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Hyperledger Aries Q3 Quarterly Report #148

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---
layout: default
title: 2023 Q3 Hyperledger Aries
parent: 2023
grand_parent: Project Updates
has_children: false
has_toc: false
nav_exclude: true
---

# Project Health

Hyperledger Aries is healthy, seeing lots of activity overall, especially in all
of the Aries communities, including [Aries Framework JavaScript], [Aries
Bifold] (mobile wallet), [Aries Cloud Agent Python], [Aries VCX] and [Aries
Framework Go]. Lots of progress being made on all of those efforts!

[Aries Framework JavaScript]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-framework-javascript
[Aries Bifold]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-mobile-agent-react-native
[Aries Cloud Agent Python]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-cloudagent-python
[Aries VCX]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-vcx
[Aries Framework Go]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-framework-go

# Questions/Issues for the TOC

None.

# Releases

The following Aries releases occurred in the last quarter:

- [Aries Cloud Agent Python] -- 0.8.1, 0.8.2, 0.9.0
- [Aries Framework JavaScript] -- v0.4.0, v0.4.1alpha.1-20
- [Aries Askar] -- v0.2.9
- [Aries VCX Releases] -- v0.54.0-v0.57.1
- [Aries Framework Go] -- v0.2.0, v0.3.0, v0.3.1,v0.3.2
- [Aries Bifold] -- v0.0.0 - v0.1.0-alpha.53

Interoperability status can be seen
here: [https://aries-interop.info](https://aries-interop.info).

# Overall Activity in the Past Quarter

Per the [Aries Activity Dashboard] for the months of April-June 2023, Aries
codebases had 387 PRs (down 12%) from 70 contributors (down 13%).

[Aries Activity Dashboard]: https://insights.lfx.linuxfoundation.org/projects/hyperledger%2Faries/dashboard;subTab=technical?time=%7B%22from%22:%222023-04-01T07:00:00.000Z%22,%22type%22:%22absolute%22,%22to%22:%222023-06-30T07:00:00.000Z%22%7D

* There was a lot of activity towards integrating [Hyperledger
AnonCreds](https://github.com/hyperledger/anoncreds-rs) into all of the Aries
Frameworks to enable ledger-agnostic implementations, with the [Aries
Framework JavaScript] 0.4.0 as the biggest milestone. [Aries Framework
JavaScript] 0.4.0 includes Aries Askar and the shared components, including
[Hyperledger AnonCreds], fully integrated, and initial support for
[OpenID4VCs] protocols.
* [Aries Bifold] using AFJ 0.4.0 was deployed with ease, including updates
to existing Mobile Wallets being updated on the fly from using the Indy
SDK to using Askar.
* Instances of [Aries Framework JavaScript] using non-Indy ledgers were
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"deployed" was used in the two bullets above, can you clarify what that means? "deployed by adopters that have upgraded existing solutions to the new version"? or something else? if the former, can you add some context (doesn't need the details if the adopter's solution isn't a public reference) of the deployed solution? thanks!

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Updated the wording. Use — deployed by adopters that have upgraded their implementations. The smooth transition from Indy SDK storage to Askar is significant - requiring the safe updating of stored data from one format to another.

deployed and being used.
* The [Aries Framework JavaScript] Team put on a workshop to cover all the
new capabilities in [Aries Framework JavaScript] 0.4.0.
* The move away from the [Indy SDK] accelerated over the quarter buoyed by the
knowledge of the improvements and fixes made in the [AnonCreds CL Signatures]
implementation now that it has been removed from Ursa and moved to AnonCreds.
Three of the four Aries implementations ([Aries Cloud Agent Python], [Aries
Framework JavaScript] and most recently, [Aries VCX]) have integrated the
shared components in place of the Indy SDK. [Aries Framework Go] has never
supported Indy ledgers.
* Motivated by the deprecation of the [Indy SDK], there was maintainer
engagement across three of the Aries implementations ([Aries Cloud Agent
Python], [Aries Framework JavaScript] and [Aries VCX]) to increase
reusability, maintain interoperability, and expand efforts at eliminating the
[Indy SDK].
* A new repository — [aries-socketdock] — will be a key component of a fully scalable
Aries mediator deployment. The work by [Indicio] is a substantial improvement
over the current strategy for managing mediator to Mobile Wallet connections
using websockets. Next up is using [SocketDock] in a full mediator deployment.
* The Overlays Capture Architecture (OCA) Aries RFC (“[OCA for Aries]”) was merged
and deployment of the feature expanded to include its use in production apps.

[Aries Askar]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-askar
[Indy SDK]: https://github.com/hyperledger/indy-sdk
[Hyperledger AnonCreds]: https://github.com/hyperledger/anoncreds-rs
[OpenID4VCs]: https://openid.net/openid4vc/
[ISO mdocs]: https://www.iso.org/standard/74910.html
[AnonCreds CL Signatures]: https://github.com/hyperledger/anoncreds-clsignatures-rs
[aries-socketdock]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-socketdock
[SocketDock]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-socketdock
[OCA for Aries]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-rfcs/tree/main/features/0755-oca-for-aries
[cheqd.io]: https://cheqd.io/
[Cardano]: https://cardano.org/
[Animo Solutions]: https://animo.id
[Indicio]: https://indicio.tech
[DSR]: https://dsr-corporation.com

[OCA Bundles repository]: https://github.com/bcgov/aries-oca-bundles
[OCA Explorer]: https://bcgov.github.io/aries-oca-bundles/

## Aries Framework Reports

### [Aries VCX]

* Interop compatibility improvements
* Initial did-exchange implementation, working interop with aca-py
* Implementation of new components:
* `did_doc` - build and work DID documents
* `did_resolver` - infrastructure for resolving arbitrary did methods
* `did_parser` - parse and build DIDs
* `did_sov`, `did_web`, `did:peer` - did:sov, did:web, did:peer resolvers
* `indy_ledger_response_parser` - data model for indy ledger responses
* Complete transition for anoncreds operations from `libindy` to `credx`
* Additional features for indy-vdr integration
* Pluggable txn submitter (indy-vdr, indy-vdr-proxy, …)
* Pluggable txn response caching
* Pluggable txn signing
* 2 projects LFX mentorship program in progress:
* [aries-vcx based mediator service](https://wiki.hyperledger.org/display/INTERN/%5Bdraft%5D+Project+Plan+-+aries-vcx+based+message+mediator+service)
* [uniffi based mobile wrapper](https://wiki.hyperledger.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=98730187)

### [Aries Framework JavaScript]

[Aries Framework JavaScript] release 0.4.0 was (as noted above) a major
milestone. The smooth deployment of AFJ 0.4.0 into [Aries Bifold] was
impressive, especially the seamless upgrade of Mobile Wallets from [Indy SDK ]to
[Aries Askar] storage. The addition of [OpenID4VCs] exchange protocols expands
the use cases for [Aries Framework JavaScript]. The maintainers of the [Aries
Framework JavaScript] library are looking to coordinate efforts to support the
EU’s [EUDI/ARF] efforts in at least [Aries Framework JavaScript] and, ideally,
all Aries implementations.

[EUDI/ARF]: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/european-digital-identity-architecture-and-reference-framework-outline#:~:text=On%203%20June%202021%2C%20the%20Commission%20adopted%20a,a%20set%20of%20common%20guidelines%20and%20best%20practice

### [Aries Cloud Agent Python]

[Aries Cloud Agent Python] (ACA-Py) Release 0.9.0 was an important upgrade that changes the dependency on the now archived Hyperledger Ursa project to its updated, improved replacement, [AnonCreds CL Signatures]. ACA-Py users are strongly encouraged to use [Aries Askar] for all deployments, and to eliminate the use of the [Indy SDK]. An [Indy SDK to Askar migration document] has been added to the [aca-py.org] documentation site, and a deprecation warning added to the ACA-Py startup.

[aca-py.org]: https://aca-py.org/
[Aries Mediator Service]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-mediator-service
[Indy SDK to Askar migration document]: https://aca-py.org/main/deploying/IndySDKtoAskarMigration/

### [Aries Framework Go]

There was a significant uptick in activity around [Aries Framework Go] this quarter. The focus has been on adding support for the proposed [SD-JWT] verifiable credential approach, as well as updates to the [DIF Presentation Exchange] implementation, and [VC Data Integrity Specification] handling.

[SD-JWT]: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-fett-selective-disclosure-jwt
[DIF Presentation Exchange]: https://identity.foundation/presentation-exchange/
[VC Data Integrity Specification]: https://w3c.github.io/vc-data-integrity/

# Current Plans

* Completing the work on eliminating the use of the [Indy SDK] in favor of the
[Aries Askar]/[Indy VDR]/[Hyperledger AnonCreds] across frameworks and deployments of those
frameworks.
* Continued expansion of features in [Aries Bifold] mobile wallet apps, including building on
the wallet-to-wallet support added in Q1, and expanding support for OCA to
enable beautifully displayed credentials.
* Defining and executing a [Community Coordinated Update] to convert the use of [Unqualified DIDs to use `did:peer` DIDs].
* Explore and implement features aligned with the [EUDI/ARF] guidelines.

[Community Coordinated Update]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-rfcs/tree/main/concepts/0345-community-coordinated-update
[Unqualified DIDs to use `did:peer` DIDs]: https://github.com/hyperledger/aries-rfcs/pull/793

# Maintainer Diversity

There are currently 62 people on the 48 Hyperledger Aries teams representing at least 19 organizations.

# Contributor Diversity

In 2023Q2 there were contributions from 70 individuals representing at least 18 organizations.

# Additional Information

None