Credential Handler API Polyfill (video demo)

Hey Web Commerce IG (bcc WPWG),

A few weeks ago, we made an announcement about the availability of new
Web Payments polyfills[1]. At that time, we mentioned that we'll be
releasing Credential Handler polyfills (loyalty cards, digital coupons,
identity information) that work in a similar way to the Web Payments
polyfills.

We're announcing an alpha release for the Credential Handler API
polyfill today. The Credential Handler API polyfill works in Chrome,
Safari, Edge, and Firefox. We're doing this to accelerate uptake of
Verifiable Claims and Decentralized Identifiers.

An introductory video giving some background as well as recordings
showing it working in all major browsers can be found here (~6 minutes
runtime):

https://youtu.be/bm3XBPB4cFY

What does this mean for the Web Commerce IG and the Web Payments WG?

* When the polyfill hits production, we expect that ~90% of all browsers
  (roughly 2.8 billion people) will immediately get support for the
  Credential Handler APIs across desktop and mobile browsers.

* Web developers won't need to wait for browsers to implement the latest
  Credential Handler API in order to deploy to their customers. Instead,
  the polyfill will provide missing browser features until the browsers
  support them.

* This will enable us to more rapidly test and deploy new verifiable
  claims features, greatly reducing the cost of innovation in the group,
  and enabling more people to participate in the design and development
  process.

What is next?

* We need to talk with the browser vendors to determine if this polyfill
  represents interesting functionality to them. We've been talking with
  Mike West at Google and will continue the discussion there. We'd be
  interested in having the same sort of discussion with the other
  browser vendors in the WPWG.

* We'll continue to harden the polyfill for production usage.

* We'll pick an open license that works for all orgs and implementers.

* We still need to implement some simple things, like better
  animations/transitions when selecting identities/credentials. Some
  CSS still needs to be fixed.

-- manu

[1]https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-payments-wg/2017Sep/0007.html

-- 
Manu Sporny (skype: msporny, twitter: manusporny, G+: +Manu Sporny)
Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
blog: Rebalancing How the Web is Built
http://manu.sporny.org/2016/rebalancing/

Received on Tuesday, 26 September 2017 21:43:37 UTC