Task Plan: Enrich IPNS Documentation
Goal
Comprehensive expansion of software/IPFS/IPNS.md to become the definitive guide on IPNS, covering internals, advanced usage, integrations, and troubleshooting.
Current Phase
Task Completed
Phases
- [x] Phase 1: Architecture Deep Dive
- [x] Add "Anatomy of an IPNS Record" (Sequence numbers, Validity, Signature). - [x] Explain "Transport Layers": DHT vs. PubSub (Consistency vs. Availability trade-off). - [x] Clarify "Self-Certifying Names" concept.
- [x] Phase 2: Advanced CLI & Configuration
- [x] Document ipfs name publish flags: --ttl, --lifetime, --key.
- [x] Document ipfs key management: list -l, rename, rm.
- [x] Explain Ipns.RepublishPeriod and Ipns.UsePubsub config in Kubo.
- [x] Phase 3: Integrations & Ecosystem
- [x] Add DNSLink section: The human-readable layer (_dnslink TXT records).
- [x] Add ENS integration: Decentralized identity for IPNS.
- [x] Explain Gateway Resolution: Path vs. Subdomain resolution.
- [x] Phase 4: Optimization & Troubleshooting
- [x] Address "Why is IPNS slow?" (DHT lookup times). - [x] Explain "Record Expiration" (The 48h rule & Re-publishing requirement). - [x] Gateway Caching strategies.
- [x] Phase 5: Real-World Use Cases
- [x] Dynamic Websites (CI/CD pipelines). - [x] Identity Systems (Keybase-style proofs). - [x] Collaborative Databases (OrbitDB foundations).
Final Status
Successfully transformed IPNS.md into a comprehensive engineering guide with philosophical depth. The document now covers the entire spectrum from binary record structures to high-level Web3 ecosystem integrations.
- [ ] Phase 3: Integrations & Ecosystem
- [ ] Add DNSLink section: The human-readable layer (_dnslink TXT records).
- [ ] Add ENS integration: Decentralized identity for IPNS.
- [ ] Explain Gateway Resolution: Path vs. Subdomain resolution.
- [ ] Phase 4: Optimization & Troubleshooting
- [ ] Address "Why is IPNS slow?" (DHT lookup times). - [ ] Explain "Record Expiration" (The 48h rule & Re-publishing requirement). - [ ] Gateway Caching strategies.
- [ ] Phase 5: Real-World Use Cases
- [ ] Dynamic Websites (CI/CD pipelines). - [ ] Identity Systems (Keybase-style proofs). - [ ] Collaborative Databases (OrbitDB foundations).
Key Questions
- How to explain the CAP theorem trade-off in IPNS (DHT=CP, PubSub=AP) simply?
- Should we include a tutorial on setting up IPNS over PubSub? (Yes, essential for speed).
- How to illustrate the DNSLink setup clearly? (ASCII diagram or config example).
Decisions Made
- Structure: Will append new chapters to existing structure, promoting "Basic" to "Advanced".
- Tone: Keep the "Master Writer" philosophical intro, but shift to "Engineering Manual" for new sections.
- Format: Use tables for command flags and comparison (DHT vs PubSub).
Resources
- IPFS Docs: https://docs.ipfs.tech/concepts/ipns/
- IPFS Forum: Multiple Keys discussion.
- Fleek/Lighthouse guides (Synthesized).