Supporting an Open Applications Marketplace
The Credential Engine’s technologies support an open applications marketplace. The technologies include APIs for publishing and consuming data to and from the Credential Registry. Any organization can set up a Credential Engine account to request keys to the APIs. To foster use of these technologies, the Engine is convening the Applications Work Group along with the existing Technical Advisory Group.
Credential Engine Application Work Group
The AWG is a standing, open, voluntary group that includes anyone interested in using Credential Registry data and who is looking for a supportive environment to share challenges and solutions. The Group will apprise the Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of activities, challenges and solutions by periodically participating with TAGs meeting agenda. The TAG is also an group open to membership for the purpose of learning about Credential Engine’s technologies, supporting temporary work groups for the purpose of expanding the Credential Transparency Description Language, and to provide feedback on technologies. Learn more about the TAG.
The AWG is open to anyone who is willing to foster an open and sharing environment to support all members. To join the group, individuals complete an online form and they will be added to the meeting invitation and given access to the support tools provided by Credential Engine. Members can develop open or proprietary projects.
The diagram below shows the relationship between the Credential Engine’s technical team, Technical Advisory Group, Applications Work Group and other team members, advisory groups and the board.
AWG Structure
- The AWG members will identify co-chairs to facilitate monthly meetings and coordinate activities with Credential Engine’s technical team and AWG members.
- The AWG co-chairs provide periodic updates to the TAG.
- Credential Engine will provide staff and technical team members to host the meetings and to actively participate with the AWG.
General Support
- Technical team members to facilitate and participate with identification of challenges and solutions.
- Recurring meeting schedule using a live webinar. In person opportunities may also be supported.
TAG and AWG Web Pages
The Credential Registry Technical Website includes pages for the TAG and AWG, including meeting schedules.
Family of Specifications
The Credential Registry Technical Website includes:
- Namespace Policy
- Documentation of Credential Engine Namespace Policy
- Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Terms
- Documentation for the CTDL Schema
- Credential Transparency Description Language Profile of ASN-DL (CTDL-ASN) Terms
- Documentation for the CTDL-ASN Schema
- CTDL Handbook
- Guidance and examples for using CTDL and CTDL-ASN
- CTDL Mapping Guide
- Object-Oriented presentation of the CTDL schema to assist in mapping to CTDL from other systems
- CTDL Release History
- Documentation of changes to CTDL
- Registry Handbook
- Guidance and examples for publishing to and consuming from the Credential Registry
- Registry Assistant API Handbook
- Guidance and examples for using the Registry Assistant API
- Quick Start Publishing Guide
- Quickly get started publishing to the Registry
- Quick Start Searching Guide
- Quickly get started searching the Registry
Github Repositories
Github Repositories for different aspects of Credential Engine technologies are available. Additional repos will be set up as needed, and a "Contribution Guide" will be created for input by the AWG. The Hyperledger Contribution Guide can be used as a reference for creating a Credential Engine Contribution Guide Github contribution guide.
The following Github Repositories are available:
- ApplicationWorkGroup
- The main github repository for the AWG
- CTDL Vocabularies
- The main github repository for changes, updates, and issues with CTDL
- Credential Registry
- The repository for the Credential Registry
- Registry Assistant API
- The repository for the Registry Assistant API
- Pathways
- Discussion and development of CTDL Pathways
- Credential Finder
- The repository for the Credential Finder website
- Credential Publisher
- The repository for the Credential Publisher website
Communication and Sharing
These tools will be used for general communication and sharing of documentation and other information:
- TAG Google Group
- This Google Group is accessible to all members to discuss technical topics and stay current on TAG information
- AWG Google Drive
- Google Drive is used to share all documents created for the TAG and AWG. Folder are set up for each meeting and recordings of the meetings as well as agendas and materials
- Live Webinars
- Meetings are via live webinars provided by Credential Engine. Periodic in-person meetings may be supported.
AWG Scope
The general scope of the AWG is listed below:
- Determining the AWG Charter.
- Nominating and selecting a chairperson or co-chairs.
- Writing white papers.
- Collaborate or show that agencies participating with Credential Engine support our efforts.
- Collaborate on white papers in real time via webinars and Google Docs.
- Vetting process.
- Creating voluntary group projects.
- Sharing code and libraries beneficial to others.
- Troubleshooting challenges for each other.
- Identifying and participating in presentation opportunities and events to showcase efforts and grow the community.
- Sharing information about the AWG to grow the membership.
- Participating with the TAG
- Participating with temporary CTDL work groups.
- Conducting research (e.g., how to build a model).
- Testing APIs.
- Identifying additional functionalities to be provided by Credential Engine/ the Credential Registry.
- Showcasing proofs of concept.
- Developing best practices.
- Collaborating/participating across complementary efforts, projects, groups, etc. (e.g., standards development projects, open source projects in our domain).
- Promote cross-pollination across efforts, internally and externally.
TAG/AWG Scope Comparison
The AWG meeting time and efforts should be directed towards application development and related tasks. The TAG is the venue for learning about Credential Engine technologies.
Brainstorming Ideas for the AWG
The following are suggested topics for the AWG to tackle:
- What is the app production paradigm for the Credential Registry / Credential Engine? In other words, what is the minimum viable road map/process map to create an app for this data ecosystem?
- Develop "Hello world" app(s) from the Credential Registry, and the documentation.
- "Rate this Credential" similar to "ratemyprofessor.com" for collecting sentiment about credentials.
- Identify type(s) of developers to be targeted, and what value propositions can Credential Engine offer them.
- Identify conceptual equity Credential Engine can give developers in scaling the platform development/app development ecosystem.
- Determine strategic apps that need to be brought into existence.-Which ones are critical for "proof of concept", "demonstration of scale", or other "exemplar" assets that drive business and impact objectives?
AWG Outreach
- Information about the AWG will be included with notifications and emails automatically sent by the Credential Engine account system to all approved account requests for the keys to the publishing and/or consuming API is selected or when trusted third-party is selected.
- The technical site already includes information about the TAG and AWG, along with the form to join.
To join the AWG, Contact Us.
