Improve Connection, Deployment and Provider Configuration

src/Abstractions/CrestApps.Core.AI.Abstractions/Models/AIProviderConnectionCatalogOptions.cs

@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ public sealed class AIProviderConnectionCatalogOptions
 
     public IList<string> ProviderSections { get; } =
     [
-        "CrestApps:Providers",
+        "CrestApps:AI:Providers",
     ];
 }

src/CrestApps.Core.Docs/docs/changelog/v1.0.0.md

@@ -21,3 +21,7 @@ description: Initial standalone release notes for the CrestApps.Core repository.
 - exposes merged AI connection and deployment views through `INamedSourceCatalog<T>` registrations, adds generic `Add*DocumentCatalog<TModel, TIndex, T>()` helpers for custom catalog registration, keeps deterministic name conflict handling so UI-managed records override conflicting appsettings entries, and standardizes settings so connections and deployments are configured separately
 - documents the default AI configuration sections (`CrestApps:AI:Connections` and `CrestApps:AI:Deployments`), tightens the quick-start path around Chat Interactions, and refreshes the docs navigation and landing page for faster onboarding
 - adds Debug-level diagnostics in `ConfigurationAIDeploymentCatalog` so hosts can trace which configuration sections were evaluated and how standalone deployments were parsed
+- treats `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` as shared deployment metadata for all providers, not only providers with contained-connection support, so hosts can keep credentials in `Connections` while still declaring deployment names and types in appsettings
+- evaluates every configured AI connection and deployment section when importing appsettings records, including provider-grouped connection sections and deployment entries that reference shared `ConnectionName` values
+- adds shared `JsonNode` support extensions for common string, boolean, and raw-value extraction so AI configuration parsing and Elasticsearch document readers reuse one implementation instead of duplicating private helpers
+- replaces removed obsolete connection-level deployment-name helpers with non-obsolete legacy lookup extensions for `AIProviderConnectionEntry`, keeping backward-compatible fallback resolution without depending on deleted APIs

src/CrestApps.Core.Docs/docs/core/chat.md

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ builder.Services.AddCrestAppsCore(crestApps => crestApps
         .AddChatInteractions()));
 ```
 
-By default, connections are discovered from `CrestApps:AI:Connections` and standalone deployments are discovered from `CrestApps:AI:Deployments`.
+By default, connections are discovered from `CrestApps:AI:Connections` and deployments are discovered from `CrestApps:AI:Deployments`. Connection-based deployments can reference a shared `ConnectionName`, while contained-connection deployments can embed provider-specific settings directly in the deployment entry.
 
 ## Problem & Solution
 

src/CrestApps.Core.Docs/docs/core/mvc-example.md

@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ builder.Services.AddCrestAppsCore(crestApps => crestApps
 
 The MVC sample still binds static provider metadata from `CrestApps:AI:Providers`, but mutable AI connections and deployments now come from first-class merged catalogs instead of rebuilding `AIProviderOptions` after admin edits.
 
-`AddCoreAIAzureOpenAI()` also registers the `AzureSpeech` deployment provider used by MVC speech-to-text and text-to-speech selectors, so standalone Azure AI Services deployments from `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` participate in the same merged deployment catalog as UI-managed deployments.
+`AddCoreAIAzureOpenAI()` also registers the `AzureSpeech` deployment provider used by MVC speech-to-text and text-to-speech selectors, so Azure AI Services deployments from `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` participate in the same merged deployment catalog as UI-managed deployments.
 
-The MVC runtime now reads connection definitions from `CrestApps:AI:Connections`, provider-grouped connections under `CrestApps:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}` or `CrestApps:AI:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}`, and UI-managed connection records from the store into one merged connection catalog. The deployment catalog layers together UI-managed typed deployments and standalone `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` entries. That means dropdowns, deployment resolution, and connection resolution all see the same unified set without an app restart.
+The MVC runtime now reads connection definitions from `CrestApps:AI:Connections`, provider-grouped connections under `CrestApps:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}` or `CrestApps:AI:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}`, and UI-managed connection records from the store into one merged connection catalog. The deployment catalog layers together UI-managed typed deployments and `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` entries from every configured section. Those deployment entries can either reference a shared `ConnectionName` or carry contained-connection settings directly. That means dropdowns, deployment resolution, and connection resolution all see the same unified set without an app restart.
 
 Both merged catalogs also expose configurable section lists through `AIProviderConnectionCatalogOptions` and `AIDeploymentCatalogOptions`, so a host can append additional configuration paths without replacing the MVC/UI store integration. By default, connection discovery reads `CrestApps:AI:Connections`, `CrestApps:Providers`, and `CrestApps:AI:Providers`, while deployment discovery reads `CrestApps:AI:Deployments`.
 
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ Both merged catalogs also expose configurable section lists through `AIProviderC
 }
 ```
 
-Provider-grouped connection settings under `CrestApps:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}` and `CrestApps:AI:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}` still work too. The merged connection catalog keeps those provider-defined records and the `CrestApps:AI:Connections` array visible alongside UI-managed MVC connections, and the MVC AI Deployment editor reads that catalog directly when it builds the connection dropdown. Connection settings only describe the provider connection itself; deployment names and types belong in `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` or in the UI deployment editor.
+Provider-grouped connection settings under `CrestApps:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}` and `CrestApps:AI:Providers:{ProviderName}:Connections:{ConnectionName}` still work too. The merged connection catalog keeps those provider-defined records and the `CrestApps:AI:Connections` array visible alongside UI-managed MVC connections, and the MVC AI Deployment editor reads that catalog directly when it builds the connection dropdown. Connection settings only describe the provider connection itself; deployment names and types belong in `CrestApps:AI:Deployments` or in the UI deployment editor, and config deployments can optionally point back to a shared connection by setting `ConnectionName`.
 
 
 ```json

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/AIProviderConnectionEntryLegacyDeploymentExtensions.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+using CrestApps.Core.AI.Models;
+using CrestApps.Core.Infrastructure;
+
+namespace CrestApps.Core.AI;
+
+public static class AIProviderConnectionEntryLegacyDeploymentExtensions
+{
+    public static string GetLegacyChatDeploymentName(this AIProviderConnectionEntry connection)
+        => GetLegacyString(connection, "ChatDeploymentName", "DeploymentName", "DefaultChatDeploymentName", "DefaultDeploymentName");
+
+    public static string GetLegacyUtilityDeploymentName(this AIProviderConnectionEntry connection)
+        => GetLegacyString(connection, "UtilityDeploymentName", "DefaultUtilityDeploymentName");
+
+    public static string GetLegacyEmbeddingDeploymentName(this AIProviderConnectionEntry connection)
+        => GetLegacyString(connection, "EmbeddingDeploymentName", "DefaultEmbeddingDeploymentName");
+
+    public static string GetLegacyImageDeploymentName(this AIProviderConnectionEntry connection)
+        => GetLegacyString(connection, "ImagesDeploymentName", "DefaultImagesDeploymentName");
+
+    public static string GetLegacySpeechToTextDeploymentName(this AIProviderConnectionEntry connection)
+        => GetLegacyString(connection, "SpeechToTextDeploymentName", "DefaultSpeechToTextDeploymentName");
+
+    private static string GetLegacyString(AIProviderConnectionEntry connection, params string[] keys)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(connection);
+
+        foreach (var key in keys)
+        {
+            var value = connection.GetStringValue(key, false);
+
+            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(value))
+            {
+                return value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+}

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/CrestApps.Core.AI.csproj

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <ProjectReference Include="../../Abstractions/CrestApps.Core.AI.Abstractions/CrestApps.Core.AI.Abstractions.csproj" />
+    <ProjectReference Include="../../Utilities/CrestApps.Core.Support/CrestApps.Core.Support.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="../CrestApps.Core/CrestApps.Core.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="../CrestApps.Core.Infrastructure/CrestApps.Core.Infrastructure.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="../CrestApps.Core.Templates/CrestApps.Core.Templates.csproj" />

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/Models/AIDeploymentConfigurationEntry.cs

@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ namespace CrestApps.Core.AI.Models;
 public sealed class AIDeploymentConfigurationEntry
 {
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets the deployment provider name for standalone configuration entries.
+    /// Gets or sets the deployment provider name for configuration entries.
     /// </summary>
-    public string ProviderName { get; set; }
+    public string ClientName { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the unique technical deployment name used for lookups.
@@ -25,14 +25,15 @@ public sealed class AIDeploymentConfigurationEntry
     public string ModelName { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets the deployment capability types (Chat, Utility, Embedding, Image, SpeechToText, TextToSpeech).
+    /// Gets or sets the shared provider connection name for connection-based deployments.
+    /// Leave empty for contained-connection deployments.
     /// </summary>
-    public AIDeploymentType Type { get; set; }
+    public string ConnectionName { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets whether this deployment is the default for its type within its connection or provider.
+    /// Gets or sets the deployment capability types (Chat, Utility, Embedding, Image, SpeechToText, TextToSpeech).
     /// </summary>
-    public bool IsDefault { get; set; }
+    public AIDeploymentType Type { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets provider-specific properties for contained-connection deployments.

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/Services/AIClientProviderBase.cs

@@ -22,10 +22,7 @@ public ValueTask<IChatClient> GetChatClientAsync(AIProviderConnectionEntry conne
     {
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
         {
-#pragma warning disable CS0618 // Obsolete deployment name methods retained for backward compatibility
-
-            deploymentName = connection.GetChatDeploymentOrDefaultName(false);
-#pragma warning restore CS0618
+            deploymentName = connection.GetLegacyChatDeploymentName();
         }
 
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
@@ -42,10 +39,7 @@ public ValueTask<IEmbeddingGenerator<string, Embedding<float>>> GetEmbeddingGene
     {
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
         {
-#pragma warning disable CS0618 // Obsolete deployment name methods retained for backward compatibility
-
-            deploymentName = connection.GetEmbeddingDeploymentOrDefaultName(false);
-#pragma warning restore CS0618
+            deploymentName = connection.GetLegacyEmbeddingDeploymentName();
         }
 
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
@@ -66,10 +60,7 @@ public ValueTask<IImageGenerator> GetImageGeneratorAsync(AIProviderConnectionEnt
     {
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
         {
-#pragma warning disable CS0618 // Obsolete deployment name methods retained for backward compatibility
-
-            deploymentName = connection.GetImagesDeploymentOrDefaultName(false);
-#pragma warning restore CS0618
+            deploymentName = connection.GetLegacyImageDeploymentName();
         }
 
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
@@ -89,10 +80,7 @@ public ValueTask<ISpeechToTextClient> GetSpeechToTextClientAsync(AIProviderConne
     {
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
         {
-#pragma warning disable CS0618 // Obsolete deployment name methods retained for backward compatibility
-
-            deploymentName = connection.GetSpeechToTextDeploymentOrDefaultName(false);
-#pragma warning restore CS0618
+            deploymentName = connection.GetLegacySpeechToTextDeploymentName();
         }
 
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/Services/AICompletionServiceBase.cs

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 using CrestApps.Core.AI.Deployments;
 using CrestApps.Core.AI.Models;
-using CrestApps.Core.Infrastructure;
 using CrestApps.Core.Templates.Services;
 
 namespace CrestApps.Core.AI.Services;
@@ -32,9 +31,7 @@ protected virtual string GetDefaultDeploymentName(AIProvider provider, string co
     {
         if (connectionName is not null && provider.Connections.TryGetValue(connectionName, out var connection))
         {
-#pragma warning disable CS0618 // Obsolete deployment name methods retained for backward compatibility
-            var deploymentName = connection.GetChatDeploymentOrDefaultName();
-#pragma warning restore CS0618
+            var deploymentName = connection.GetLegacyChatDeploymentName();
 
             if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(deploymentName))
             {
@@ -44,6 +41,7 @@ protected virtual string GetDefaultDeploymentName(AIProvider provider, string co
 
         return null;
     }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Resolves a deployment name and connection name using the <see cref="IAIDeploymentManager"/>
     /// with fallback to legacy connection entry values when they are still present.

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/Services/AIDeploymentConnectionEntryFactory.cs

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using System.Text.Json.Nodes;
 using CrestApps.Core.AI.Models;
+using CrestApps.Core.Support;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.DataProtection;
 
 namespace CrestApps.Core.AI.Services;
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ public static AIProviderConnectionEntry Create(AIDeployment deployment, IDataPro
             foreach (var property in deployment.Properties)
             {
                 values[property.Key] = property.Value is JsonNode jsonNode
-                ? ConvertJsonNode(jsonNode)
+                ? jsonNode.GetRawValue()
                 : property.Value;
             }
         }
@@ -26,25 +27,6 @@ public static AIProviderConnectionEntry Create(AIDeployment deployment, IDataPro
 
         return new AIProviderConnectionEntry(values);
     }
-
-    private static object ConvertJsonNode(JsonNode node)
-    {
-        return node switch
-        {
-            JsonObject jsonObject => jsonObject.ToDictionary(
-                property => property.Key,
-                property => ConvertJsonNode(property.Value),
-            StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase),
-            JsonArray jsonArray => jsonArray.Select(ConvertJsonNode).ToList(),
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<string>(out var s) => s,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<bool>(out var b) => b,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<int>(out var i) => i,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<long>(out var l) => l,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<double>(out var d) => d,
-            _ => node?.ToString(),
-        };
-    }
-
     private static void UnprotectApiKeys(IDictionary<string, object> values, IDataProtectionProvider dataProtectionProvider)
     {
         foreach (var (key, value) in values.ToList())

src/Primitives/CrestApps.Core.AI/Services/AIProviderConnectionEntryFactory.cs

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using System.Text.Json.Nodes;
 using CrestApps.Core.AI.Models;
+using CrestApps.Core.Support;
 
 namespace CrestApps.Core.AI.Services;
 
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ public static AIProviderConnectionEntry Create(AIProviderConnection connection)
             foreach (var property in connection.Properties)
             {
                 values[property.Key] = property.Value is JsonNode jsonNode
-                    ? ConvertJsonNode(jsonNode)
+                    ? jsonNode.GetRawValue()
                     : property.Value;
             }
         }
@@ -27,22 +28,4 @@ public static AIProviderConnectionEntry Create(AIProviderConnection connection)
 
         return new AIProviderConnectionEntry(values);
     }
-
-    private static object ConvertJsonNode(JsonNode node)
-    {
-        return node switch
-        {
-            JsonObject jsonObject => jsonObject.ToDictionary(
-                property => property.Key,
-                property => ConvertJsonNode(property.Value),
-                StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase),
-            JsonArray jsonArray => jsonArray.Select(ConvertJsonNode).ToList(),
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<string>(out var s) => s,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<bool>(out var b) => b,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<int>(out var i) => i,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<long>(out var l) => l,
-            JsonValue jsonValue when jsonValue.TryGetValue<double>(out var d) => d,
-            _ => node?.ToString(),
-        };
-    }
 }