RIF stands for RSK Infrastructure Framework and the RIF Directory is an identity and reputation layer for dApps running on the RSK Framework. In addition, RIF also has something called RIF Name Service (RNS), a decentralized service that allows users to have a readable domain on the blockchain. RNS also allows users and services to identify personal resources such as payments, IDs, storage or communication addresses.
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The current state of RIF
RIF Directory is fully developed and currently the team behind it is improving UI/US for the RNS manager. Moreover, the team is working on integrating RNS into various digital wallets and building libraries to help developers create their own app using the RSK framework.
Who is RIF’s customer / user?
There are endless possibilities for use cases with RIF. Currently, the framework is tailored towards dApp developers who need decentralized authentication and decentralized identity for their users. In the future, as the framework is developed further, governments, education institutions, and corporations can utilize RSK’s Sovereign Identity solutions. Being able to build self sovereign identities is one key piece of the puzzle for financial inclusion through blockchain technology.
Why is a Sovereign Identity Solution Necessary?
The most obvious reason is the need to have a human readable address matched to an ID to transfer information across different blockchains. Presently, if you want to transfer crypto to another wallet you have to copy paste a long string of numbers / letters. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a human readable address?
This is where RNS comes in. With the Directory you are able to keep the same amount of security when it comes to your wallet, with the added benefit of having an easily readable wallet address to send / receive transactions. Unfortunately, crypto and internet were built without an identity layerand this is one of the reasons why sovereign identities are important.
Are there other similar solutions on the market?
The most similar solution on the market is ENS, which runs on Ethereum’s blockchain. Both solutions are extremely similar but there are a few technical differences between the two. While both solutions tackle the same problem, ENS is only compatible with the ETH network. The goal with RNS is to be compatible not only with the RSK platform but also to integrate it with other blockchains as well.
The main selling point of RNS compared to its competitors is compatibility. You could say RNS is most inclusive because it’s focused on interoperability between multiple platforms.
How does RNS and Directory fit in with the rest of the RIF / RSK ecosystem?
RSK is looking to create an entire ecosystem where developers and users can create fully decentralized dApps with further authentication and security. Connecting all these services together is the main goal of the RSK ecosystem. Think of it as building a new decentralized Internet with its own development libraries and authentication processes. While the task at hand is quite challenging, the RSK team has been at it for years and is always inching towards success.