FAIR decentralized package management for plugins/themes

[erlend-sh]

https://fair.pm/
https://github.com/fairpm/fair-protocol/blob/main/docs/start-here.md

What is FAIR?

FAIR is a distributed protocol for package management, guaranteeing security, data portability, and control, while providing a seamless user experience for finding, installing, and updating packages.

FAIR was built for the WordPress ecosystem to manage plugins and themes, removing reliance on centralized systems.

What is the protocol?

FAIR replaces the concept of a single centralized repository for packages with a fully decentralized system, allowing vendors to host their packages anywhere - from self-hosted repositories to third-party services.

At the heart of the FAIR protocol is the Decentralized ID, or "DID". Each package gets a DID which uniquely identifies the package, and which allows looking up which repository the package uses. DIDs are also associated with cryptographic signing keys, building security into the heart of the protocol.

Originally intended for WordPress, @jdevalk helped drive this effort but it couldn’t compete with the inertia of WP’s legacy infrastructure: https://joost.blog/fair-wordpress-and-knowing-when-to-stop/

That’s not a problem in EmDash though!

The PLC registry this is based on was also formally handed over to a Swiss public-benefit association last week (official announcement post pending).

Using atproto tech also aligns the package manager with emerging atproto trust infrastructure.

Related

• Marketplace Discussion #296