Codename / DecentKit Simplifies Trusted Cross-Wallet Messaging

Developers building web3 apps, wallets, marketplaces, and games face extreme complexity when creating trusted identity and transactional messaging features that work across different wallets and chains for one-to-one and group interactions.

Codename / DecentKit, a project in the Catena Labs early access “Codename” program, is a new developer API and SDK that aims to provide solutions to many challenges in building delightful web3 user experiences. It begins by addressing this trusted cross-wallet identity and messaging problem.

The initial phase of Codename / DecentKit will allow developers to support real-time chats as well as asynchronous micro-blogging-style messaging between decentralized identities, wallet addresses, and personal chain domain names with end-to-end encryption. Support for verifiable credentials and NFTs enables chat-gating as well as in-context exchange of identity proofs such as verifiable credentials. It builds upon foundational technologies including libp2p and XMTP, and is free to use and open source under an MIT license.

Inside DecentKit

1. Decent Identity, not Accounts. Instead of creating central accounts, users can employ their existing wallets and blockchain domain names to manage messaging endpoints as they build portable profiles and reputation that they own and carry across apps. Users can exchange identity proofs such as verifiable credentials over messaging channels without exposing private data.
2. Transactional Smart Messages. Messages can include not only text and media, but also secure transactions involving collectibles, tokens, or digital dollars in connected wallets.
3. Security and Privacy: End-to-end encryption ensures that messages can be read only by their intended recipients. Furthermore, no sensitive data is stored on-chain or in databases.
4. Cross-Chain Compatibility: Transactional messaging features work seamlessly across wallets and blockchain domain names, ensuring that applications can communicate with multiple wallets and chains without the need for complex bridging and workarounds.
5. Scalable Group Messaging: The SDK builds upon foundational libp2p and XMTP layers to support new group messaging scenarios.
6. Free to Use: The SDK is open source under an MIT license.

DecentKit in Action: Duffle

DecentKit is implemented in our Codename / Duffle project, which serves as a practical example of how it may be embedded in a real-world application. Duffle is a decentralized identity wallet and messaging app designed for crypto-natives that enables interacting securely across different wallets and chains.

A Decent Roadmap

Identity and messaging are the first of several libraries, components, and APIs that we hope DecentKit will offer to other developers so that they can build upon the same technology we’re incorporating in apps like Duffle. These tools are meant to foster the development of progressively-decentralized hybrid apps that combine the best aspects of the existing web with the benefits of decentralization.

“Codename” projects are Catena Labs alpha-stage works in progress, and early access users should expect bugs and missing features. Codename participants will be among the first to experience these nascent projects while helping them mature and improve.

Learn More

To learn more, visit DecentKit’s documentation hub. Happy building!