support
  • Token expiration handling

• Transport Security (Required)

  • TLS 1.2+ enforcement
  • Certificate validation
  • HTTPS-only in production
  • HSTS headers

• Input Validation (Required)

  • SQL injection prevention
  • XSS protection
  • Input sanitization
  • Parameter validation

Silver Level

• Authorization (Required)

  • Role-based access control
  • Principle of least privilege
  • Permission validation
  • Resource ownership checks

• Data Protection (Required)

  • Encryption at rest
  • PII handling compliance
  • Data retention policies
  • Secure backup procedures

• Vulnerability Management (Required)

  • Dependency scanning
  • Security patching process
  • CVE monitoring
  • Security incident response

Gold Level

• Advanced Security (Required)

  • Zero-trust architecture
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Hardware security module support
  • Penetration testing results

• Compliance (Required)

  • SOC 2 Type II compliance
  • GDPR compliance
  • ISO 27001 certification
  • Industry-specific compliance

3. Documentation Requirements

Bronze Level

• API Documentation (Required)

  • Complete endpoint documentation
  • Request/response examples
  • Error code reference
  • Authentication guide

• Getting Started (Required)

  • Installation instructions
  • Quick start guide
  • Basic usage examples
  • Configuration options

• Code Examples (Required)

  • Basic integration examples
  • Error handling examples
  • Authentication examples
  • Common use cases

Silver Level

• Advanced Documentation (Required)

  • Architecture overview
  • Performance tuning guide
  • Troubleshooting guide
  • Migration guide

• SDK Reference (Required)

  • Complete API reference
  • Class and method documentation
  • Parameter descriptions
  • Return value specifications

• Integration Guides (Required)

  • Framework-specific guides
  • Platform-specific instructions
  • Best practices guide
  • Common patterns

Gold Level

• Enterprise Documentation (Required)

  • Deployment guide
  • Monitoring setup
  • Security configuration
  • Compliance documentation

• Support Documentation (Required)

  • SLA documentation
  • Support procedures
  • Escalation process
  • Contact information

4. Testing Requirements

Bronze Level

• Unit Tests (Required)

  • 80% code coverage

  • Core functionality tested
  • Error conditions tested
  • Edge cases covered

• Integration Tests (Required)

  • API endpoint tests
  • Authentication flow tests
  • Error scenario tests
  • Basic workflow tests

Silver Level

• Performance Tests (Required)

  • Load testing results
  • Stress testing
  • Memory leak testing
  • Concurrency testing

• Security Tests (Required)

  • Authentication bypass tests
  • Authorization tests
  • Input validation tests
  • Dependency vulnerability scans

Gold Level

• Comprehensive Tests (Required)
  • Chaos engineering tests
  • Disaster recovery tests
  • Compliance validation
  • Third-party audit results

5. Support Requirements

Bronze Level

• Basic Support (Required)
  • Issue tracking system
  • Response time < 72 hours
  • Bug fix process
  • Community support

Silver Level

• Professional Support (Required)
  • Email support
  • Response time < 24 hours
  • Phone support option
  • Dedicated support contact

Gold Level

• Enterprise Support (Required)
  • 24/7 support availability
  • Response time < 1 hour
  • Dedicated account manager
  • On-site support option

Certification Process

1. Self-Assessment

• Review criteria against implementation
• Complete self-assessment checklist
• Prepare documentation
• Run test suite locally

2. Submission

• Submit self-assessment results
• Provide test results
• Submit documentation
• Pay certification fee (if applicable)

3. Verification

• Automated test execution
• Documentation review
• Security scan
• Performance validation

4. Approval

• Review by certification board
• Issue certification
• Publish to registry
• Provide certification assets

5. Maintenance

• Annual re-certification
• Continuous monitoring
• Compliance checks
• Update documentation

Testing Infrastructure

Automated Test Suite

# Example test structure
class BronzeCertificationTests:
    def test_api_compliance(self):
        """Test API endpoint compliance"""
        pass
    
    def test_authentication(self):
        """Test authentication methods"""
        pass
    
    def test_error_handling(self):
        """Test error handling standards"""
        pass

class SilverCertificationTests(BronzeCertificationTests):
    def test_performance_benchmarks(self):
        """Test performance requirements"""
        pass
    
    def test_security_practices(self):
        """Test security implementation"""
        pass

class GoldCertificationTests(SilverCertificationTests):
    def test_enterprise_features(self):
        """Test enterprise capabilities"""
        pass
    
    def test_compliance(self):
        """Test compliance requirements"""
        pass

Test Categories

1. Functional Tests

   • API compliance
   • Data model validation
   • Error handling
   • Authentication flows

2. Performance Tests

   • Response time
   • Throughput
   • Resource usage
   • Scalability

3. Security Tests

   • Authentication
   • Authorization
   • Input validation
   • Vulnerability scanning

4. Documentation Tests

   • Completeness check
   • Accuracy validation
   • Example verification
   • Accessibility

Certification Badges

Badge Display

<!-- Bronze Badge -->
<img src="https://cert.aitbc.io/badges/bronze.svg" 
     alt="AITBC Bronze Certified" />

<!-- Silver Badge -->
<img src="https://cert.aitbc.io/badges/silver.svg" 
     alt="AITBC Silver Certified" />

<!-- Gold Badge -->
<img src="https://cert.aitbc.io/badges/gold.svg" 
     alt="AITBC Gold Certified" />

Badge Requirements

• Must link to certification page
• Must display current certification level
• Must show expiration date
• Must include verification ID

Compliance Monitoring

Continuous Monitoring

• Automated daily compliance checks
• Performance monitoring
• Security scanning
• Documentation validation

Violation Handling

• 30-day grace period for violations
• Temporary suspension for critical issues
• Revocation for repeated violations
• Appeal process available

Registry Integration

Public Registry Information

• Company name and description
• Certification level and date
• Supported SDK versions
• Contact information
• Compliance status

API Access

# Example registry API
GET /api/v1/certified-partners
GET /api/v1/partner/{id}
GET /api/v1/certification/{id}/verify

Version Compatibility

SDK Version Support

• Certify against major versions
• Support for 2 previous major versions
• Migration path documentation
• Deprecation notice requirements

Compatibility Matrix

SDK Version	Bronze	Silver	Gold	Status
1.x	✓	✓	✓	Current
0.9.x	✓	✓	✗	Deprecated
0.8.x	✓	✗	✗	End of Life

Appeals Process

Appeal Categories

1. Technical disagreement
2. Documentation clarification
3. Security assessment dispute
4. Performance benchmark challenge

Appeal Process

1. Submit appeal with evidence
2. Review by appeals committee
3. Response within 14 days
4. Final decision binding

Certification Revocation

Revocation Triggers

• Critical security vulnerability
• Compliance violation
• Misrepresentation
• Support failure

Revocation Process

1. Notification of violation
2. 30-day cure period
3. Revocation notice
4. Public registry update
5. Appeal opportunity

Fees and Pricing

Certification Fees

• Bronze: Free
• Silver: $500/year
• Gold: $2,000/year

Additional Services

• Expedited review: +$500
• On-site audit: $5,000
• Custom certification: Quote
• Re-certification: 50% of initial fee

Contact Information

• Certification Program: certification@aitbc.io
• Technical Support: support@aitbc.io
• Security Issues: security@aitbc.io
• Appeals: appeals@aitbc.io

Updates and Changes

Criteria Updates

• Quarterly review cycle
• 30-day notice for changes
• Grandfathering provisions
• Transition period provided

Version History

• v1.0: Initial certification criteria
• v1.1: Added security requirements
• v1.2: Enhanced performance benchmarks
• v2.0: Restructured tier system