Project Name

Right now, we often refer to our project as "Aries Bifold," but its official name on GitHub is Aries Mobile Agent React Native. If the OpenWallet Foundation (OWF) accepts our project, we're likely change its official name to either "Aries Bifold" or possibly substitute the "Aries" part altogether. This would help us differentiate our project from the "Aries Hyperledger" initiative. We plan to start discussing this name change as soon as we are part of the OWF.

Project Description

Aries Bifold is an open-source project designed to enhance the way we interact with digital identities, making the process both secure and user-friendly. It is based on React Native, which lets it run smoothly on different devices and platforms, such as iOS, and Android. It is a leading example of digital wallets, with a focus on making verifiable credentials (VCs) simple and convenient for everyone. Our mission is to create a collaborative community that enhances the way digital credentials are handled, making them accessible and straightforward for all.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Unified Digital Identity Management: Emphasizing security and user-friendliness, Aries Bifold excels in consolidating and managing digital identities across various standards like AnonCreds and W3C VC Data Model. This capability positions Bifold as a pivotal resource for secure and private handling of digital identities, accessible to all.

• Seamless Multi-Platform Use: Thanks to its React Native architecture, Bifold delivers a smooth experience on any device, enabling users to manage their digital identities whether they are using a phone or a tablet. This cross-platform flexibility means that developers can create applications once and deploy them on both iOS and Android, ensuring a consistent and accessible user experience.

• Community-Driven Development: Aries Bifold is more than a tool; it's a community initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and sharing innovations. By bringing together diverse groups, from organizations to individuals, Bifold encourages the pooling of resources and knowledge to facilitate the broader adoption and understanding of verifiable credentials.

• Widespread Adoption and Trust: With a growing list of users around the globe, including governmental bodies in Canada and teams in Brazil, Bifold has proven its reliability and relevance. Its international use showcases the platform's adaptability to various needs and its role in advancing digital identity management on a global scale.

• Adaptability to Diverse Needs: Bifold's design caters to a wide range of project types and complexities, offering tailored solutions for managing digital identities. This adaptability ensures that users can streamline their processes related to verifiable credentials, improving efficiency and simplification in digital identity initiatives.

Alignment with the OpenWallet Foundation Mission

Aries Bifold aligns seamlessly with the mission of the OpenWallet Foundation (OWF) as laid out by the Linux Foundation. By developing a secure, versatile, and user-friendly mobile client for managing digital identities, Aries Bifold embodies the OWF's goal of advancing interoperability and setting best practices in digital wallet technology. As an open-source initiative, Aries Bifold contributes to the collective effort of creating an open software product that empowers organizations and individuals to build interoperable, privacy-protecting wallets without reinventing the wheel. Our project's focus on simplifying interactions with verifiable credentials and fostering a collaborative community echoes the OWF's mission to develop a multi-purpose engine that serves as a starting point for anyone looking to innovate in the digital wallet space. By participating in this shared vision, Aries Bifold helps pave the way for a future where digital wallets are accessible, secure, and capable of supporting a wide range of use cases for identity verification^1.

¹ Based on an understanding of Join us in Building a Truly “Open” Wallet Foundation and Linux Foundation Announces an Intent to Form the OpenWallet Foundation.

TAC Sponsor(s)

• Tracy Kuhrt
• Wenjing Chu

Project License

Our project is open and free to use under the Apache 2.0 license. This means you can use, modify, and distribute it, subject to the terms of this license.

Source Control

We manage our code on GitHub, within the Hyperledger organization. You can find our project here:

• Aries Mobile Agent React Native.

Issue Tracking

We keep track of any project issues directly on GitHub using the Issues feature. If there are problems that affect multiple parts of the project, we might use GitHub's Projects feature to manage them.

External Dependencies

Our project uses several smaller libraries, too many to list here. However, one key dependency we heavily rely on is Credo-ts from the OpenWallet Foundation, which was previously known as Aries Framework JavaScript.

Release Methodology

Our release process is designed to ensure our software is secure, high-quality, and up-to-date:

• Automated Checks: We employ automated tools to perform code quality and security scans, catching potential issues early.

• Peer Review: All code changes are peer-reviewed, ensuring a second set of eyes evaluates every update for quality and reliability.

• CI/CD Pipelines: Our automated pipelines handle integration, testing, and deployment, keeping our codebase deployable at all times.

• NPM Packages: The outcome of our process is the regular release of updated NPM packages, providing users with the latest features and improvements efficiently.

This streamlined approach allows us to maintain a high standard for our releases, ensuring our users always have access to the best version of our software.

Initial Maintainers

Our initial maintainers are as follows:

Proposed Project Governance

The current governance model under Hyperledger is community-based. This means that decisions are made democratically, with the aim of community consensus. In cases where no clear consensus is established, active contributors may be granted a louder voice.

This approach has proven effective and will be continued as the chosen governance model.

Links to Documented Governance Practices

Work in progress. The intake form has been submitted.

Preferred Maturity Level

We are proposing to be a "growth" project as we have been been in active development for several years. We have deployed our product in British Columbia, Canada and other places where we have ongoing or completed proof-of-concept projects. We also have a Brazilian team that is working with us and contributing to our project.

Communication

Discord channel in OWF.

Project Website

GitHub project

Social Media

None

Financial Sponsorship

There are no financial obligations or sponsorship outside of what is covered by the Hyperledger Foundation for infrastructure related costs.

Infrastructure

• GitHub repositories and Actions
• Atlassian Confluence for community meetings via Wiki
• npmjs.org for package publishing