glm-5.2
74c1007bdf
Iterating in docs/research/ per the stream-unification pattern; syncs
to docs/architecture/ and the ADRs only after it settles.
Working through the `channel/open` ACL granularity gap surfaced a
larger unification: channels is "call + data channels" ("call++"),
and the ALPN crates served under channels are call-consuming apps in
the same shape alknet-docker is a call-consuming app. The lineage
(call → docker → tty → channels) closes here.
Records three gaps from an outside review + the ALPN-category tangle
that fell out of working the first one:
- Gap 1: `channel/open` ACL granularity underspecified. Resolved by
"an openable ALPN is an operation" — per-ALPN ops in
`channels/<alpn>/open` and `.../expose` on the call
OperationRegistry, with a `channel_open` marker on OperationSpec
(registry metadata, not auth machinery). Two verbs (open/expose)
give the two direction values separate ACLs. Avoids re-committing
ADR-028's parallel-authorization structural miss one layer down.
- Gap 2: quota accounting leaks (ADR-094). Responder-initiated close
decrements the wrong ledger; transport drop never decrements.
Fix: per-connection opener ledger in channels-call (channels-core
stays auth-blind), decremented on every teardown path. The trait
shape survives.
- Gap 3: connection-count DoS is an unowned layer. New OQ against
alknet-endpoint, deferred(scope) — named to stop the re-tangle.
- Gap 4: ALPN category blur (ADR-086 §4). The "channels data-channel
ALPNs" category reframes to "call++ apps" — they inherit call's
auth by construction; the data-channel part is the channel_open
marker. SSH stays distinct.
Includes the hub-relay + worker-expose flow walked end-to-end under
the new model (both hold), the ADR plan (ADR-095 + amendments to
073/094/086/048/057 + clarification to 058), per-crate changes, and
six OQs with concrete resolution paths.
ChannelCore seam (wrapper shape) is the architecture decision; the
exact API shape is POC-flagged.
Alknet
Status: Pre-alpha — This project is undergoing a major architectural pivot to an ALPN-as-service model. The previous implementation has been archived and a greenfield rebuild is in progress.
A self-hostable networking toolkit built on QUIC+TLS with ALPN-based protocol dispatch. Each protocol handler (SSH, SFTP, Git, HTTP, DNS, messaging, call protocol) registers an ALPN string on a shared endpoint. The ALPN negotiation during the TLS/QUIC handshake routes connections to the correct handler before any application bytes are read.
Core Insight
A service IS an ALPN. One endpoint, one port, many protocols — dispatched by the TLS handshake, not by application-level peeking or separate listeners.
Crates
| Crate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
alknet-vault |
stable | Local key vault: BIP39/SLIP-0010/AES-GCM key derivation and encryption |
alknet-core |
planned | ProtocolHandler trait, ALPN router, auth/identity, config |
alknet-ssh |
planned | SSH handler (russh), SOCKS5, port forwarding |
alknet-call |
planned | JSON-RPC call protocol (EventEnvelope framing) |
alknet-fs |
planned | Content-addressed file storage (iroh-blobs backend) |
alknet-sftp |
planned | SFTP handler (russh-sftp protocol core) |
alknet-git |
planned | Git smart protocol handler (gix) |
alknet-http |
planned | HTTP handler (axum, REST API, MCP) |
alknet-dns |
planned | DNS handler (hickory-proto, pkarr) |
alknet-msg |
planned | E2E encrypted messaging, mixnet support |
alknet |
planned | CLI binary (assembles and registers handlers) |
Documentation
- ALPN-as-service architecture — pivot proposal
- Cleanup plan — greenfield transition plan
- SDD process — spec-driven development process
- Research references — iroh, russh, russh-sftp deep dives
Reference implementation (previous architecture) is preserved at /workspace/@alkdev/alknet-main/.
License
Licensed under either of
- Apache License, Version 2.0 (LICENSE-APACHE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
- MIT license (LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
at your option.
Unless you explicitly state otherwise, any contribution intentionally submitted for inclusion in this work by you, as defined in the Apache-2.0 license, shall be dual licensed as above, without any additional terms or conditions.