2018-02-20 Meeting notes: Plans for implementation of RChain API using JSON

Owned by Kelly Foster
Last updated: Feb 27, 2018 by Medha Parlikar (Unlicensed)

Date

Attendees

Goals

  • We will use this time to address questions Nash has about the intended use of JSON as  documented here, and to
  • Discuss next steps for moving to a Protobuff solution. 

Discussion items

TimeItemWhoNotes
10 minCurrent status of the APIChris Kirkwood-Watts
  • What is in his plan
  • Implemented
    • Server
    • Marshalling
  • Imagined
    • Ports
    • Route

Lykka requirement
  • They want us to implement a small api.  Get transaction, captured in the doc that Greg sent. 
  • it's a JSON ish thing.
  • Lykka's document seems not very 'professional' - they may have a higher tolerance for dealing with the churn in JSON.  Low expectations of quality.

Meta mask requirements
  • The MetaMask guys are wanting a specific API - Chris is feeling that the JSON RPC API is the most standard one out there.
  • What ETH made difficult, getting the true state of the chain without running a node. They had to pull in all the headers and the chain outline.  No light client.  Wound up querying their own servers to obtain the state.
  • Any complaints with versioning issues?  Not according to Chris.
 20 How we get to a Protobuf implementation of the API Everyone
  • Write a nice protobuf API that everyone can use.
    • Will have to have the largest surface area.  Every bit of data you need has to be exposed.
  • For each Key implementation, write a REST API in Python (no type safety possible - and it's fast).
    • little HTTP servers that take the Protocol buffer output and pass it to a REST API.
  • Concerns around level of effort - JSON is fast and easy. 
  •  
  • Or should we use Thrift? Nash is not opposed to this.
  • DECISIONS
    • Going forward, prioritize implementation of Protobuf solution, over JSON or other solutions other groups might want.
    • Implement a GRPC Protobuf solution as the base Node API
    • Nash approves including the work done to-date on the JSON RPC in the 15 March release
    • Streaming data via Protobufs isn't perfect, and we may need to perform low level optimizations.
      • How do we expose the storage log in an API for the 3/15 release?  

Action items