Sunset app.blockstack.org 🌅

[markmhendrickson]

Hiro PBC has made the decision to sunset app.blockstack.org after giving developers and users alike the opportunity to move off this hosted version of the product in favor of the newer Stacks Wallet extension or authenticators / wallets provided by other companies.

This sunset will take place on July 1, 2021, which is one year after the release of Blockstack Connect and simultaneous with the sunset of the older Blockstack Browser as well.

Hiro PBC will continue to maintain app.blockstack.org with a relatively frozen version of Blockstack Connect until that date, particularly for apps that rely on it via integration with older versions of Stacks.js. Critical P1 bug patches will be made as well as any changes needed to maintain core functionality against the Stacks 2.0 blockchain.

While the decision to sunset this hosted product in favor an installed extension will present an addition hurdle for some users going forward, it was made with their security in mind since it will discourage the entry of cryptographic keys into dynamically loaded websites. This decision also helps Hiro PBC focus on delivering maximum value for Stacks 2.0 via the maintenance and extension of a single authentication product, the Stacks Wallet.

If you're the developer of an app dependent on either browser.blockstack.org or app.blockstack.org at this time, we highly recommend you start planning a transition to the latest version of connect with Stacks.js, which integrates authentication and transaction signing more sustainably.

[friedger]

@larrysalibra We need your auth:// protocol!

Currently, I don't see how other companies can provide an authentitactor with the stacks connect library. authOrigin won't be supported.

How can the stacks auth protocol be invoked with another authenticator on which platforms?

[0xc22b]

I understand that the extension only works for desktop web apps (please correct me if I'm wrong). Do you know how or have a plan to support authentication for mobile web apps, iOS apps, and Android apps?

[markmhendrickson]

The extension does indeed work primarily for desktop web apps, though apparently Firefox on Android is capable of running it as well.

Hiro PBC doesn't have any plans to release mobile authenticators. However, it will work to support any released by third parties via the Stacks.js library, which helps web app users on both desktop and mobile select which authenticator products to use while onboarding.

Xverse and Circles are two such independent products.

[0xc22b]

Thanks for the reply.

[markmhendrickson]

I'd like to make explicit here as well that we'll move back this sunset date for app.blockstack.org if we don't have 3rd party wallet support in place for Stacks.js by then per https://github.com/blockstack/stacks-wallet-web/issues/961.

[markmhendrickson]

We've discussed this upcoming sunset internally and decided to push it back to September 1, 2021 while @andresgalante and I prepare materials that help developers migrate their apps to suitable alternatives.

We'll provide an update here once those materials are available.

Update: We've removed specific date guidance until these materials are available to ensure adequate preparation time before setting a new date. The new date will be no earlier than October 1, 2021 and no less than 2 months after the release of these materials.