IPFS IPFS Camp 2022 - Libp2p Day, 2 Nov 2022

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From YouTube: Satellite.im and what we're doing with IPFS and js-libp2p - Drew Ewing

Description

This talk was given at IPFS Camp 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal.

A

So I'm Drew with satellite IM and we are building a decentralized chat and video and voice application. So right now, satellite is a decentralized chat. Group chat, voice, video screen, sharing uh it's powered by ipfs and lib P2P, and the way that we did, that is, we created an abstraction layer called iridium. It's an isomorphic, JavaScript library that you can find on GitHub and iridium, basically simplifies the process of bootstrapping ipfs and loop P2P, it bakes in dids for the user and jwe for encryption.

A

So the way we do that is we allow the user to derive a application, specific private key using signed messages from their wallet or web crypto private key. If they have one. We simplify Pub sub and user-controlled Storage by just offering a really simple interface. Basically, just kit set Pub sub, add um yeah, so we provide that simple Library. We can use it in a client or run it on the server. Our servers are called sync nodes and sync nodes act as a pinning service, a Gateway and a relay.

A

Anyone can run a sync node and sync: nodes can bootstrap from each other they're configured to exchange Piers, pins and other information stored information from the user on a interval. So on the client, the user provides us with an entropy string. You can see, we have just a.

B

A

Entropy string, most configurations will probably just consist of a list of nodes, a list of gateways which, by default, the nodes will spin up a Gateway, but that's optional, a list of apis again optional, and then you can really get into the specifics of configuring, your ipfs or lib P2P.

A

um We take the entropy message that we have the user generate. We create a peer ID and did from the private kiwi derived from that, and then we initialize jsipfs and we have a bunch of configured defaults to just make it work.

A

So on the server you configure, your listen addresses for the Swarm API Gateway. If those listen addresses are detected, those elements start up. You can add Pub sub message, handlers really simply that the users can interact with. uh You can use the client API within the sync node to set get directly dial peers You by default. The signal will keep track of pure data.

A

So right now it's like name Avatar, I, think that's about it and then you can use that name, and you know the last six is what we're using right now, the did to discover other users similar to Discord.

A

We keep track of offline messages, so if a user tries to message another user and that user isn't connected to the sync node or can't be found from the sync notes that that sync node is connected to that signal, we'll go ahead and hold on to that encrypted message for a certain amount of time or until it sees that user, um and we store all that in sqlite, so users can find each other really simply they can sync their pens, peers, offline messages on any node that they want.

A

So they can connect to a node if they want to be part of the larger Network. That node needs to bootstrap from one of our nodes, but that is optional. So, for our uses, we're building. You know the chat application. We took the Iridium elements and we run Federated servers all across the globe, and then we have the browser dial into those discover peers. Get connected directly and then we initialize webrtc, where it makes sense, so you can try it for yourself. You can check out the GitHub repos. We have a core pwa.

A

This is the JavaScript client application and we have iridium, which is the JavaScript library, we're also working on Uplink and warp, which are our rust equivalents.

A

um Yeah, so concluding by using the Federated nodes, we can sync and store encrypted user data, we're all able to offer a theoretically decentralized Network, which will take participation from all of you or whoever wants to use it and offer private user data and communication without the need to go on chain. We have the option we're using wallets here. We will definitely be exploring on chain, but it's all optional.

A

We definitely need your help to scale and improve the network. We are looking for PRS or any feedback on what we've built so far, and we can't wait to see what you've built. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to do a little demo, so.

B

A

New user right now we're still working on wallet support. We have a PR coming for that. We have ethereum and Solano wallets supported in the browser right now. We just go ahead and create a Solana wallet which you can see here is my you know, 12 phrase uh mnemonic.

A

Yeah, it's different every time, so you can go ahead and save it I, don't mind so I went ahead and saved that and I'll create my username and I'm in and now on this you know on either one of the users right. You could just click on your username you'll copy, the friendly ID, which is like I, said before a combination of your username or Alias, and the last six of your did so I'll look up the other user. Oh there they are add them. As a friend on the other side. Here you can see.

A

I got the friend request. I'm gonna move that too far boom. Now we're in.

A

So we're messaging: we can go ahead and establish a call here in a second when they see each other, but we do have a demo application that you can all check out. Core.Satellite.Im, it's working, you can call each other create group chats we're looking forward to see what you do with it. If.

C

I wanted to self-host this myself and have a private subnet. Is that possible.

A

Yeah absolutely sweet yeah and it's really easy I mean if we look back at the code example it's you only have to really configure a few things to get in running your own sync node. It's just uh your swarm address your API, your gateway.

A

Those are your listen addresses and you can go and extend whatever element of ipfs's configuration that you want to and then, if you want to be part of the you know, core.satellite.im Network right, you will have to bootstrap from one of our nodes, but we'll discover you make sure you're, legit and you'll be a part of it.

C

Hi, um can you give a brief overview of how you implement the video part with webrtc.

A

Yeah, um so it's it's basically just signaling over the P2P. We, you know when you, when you go to dial, you send the challenge over to the other user. They send back acceptance and you're you're dropped into a call, and we initialize the streams and throw them on the UI.

C

I ask because I've tried working with this before and I've noticed it's very slow, especially when you try to add more than one person. I mean more than two people, so.

A

I'm curious how you approach that yeah, we've tested it with groups of you know: 12 15 people so far, and it's working great, so I think we solved some of that by using the Federated server and just kind of limiting the configuration so that you're, really only speaking to other people in the network that you're interested in speaking to.

C

uh Can you elaborate on what the entropy string is used for yeah.

A

So we derived the entropy string, typically from a signature, so we'll have you sign your passphrase so that you can recreate that private key? We don't. We want you to be able to use your crypto wallet, so the reason that we generate the entropy is just so that we can have something that we can reuse to sign messages without prompting you over and over again.

C

So so that would mean that if I use the same entropy, it's my identity, basically right. Okay, thank you. Yeah.

A

And we derived that entropy with.

C

A

Know some unpredictable elements so that it's very unlikely unless someone has your passphrase, that they're going to be able to reproduce your account.

B

Very cool project: congratulations! Yeah! Thank you. um I wanted to know some information about, like your user base size where you guys are at and release uh where, like what your future goals are. Those sorts of things yeah so.

A

We're just coming out of experimental phase. We just put all this together and got it working very recently, so we have a small user base of people that we've invited so far. It's kind of Silent launch, so you'll all be among the first. In so cool.

B

Are you, are you associated with an organization, or is this stuff you do on your weekends or like, what's the what's the formal structure behind the development of this project, both yeah.

A

um I'm with satellite.im my team's back there, okay.

B

That's a corporation, they pay you a salary, they have an income stream, and so what's their revenue stream look like or where do they get their funding? If.

A

I'm allowed to ask that I'm the wrong person to ask that I'm a Dev.

B

Okay, all right private donor. Okay um and then you said that I've heard this phrase, isomorphic JavaScript library, a number of times recently in the past six months and I, don't know what that means. Can you and it's out of scope a little bit? But if you could.

A

Define that it just means that it runs in the browser and on node, so you can run you can run them with the same code get used to it. It's very simple.

B

And it has the same shape, it can be run the same way and server.

A

Thank you yeah. We just wanted to keep it as simple as possible, so we could onboard Junior developers without them having to really understand what was going on and then slowly we bring them into the core Library. Thank you.