Add links that are clearly pointing at a group?

[Powersource]

Followup discussion from https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-uri-spec/pull/17

There we added support for ssb:message/cloaked/<KEY>. That has a code smell though

The <KEY> thing adds an edge case for message links. With this you won't be able to just go "ah it's a message i'll go to the <MSGID> then"

@staltz suggested we might add ssb:identity/group/<KEY>

[Powersource]

@mixmix @arj03

[Powersource]

@staltz said

I'll merge because BFE is already published and in production with cloaked, but let's keep talking about the alternative URI.

but is cloaked actually in production yet? does anyone use that? The only ones who have used cloaked is tribes which is used by ahau but they don't use bfe right?

[staltz]

Ahau most likely uses the cloaked BFE. I think it's used here https://github.com/ssbc/envelope-js/blob/61c609f8ba76c456c43d8c187cd6998c250853f5/util/cipherlink.js but @mixmix probably knows more details than I do.

[Powersource]

anyone against me adding a URI format that looks like this ssb:identity/group/<KEY> that I then add to the private groups spec (v2 https://github.com/ssbc/private-group-spec/pull/18 ) ? As well as I guess bfe. Essentially sort of deprecating ssb:message/cloaked/asdf uris (not removing support but moving away from using them).

[staltz]

I support it, but I think we need to get consensus on this one, so @mixmix + @arj03.

[arj03]

I guess so, but could we at least name it ssb:identity/private-group/<KEY>? And to understand, this is when we name a group like in recps? Are there other use cases than recps?

[staltz]

Maybe there are other use cases, like mentioning a group by its ID in a public post. Or referring to the group in some URL-to-SSBURI link (similar to aliases).

[Powersource]

Realizing that feed links will look something like ssb:feed/bendy-butt/asdf... makes me feel like it's a bit futile in making links make sense. But I guess after fusion identity those links might look better too :thinking:

[mixmix]

I think this is a good idea. Ahau does use bfe, but I don't think cloaked ids are current used to calculate anything.

Hmmm, rid isn't something I can check comprehensively at 11pm. Let's assume this is a yes and tmrw i need to check all modules.

[Powersource]

@mixmix the proposal now was

anyone against me adding a URI format that looks like this ssb:identity/group/

but deprecating the weird bfe cloaked thing too is healthy imo

[staltz]

There's also a subdiscussion here, which is:

• ssb:identity/group/<KEY>
• versus
• ssb:identity/private-group/<KEY>

I personally prefer the 1st option, because we don't have any other concept of a "group" that would compete with the usage of this word. Like assuming that the only pet in the house is the cat, you don't have to say "the pet cat", you can just say "the pet".

But I can be convinced of the 2nd option too.

[mixmix]

My vote it for (1) ssb:identity/group/<KEY>

• :heavy_check_mark: shorter
• :heavy_check_mark: we have no public groups yet
• :heavy_check_mark: design work we're converging on the word "group" to mean "private group"

if we want public group I think making that ssb:identity/public-group/<KEY> is fine. The default of a group is private

---

@Powersource I wouldn't say we're deprecating cloaked BFE, there are still use cases for that. But not for the use case of groupId. That specific usage is to be deprecated - so a breaking change for the private-group-spec which defines groupId.

[mixmix]

module review

Copying from Signal

have reviewed modules, I think changing groupId > URI is a great idea and looks safe.

Modules on my computer which are effected:

[
  'envelope-js',
  'private-group-spec',
  'private-subgroup-spec',
  'ssb-bfe-spec',
  'ssb-box2',
  'ssb-crut',
  'ssb-keyring'
  'ssb-meta-feed-group-spec',
  'ssb-meta-feeds',
  'ssb-ref',
  'ssb-tribes2'
]

These Ahau modules may need fixing:

{
  'ahau-fixtures',
  'ssb-profile',
  'ssb-tribes-registration',
  'ssb-crut',
  'ahau-db-analysis',
  '@ssb-graphql/story',
  '@ssb-graphql/tribes',
  '@ssb-graphql/main',
  '@ssb-graphql/whakapapa',
  '@ssb-graphql/profile',
  'ssb-keyring',
  'ssb-ahau'
}

---

for reference, here's the ripgrep command I used:

rg -e '(groupId|cloak)' -g '!**/test/**' -g '!ahau/**' -g '!*.md' -l

ignore tests, ignore the ahau repo, ignore markdown files

[staltz]

@arj03 Can we go with ssb:identity/group/__? Or can you share your thoughts on your preference for ssb:identity/private-group/__?

[arj03]

Fine by me

[Powersource]

pr in bfe spec https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-bfe-spec/pull/26

[Powersource]

pr in uri spec https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-uri-spec/pull/20

[Powersource]

pr in uri2 https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-uri2/pull/17