Weekly Dev Meeting - Friday, August 30th, 2024

August 30, 2024

Key Progress:

  • Major Refactor Completed:

    • Refactor focused on initial connections between nodes via the gateway.
    • Addressed numerous issues that were causing problems in the network.
    • Integration testing has been improved, leading to faster feedback for changes.
  • Integration Testing Improvements:

    • Fixed various errors in integration code that were causing issues during testing.
    • Adjustments have sped up the testing process significantly, allowing for quicker iterations.

Current Blockers:

  • Transport Layer Issues:
    • There is a problem with the handshake process between the gateway and peers.
    • The gateway and peers are not correctly syncing on the use of symmetric and asymmetric keys during communication.
    • Ignacio is currently diagnosing this issue, which appears to be the last major blocker.

Other Developments:

  • Ghost Keys:

    • Discussion of “Ghost Keys,” an independent system Ian has been working on, which focuses on anonymous, verifiable identities.
    • Ian mentioned the importance of naming, noting that “Ghost Keys” has resonated well with people and sparked interest.
    • The system is largely independent of Freenet but has been in discussion for some time.
  • Group Chat System:

    • Ian has been developing a group chat system, with a focus on using macros to handle complex contract operations.
    • The discussion revealed challenges with field dependencies within the chat room contract, particularly regarding the correct application of deltas.
    • Ian is considering integrating elements from an existing experimental approach within Freenet’s standard library to streamline development and reduce redundancy.

Next Steps:

  • Focus on Transport Layer Fixes:

    • Once the handshake issue is resolved, the network should be able to establish reliable connections.
    • After this, any remaining issues should be minor and more easily addressed.
  • Continue Development of Group Chat System:

    • Ian will review existing experimental approaches to potentially integrate them into the group chat system.
    • The goal is to create a more robust and efficient contract framework that can serve as an example for more complex systems in the future.

Conclusion:

  • The network is moving closer to a stable release.
  • The team is hopeful that these final issues can be resolved quickly, allowing users to begin starting up nodes and participating in the network.
  • Parallel developments, like the Ghost Keys system and the group chat project, are also progressing, contributing to the broader ecosystem Freenet aims to support.