Development Update #7–05.31.19

Here is a summary of new features and updates from the last two weeks:

⚙️ Developer environment progress: MetaMask plugin, cf-wallet.js, and refactoring

In order to interact with channel applications, a user requires software that runs a state channels “node”.

We expect that most users will use a node running inside their wallet. This is why we have built a MetaMask integration which runs a node inside of it, thereby enabling MetaMask users to interact with any application built on the Counterfactual framework.

Several streams of our work right now relate to improving how the node software interacts with users and applications:

• Continued work on the cf-wallet.js library, which exists to facilitate communication between a wallet and a user's node.
• When we launched the Playground demo environment in March, the Playground itself included a node. Now that we have a functional MetaMask integration running a node, this is unnecessary. We are updating the Playground to communicate with the node running in MetaMask.
• Refactoring our messaging system between applications and the Node to use RPC calls by doing ethereum.send("cf_rpc_call") from the application.

📖 Updating our terminology to align with agreed upon terms

An often overlooked component of good ecosystem collaboration is developing shared technical terminology.

Over the last few days, we’ve opened many pull requests to align our repo with the terminology that has gained support across the state channels ecosystem.

🤝 Connext Support

We continue to work closely with Connext as they rebuild their v2.0 on top of the Counterfactual framework:

• Implemented postgres storage capabilities for the Node so that the Connext client can consume the Node.
• Next steps currently in progress: Connext clients and hubs using CF Node to create channels.

Get involved, or get in touch

If you’re interested in following along, or getting involved, you can follow on GitHub or talk to us on Discord.

• Code: github.com/counterfactual
• Specs: specs.counterfactual.com
• Talk to us: chat.counterfactual.com
• Twitter: twitter.com/statechannels
• Website: counterfactual.com