API's

[kc1116]

where are the API's to build apps that utilize this thing?

[dhh1128]

There are two basic ways to integrate with the sovrin ecosystem:

1. talk directly to the ledger
2. talk to an "agent"--software that works on behalf of an identity owner, and mediates between the sovrin ledger and a more familiar world like mobile app development, RESTful web services, etc.

#1 is possible, but the protocol that's used (RAET; see https://github.com/saltstack/raet) is highly specialized. This is the way the current CLI and Getting Started tutorial talk to the ledger to get things done. I believe it's not the ideal long-term solution because RAET binds sovrin too tightly to python. I prefer a solution that's easily callable in a variety of programming languages. (When I say "I" here, I'm trying not to speak too officially for the Sovrin Foundation, but I am connected with them and think I have some influence.)

#2 is entirely possible, but today it's not yet defined. There is a discussion about both APIs and the communication protocols that they use in the latest agent design doc on the wiki: https://github.com/sovrin-foundation/sovrin/wiki/Perspectives-on-Agent-Design

I expect clarity on this issue to begin to emerge in the next two weeks. This might be an excellent discussion topic for the next user community call on Nov 21.

[kc1116]

Thank you for the swift reply. This technology looks awesome and very promising but as a developer first thing I want to do is write a "hello world" app using it. From your reply I am assuming that it won't be a straightforward thing to do and you guys are still making decisions on API , Protocol , design etc. Is it safe to assume that?

[dhh1128]

@kc1116 that is partly correct. Today the CLI is the easiest way to experiment. It would not be hard as a developer to take the CLI and turn it into a "hello world" app if you felt inclined; as a small python package it's eminently hackable. Underneath, the CLI is turning human-friendly commands into calls over RAET that submit transactions like "NYM" (which creates an identifier for a user on the ledger). Inspecting the CLI's code will uncover the other ledger transaction types.

In the next few weeks, I expect visible progress on more traditional APIs.