Refactor config usage to centralize environment variables

Replaced direct os.getenv calls with values from the central AppConfig instance for Application Insights, Azure Search, and Azure AI settings. This improves maintainability and consistency in configuration management across backend modules. Removed unused kernel creation method from AppConfig.

Author: Fr4nc3

src/backend/app_kernel.py

@@ -36,15 +36,13 @@
 )
 
 # Updated import for KernelArguments
-from common.utils.utils_kernel import (
-    rai_success,
-)
+from common.utils.utils_kernel import rai_success
 
 from common.database.database_factory import DatabaseFactory
 from v3.api.router import app_v3
 
 # Check if the Application Insights Instrumentation Key is set in the environment variables
-connection_string = os.getenv("APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING")
+connection_string = config.APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING
 if connection_string:
     # Configure Application Insights if the Instrumentation Key is found
     configure_azure_monitor(connection_string=connection_string)

src/backend/common/auth/azure_credential_utils.py

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import os
 from azure.identity import ManagedIdentityCredential, DefaultAzureCredential
-from azure.identity.aio import ManagedIdentityCredential as AioManagedIdentityCredential, DefaultAzureCredential as AioDefaultAzureCredential
+from azure.identity.aio import (
+    ManagedIdentityCredential as AioManagedIdentityCredential,
+    DefaultAzureCredential as AioDefaultAzureCredential,
+)
+from common.config.app_config import config
 
 
 async def get_azure_credential_async(client_id=None):
@@ -16,8 +20,10 @@ async def get_azure_credential_async(client_id=None):
     Returns:
         Credential object: Either AioDefaultAzureCredential or AioManagedIdentityCredential.
     """
-    if os.getenv("APP_ENV", "prod").lower() == 'dev':
-        return AioDefaultAzureCredential()  # CodeQL [SM05139] Okay use of DefaultAzureCredential as it is only used in development
+    if config.APP_ENV == "dev":
+        return (
+            AioDefaultAzureCredential()
+        )  # CodeQL [SM05139] Okay use of DefaultAzureCredential as it is only used in development
     else:
         return AioManagedIdentityCredential(client_id=client_id)
 
@@ -35,7 +41,9 @@ def get_azure_credential(client_id=None):
     Returns:
         Credential object: Either DefaultAzureCredential or ManagedIdentityCredential.
     """
-    if os.getenv("APP_ENV", "prod").lower() == 'dev':
-        return DefaultAzureCredential()  # CodeQL [SM05139] Okay use of DefaultAzureCredential as it is only used in development
+    if config.APP_ENV == "dev":
+        return (
+            DefaultAzureCredential()
+        )  # CodeQL [SM05139] Okay use of DefaultAzureCredential as it is only used in development
     else:
         return ManagedIdentityCredential(client_id=client_id)

src/backend/common/config/app_config.py

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 from azure.cosmos.aio import CosmosClient
 from common.auth.azure_credential_utils import get_azure_credential
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
-from semantic_kernel.kernel import Kernel
 
 # Load environment variables from .env file
 load_dotenv()
@@ -28,6 +27,10 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.COSMOSDB_DATABASE = self._get_optional("COSMOSDB_DATABASE")
         self.COSMOSDB_CONTAINER = self._get_optional("COSMOSDB_CONTAINER")
 
+        self.APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING = self._get_required(
+            "APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING"
+        )
+        self.APP_ENV = self._get_required("APP_ENV", "prod")
         # Azure OpenAI settings
         self.AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME = self._get_required(
             "AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME", "gpt-4o"
@@ -50,6 +53,10 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.AZURE_AI_RESOURCE_GROUP = self._get_required("AZURE_AI_RESOURCE_GROUP")
         self.AZURE_AI_PROJECT_NAME = self._get_required("AZURE_AI_PROJECT_NAME")
         self.AZURE_AI_AGENT_ENDPOINT = self._get_required("AZURE_AI_AGENT_ENDPOINT")
+        self.AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT = self._get_optional("AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT")
+
+        # Azure Search settings
+        self.AZURE_SEARCH_ENDPOINT = self._get_optional("AZURE_SEARCH_ENDPOINT")
 
         # Cached clients and resources
         self._azure_credentials = None
@@ -112,17 +119,6 @@ def _get_bool(self, name: str) -> bool:
         """
         return name in os.environ and os.environ[name].lower() in ["true", "1"]
 
-    def create_kernel(self):
-        """Creates a new Semantic Kernel instance.
-
-        Returns:
-            A new Semantic Kernel instance
-        """
-        # Create a new kernel instance without manually configuring OpenAI services
-        # The agents will be created using Azure AI Agent Project pattern instead
-        kernel = Kernel()
-        return kernel
-
     def get_ai_project_client(self):
         """Create and return an AIProjectClient for Azure AI Foundry using from_connection_string.
 

src/backend/common/services/json_service.py

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 )
 
 from common.auth.azure_credential_utils import get_azure_credential
+from common.config.app_config import config
 from common.database.database_base import DatabaseBase
 
 
@@ -34,18 +35,15 @@ def __init__(self, memory_context: Optional[DatabaseBase] = None):
         self.logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
         # Search validation configuration
-        self.search_endpoint = os.getenv("AZURE_SEARCH_ENDPOINT")
-        self.search_key = os.getenv("AZURE_SEARCH_KEY")
-        if self.search_key:
-            self.search_credential = AzureKeyCredential(self.search_key)
-        else:
-            self.search_credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
+        self.search_endpoint = config.AZURE_SEARCH_ENDPOINT
+
+        self.search_credential = get_azure_credential()
 
         # Model validation configuration
-        self.subscription_id = os.getenv("AZURE_AI_SUBSCRIPTION_ID")
-        self.resource_group = os.getenv("AZURE_AI_RESOURCE_GROUP")
-        self.project_name = os.getenv("AZURE_AI_PROJECT_NAME")
-        self.project_endpoint = os.getenv("AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT")
+        self.subscription_id = config.AZURE_AI_SUBSCRIPTION_ID
+        self.resource_group = config.AZURE_AI_RESOURCE_GROUP
+        self.project_name = config.AZURE_AI_PROJECT_NAME
+        self.project_endpoint = config.AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT
 
     async def validate_and_parse_team_config(
         self, json_data: Dict[str, Any], user_id: str

src/backend/common/utils/event_utils.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
 from azure.monitor.events.extension import track_event
+from common.config.app_config import config
 
 
 def track_event_if_configured(event_name: str, event_data: dict):
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ def track_event_if_configured(event_name: str, event_data: dict):
         event_data: Dictionary of event data/dimensions
     """
     try:
-        instrumentation_key = os.getenv("APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING")
+        instrumentation_key = config.APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING
         if instrumentation_key:
             track_event(event_name, event_data)
         else: