clay-architecture-variants

name	clay-architecture-variants
description	Choose and implement Clay integration architecture for different scales and use cases. Use when designing new Clay integrations, comparing direct vs queue-based vs event-driven, or planning architecture for Clay-powered data operations. Trigger with phrases like "clay architecture", "clay blueprint", "how to structure clay", "clay integration design", "clay event-driven".
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Edit, Grep
version	1.0.0
license	MIT
author	Jeremy Longshore <[e-mail]>
compatible-with	claude-code, codex, openclaw
tags	["saas","clay","migration","scaling"]

Clay Architecture Variants

Overview

Three proven architecture patterns for Clay data enrichment at different scales. Clay is a hosted SaaS -- your architecture decisions focus on how you send data in (webhooks), how you get enriched data out (HTTP API columns, CRM sync, or CSV export), and how you orchestrate the flow.

Prerequisites

• Clay account with appropriate plan tier
• Clear understanding of data volume and latency requirements
• Infrastructure for chosen architecture tier (if queue-based or event-driven)

Instructions

Architecture 1: Direct Integration (Simple)

Best for: Small teams, < 1K enrichments/day, ad-hoc usage.

┌──────────────┐     webhook     ┌───────────┐
│ Your App     │───────POST─────>│ Clay Table │
│ (or CSV)     │                 │ (enriches) │
└──────────────┘                 └─────┬─────┘
                                       │
                                  CRM action
                                  or CSV export
                                       │
                                       v
                                 ┌───────────┐
                                 │ CRM / DB  │
                                 └───────────┘

// Direct: send leads synchronously, export results manually
async function directEnrich(leads: Lead[]): Promise<void> {
  for (const lead of leads) {
    await fetch(process.env.CLAY_WEBHOOK_URL!, {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
      body: JSON.stringify(lead),
    });
    await new Promise( (r, )); 
  }
  .();
  
}