diff --git a/release_notes/v0.11.0.md b/release_notes/v0.11.0.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..6163330503d2803b1f11e352041e4dfb39164390 --- /dev/null +++ b/release_notes/v0.11.0.md @@ -0,0 +1,181 @@ +# Silkaj v0.11.0 release + +Silkaj team is pleased to announce the stable release of Silkaj version 0.11.0 + +The most important changes are highlighted in this article, if you are looking for a comprehensive list of changes, check out the [changelog](CHANGELOG.md). + +## Introduction + +This release comes with the `pipx` installation method, a new design of command line interface with commands separated in groups. +Last but not least, it contains the migration to `Texttable` table library, network improvements and fixes, and Python v3.11 support. + +On the development environment side, the repository has been restructured, the code has been annotated with types, and linted. +`mypy` and `pylint` pre-commit hooks have been introduced. The tests have been separated into unit and integration tests. +`main` branch is new name of the main branch. + +This release emphasis was put onto strengthen the development environment as well as improving the structure of Silkaj code base. +The goal was to do preparations and cleaning before Substrate migration in order to be fully focus onto it in next development cycle. + +This release is the latest planned major release with Duniter v1/BMA support and the one planned to end into Debian 12 Bookworm. + +## `pipx` installation method + +`pipx` have been found to be a recommendable tool over `pip` to install an end-user Python software when the latter is not available distributions repositories. +In addition to `pip` features, `pipx` creates virtual environments, which prevents conflicting dependencies among several installed Python software. +A nice feature of `pipx` is the `ensurepath` commands which takes care to add the Python executables path into the `PATH` environment variable, which can be found to be the trickiest part of the installation. +Silkaj documentation has been updated to suggest `pipx` instead of `pip`. + +In short, you can install Silkaj via `pipx` this way: + +```bash +sudo apt install pipx libsodium23 +pipx install silkaj +``` + +For a comprehensive documentation, check [how to install with pipx](doc/install_pipx.md). + +## New CLI design + +The commands have been grouped into following groups: `blockchain`, `money`, and `wot`. +The other commands not related to these topics have been kept at the root of the CLI tree. + +```sh +silkaj --help + about Display program information + authentication Generate authentication file + blockchain Blockchain related commands + checksum Generate checksum out of a passed pubkey or an... + license Display Äž1 monetary license + money Money management related commands + wot Web-of-Trust related commands +``` + +```sh +silkaj blockchain --help + blocks Display blocks: default: 0 for current window size + difficulty Display the current Proof of Work difficulty level to... + info Display information about currency + verify Verify blocks’ signatures. +``` + +```sh +silkaj money --help + balance Get wallet balance + history Display transaction history + transfer Transfer money +``` + +```sh +silkaj wot --help + certify Send certification + lookup User identifier and public key lookup + membership Send and sign membership document: for first emission and... + revocation Create, save, verify or publish revocation document. + status Check received and sent certifications and consult the... +``` + +In this process following commands have been renamed: + +```sh +diffi −> difficulty +tx −> transfer +cert −> certify +revocation save −> revocation create +wot −> wot status +``` + +## Texttable + +The code has been migrated from `tabulate` to `Texttable` external table libraries. +`Texttable` was introduced and was only used from the `history` command, where the other commands were using `tabulate`. +Both were used, and we had to make the choice to stick with one and get the opportunity to reduce the dependency list of one item. +The migration has been done. You will probably notice differences in the table style and the alignments in the columns. + +Before, with `tabulate`: + +```bash +| uid | blocks | percent | +|-------------+----------+-----------| +| vit2 | 33 | 33.0 | +| Pini | 25 | 25.0 | +| moul-test | 24 | 24.0 | +| jytou4-test | 10 | 10.0 | +| jytou5-test | 8 | 8.0 | +``` + +Now, with `texttable`: + +```bash +│─────────────│────────│─────────│ +│ uid │ blocks │ percent │ +│â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â”‚â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â”‚â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â•â”‚ +│ vit2 │ 33 │ 33 │ +│ Pini │ 26 │ 26 │ +│ moul-test │ 23 │ 23 │ +│ jytou4-test │ 10 │ 10 │ +│ jytou5-test │ 8 │ 8 │ +│─────────────│────────│─────────│ + +``` + +## Network + +Breaking network connection is something recurrent on local network with BMA. +A hack have been introduced to circumvent this issue with `sleep` calls between repetitive requests which retrieve user ids from public keys. + +The singletons have been replaced with `@functools.lru_cache()` decorator usage. +They are both used to reduce the network traffic and therefore speed-up the commands execution. +They are basically allowing to reuse the result obtained from the first request in case the same request happen again. +In Silkaj, they are used to retrieve only one the UD value, the currency parameters, and the head block. +Singletons pattern has been a pain to handle specially within the tests. `@functools.lru_cache()` fixes that which comes in handy as a boilerplate. + +## Argos + +`argos` command have been removed. This command was displaying basic information similar to the `info` command but formatted for Argos. +Argos is a GNOME Shell extension which displays what has been generated out of a shell command into a GNOME Shell pop-over. +This command has been found not to be really used and poorly maintained. It has been decided to be remove in the meantime. + +## Python 3.11 + +This release introduces support for Python v3.11 released on the 24th of October 2022. + +## Repository restructuration + +As well as the new CLI commands grouping, the runtime and the tests code have been classified into following directories: `blockchain`, `money`, and `wot`. +In addition to that, there is now a Python file per command and files for "helpers" and tools placed aside. + +## Development Environment + +New `pre-commit` hooks have been introduced: `mypy`, `pylint`, `autoflake`, `pre-commit-hooks`, and `mdformat`. +Type annotations has been introduced in the whole runtime code. +This greatly improves the code quality, specially now that the code is fully typed, and linted. +It will be of great help in future developments. + +The tests have been separated into `unit` and `integration` tests directories. This separation makes things clearer. +The unit tests are pretty quick to be performed, where the integration tests takes more time since they require network requests. +On the CI side, now just one job runs the integration tests in the job generating the coverage. +Integration tests were known to fail because of the unstable nature of the network. Now, in case the integration tests fails, it is only necessary to restart one job. + +The branch workflow changed to a unique `main` branch which takes over the `dev` and `master` branches. + +The coverage integration into GitLab has been fixed. + +## Thanks + +@moul, @matograine + +## Outlook + +v0.20.0 is planned to be the next release. It will be fully dedicated to add support for Duniter v2 based on Substrate framework. +Duniter v1/BMA support will be dropped from Silkaj v0.2x branch, while v0.1x will still be maintained until we productively switch to Duniter v2. +But, no new features will be implemented on v0.1x branch. +This development cycle might take some time, so it is expected to get preview releases. + +v0.20.0 development cycle is planned as follow. +The network layer needs to be adapted to use following APIs: Substrate RPC, and Hasura indexer’s using GraphQL. +Then, It is planned to migrate current features and commands. +Finally, new v2 related features will be implemented. + +In this development cycle, parallel developments might occur, such as setting up the new website or the configuration support implementation in Silkaj. + +We are looking forward for a better future with the migration of Duniter on Substrate framework.