diff --git a/project-reports/2023/2023-Q4-Hyperledger-Indy.md b/project-reports/2023/2023-Q4-Hyperledger-Indy.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f4d91ee6 --- /dev/null +++ b/project-reports/2023/2023-Q4-Hyperledger-Indy.md @@ -0,0 +1,173 @@ +--- +layout: default +title: 2023 Q4 Hyperledger Indy +parent: 2023 +grand_parent: Project Updates +has_children: false +has_toc: false +--- + +# 2023 Q4 Hyperledger Indy + +Created by Stephen Curran and the Hyperledger Indy Maintainers. + +## Sub-Projects + +### **Distributed Ledger** + +- [indy-node] +- [indy-plenum] +- [indy-test-automation] +- [indy-node-monitor] +- [indy-node-container] +- [indy-blssignatures-rs] - added this quarter + +[indy-node]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-node +[indy-plenum]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-plenum +[indy-test-automation]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-test-automation +[indy-node-monitor]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-node-monitor +[indy-node-container]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-node-container +[indy-blssignatures-rs]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-blssignatures-rs + +### **Client Tools** + +- [indy-vdr] +- [indy-shared-rs] -- for AnonCreds, [Hyperledger AnonCreds] should be used +- [indy-cli-rs] -- new, Indy CLI based on Indy VDR, not Indy SDK +- [indy-sdk] -- Deprecated + +[indy-vdr]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-vdr +[indy-shared-rs]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-shared-rs +[indy-cli-rs]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-cli-rs +[indy-sdk]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-sdk +[Indy SDK]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-sdk +[Aries Askar]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-askar +[Hyperledger AnonCreds]: https://github.com/hyperledger/anoncreds-rs + +### **Specifications** + +- [did:indy Specification], [did:indy Specification source repository] +- [did:indy Networks] +- [Indy HIPE] (Hyperledger Indy Project Enhancements) + +[did:indy Specification]: https://hyperledger.github.io/indy-did-method/ +[did:indy Specification source repository]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-did-method +[did:indy Networks]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-did-networks +[Indy HIPE]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-hipe + +## Project Health + +The project continued to have little maintainer activity, with most of the +updates focused on the work necessary to deprecate the [Indy SDK] in favour of +the more modern [indy-vdr] and [indy-shared-rs] (which will soon be replaced by +[Hyperledger AnonCreds]). Indy will retain the [indy-node] ledger implementation +(with the underlying [indy-plenum] consensus code), and [indy-vdr] client code +to access the ledger. The other parts of the Indy SDK will be elsewhere, secure +storage in [Aries Askar] and [Hyperledger AnonCreds] for verifiable credential +exchange. + +The highlight of the quarter was the Second Indy Ecosystem Summit held in early +September -- a follow up to the First Indy Ecosystem Summit that was discussed +in the last quarterly report. The event was again well attended, 40+ +participants, and the topics covered included specific actions for moving the +project forward. Here is a +[link](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gkd-V17tAYQFI4ymtIGUjfQxBlgOYVj0WBdX1ZdWA_g/edit?usp=sharing) +to the materials from both summits. See the [Overall +Activity](#overall-activity-in-the-past-quarter) for more details of the +discussions. + +Per the [Indy Quarterly Activity Dashboard], there were 149 commits +(up about 50% from last quarter) from 11 contributors (down about 50% from last quarter). + +[Indy Quarterly Activity Dashboard]: https://insights.lfx.linuxfoundation.org/projects/hyperledger%2Findy/dashboard;subTab=technical?time=%7B%22from%22:%222023-07-01T08:00:00.000Z%22,%22type%22:%22absolute%22,%22to%22:%222023-09-30T07:00:00.000Z%22%7D + +## Questions/Issues for the TOC + +See the idea in that came out of the Second Hyperledger Indy Ecosystem Summit: + +> Is there a way for the Hyperledger Foundation to enable a group to collect +funds for an open source objective, and the use those funds to enable a code +contribution? + +### Issues from previous reports + +#### **Diversity of Contributor Community** + +See the updated type of information in the appropriate section of this report. + +## Releases + +- indy-vdr - - v0.4.0-dev.13 to v0.4.0-dev.16 +- indy-node-container - v1.2.5 +- indy-shared-rs - v0.3.3 + +## Overall Activity in the Past Quarter + +GitHub activity was focused on the so-called Shared Components ([indy-vdr], +[indy-shared-rs] and [aries-askar]) and the transition away from the Indy SDK. The +maintainer community has discussed the formal deprecation of the Indy SDK and +the Aries maintainers have been busy making the Shared Components the default in +Aries, in preparation for the deprecation announcement. + +At the Second Indy Ecosystem Summit, two discussions focused on paths forward. +On the technical side, [DSR Corporation](https://en.dsr-corporation.com/) +presented several ideas for evolving the Indy Node ledger component, including +evolving the current implementation, or implementing Indy transactions on +another network, such as [Hyperledger Besu](https://www.hyperledger.org/projects/besu), or +[Cosmos](https://cosmos.network/). While there is no pressing feature set needed in the +foreseeable future, the lack of maintainers on the existing code base is concerning. Those +with an opinion thought that Besu was the most interesting alternative and work has +started on defining what that might mean. This breaks into a couple of questions: + +* How to write Indy (or more accurately, AnonCreds) objects on a Besu network + (schema, credential definitions, and revocation registries)? +* Can and should the existing Indy roles be used when running on a Besu network? +* Can and should the existing Indy authorization rules be used when running on a Besu network? + +The second topic raised was if and how the Indy community, as represented at the +Ecosystems Summits, can collaborate on moving the Indy technology, marketing and +regulatory environment forward? For example, is there a way for the Hyperledger +Foundation to enable a group to collect funds for an open source objective, and +the use those funds to enable a code contribution? + +## Current Plans + +Continuing the move of the Aries Frameworks to [indy-vdr] and [aries-askar] and away +from [indy-sdk], which will enable its deprecation. The high priority work on +[Hyperledger AnonCreds] implementation will also drive that effort. + +Investigating different paths forward for Hyperledger Indy ledger components, including +a specific look at the use of Hyperledger Besu for that purpose. What would that look +like as a technical component? + +A third Hyperledger Indy Ecosystem Summit is planned, but not yet scheduled, likely +with a more focused group -- those that are operating Indy networks. + +## Maintainer Diversity + +There are 35 individuals on 22 Indy GitHub Teams representing at least 16 organizations. + +Still needed -- a cleanup of the teams are needed as some of the individuals are +no longer active in the community. No progress was made on that cleanup this +quarter. We have the team lists, but have not queried those on the list to see +if they are still interested in being maintainers. + +## Contributor Diversity + +See the [Indy Quarterly Activity Dashboard] for information about contributors +this quarter. The 11 individual contributors came from at least 6 different +organizations. Attendees at the Hyperledger Indy Ecosystem Summits were from 30+ +organization in 14 countries across 4 continents. Indy continues to be globally +relevant. + +## Additional Information + +- Key channels on Hyperledger Discord: \#indy, \#indy-sdk, +\#indy-node, \#indy-maintainers, \#indy-vdr +- [Indy Mailing List](https://lists.hyperledger.org/g/indy) +- The edX course about Indy, Aries, AnonCreds, and Ursa ([LFS172x - Introduction +to Hyperledger Self Sovereign Identity Blockchain Solutions]) was updated +recently, with the new version launched in January 2023. + - [LFS172x - Introduction to Hyperledger Self Sovereign Identity Blockchain Solutions] + +[LFS172x - Introduction to Hyperledger Self Sovereign Identity Blockchain Solutions]: https://www.edx.org/course/identity-in-hyperledger-aries-indy-and-ursa