Overview
QuickConnect is a deep link URI combined with a scannable QR Code and a TorGap, intended to be universally compatible among a number of different software projects and hardware products.
Why is Quick Connect Important?
Quick Connect allows for the connection of networked transaction coordinators with seed vaults and cosigners (currently only for Bitcoin). By using an interoperable specification, it allows for this connection to occur among products created by different manufacturers, creating a modular architecture that empowers user agency and independence.
In addition, user privacy is improved through the use of Tor, decreasing the possibility of attacks on a user’s digital assets.
How Does Quick Connect 1.0 Work?
The simple Quick Connect specification requires a Tor link in the following form:
btcstandup://<your rpcuser>:<your rpcpassword>@<your tor hostname>.onion:<your hidden service port>/?label=<optional node label>
The optional argument allows node hardware manufacturers the choice of hard coding a label for the node.
Example with label :
btcstandup://rpcuser:rpcpassword@kshcahsaihslalsichs78yb2ud8d.onion:8332/?label=Your%20Nodes%20Name
Example without label :
btcstandup://rpcuser:rpcpassword@kshcahsaihslalsichs78yb2ud8d.onion:8332/?
Ideally, there would be a two-factor authentication where a user inputs a V2 or V3 auth cookie into the client app manually, so that if the URL leaks somehow it would not give an attacker access to the node.
Quick Connect 1.0 Partners
Server-side node manufacturers or providers supporting this protocol include BTCPayServer, Nodl, MyNode, RaspiBlitz, and of course GordianServer. The iOS application GordianWallet offers proof of concept of a light client built to use this protocol.
Quick Connect 2.0 Plans
Quick Connect was a very early Blockchain Commons specification that has not received much attention in years. However, a 2.0 version remains of interest to allow for the interoperable discovery and connection of a variety of services.
A specification for Quick Connect 2.0 would include, at a minimum, the following new requirements:
- The ability to discover other services, such as Blockchain Commons’ own SpotBit or more generically something like “oracle services” or “cosigner services”.
- The possibility of offering multiple services from a single server, for instance Bitcoin mainnet, testnet, Lightning, Spotbit, etc. This would be encoded single QR from a server that can offer a client a list of all services available to it.
- The creation of a QR with Tor v3 client info that can be passed back to the server.
- The consolidation of this information in a Gordian Envelope, likely using Envelope’s request/response communication methodology, which will also allow for the usage of Animated QRs for larger data.
We’d love to have more discussion with other wallet developers about any additional requirements for this initial connection between a service and a remote device via Tor. We’d especially like to hear from Sponsors who would like to prioritize QuickConnect, as that tends to be one of our ways we determine what gets attention.
If you would like to participate in this discussion, we have it as a topic in the Gordian Developer Community
[stuff more than BTC 2.0, more privacy] [I OFFER A SPOTBIT, COSIGNER SERVICE, ORACLE SERVICE] [wrapped in Gordian Envelope, using Request/Response service]