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Merge branch 'main' of ssh://code.freedombone.net:2222/bashrc/epicyon

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Bob Mottram 2021-06-28 18:19:31 +01:00
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README_architecture.md
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# Epicyon Software Architecture # Epicyon Software Architecture
## Anti-scale principle ## Anti-scale Principle
In general, methods have been preferred which do not vertically scale. This includes the decision not to use a database, and the way that the inbox is processed. Lack of scalability also simplifies the design. In general, methods have been preferred which do not vertically scale. This includes the decision not to use a database, and the way that the inbox is processed. Lack of scalability also simplifies the design.
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This is so that the system can be accessed and used normally with javascript in the web browser turned off. If you want to have good security then this is useful, since lack of javascript greatly reduces the attack surface and constrains adversaries to a limited number of vectors. This is so that the system can be accessed and used normally with javascript in the web browser turned off. If you want to have good security then this is useful, since lack of javascript greatly reduces the attack surface and constrains adversaries to a limited number of vectors.
## High level architecture ## High Level Architecture
The main modules are *epicyon.py* and *daemon.py*. *epicyon.py* is the commandline interface and *daemon.py* is the http server. The main modules are *epicyon.py* and *daemon.py*. *epicyon.py* is the commandline interface and *daemon.py* is the http server.
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![timeline and core modules](https://gitlab.com/bashrc2/epicyon/-/raw/main/architecture/epicyon_groups_Timeline_Core.png) ![timeline and core modules](https://gitlab.com/bashrc2/epicyon/-/raw/main/architecture/epicyon_groups_Timeline_Core.png)
## Themes security ## Themes Security
It is possible to include arbitrary CSS within a custom theme. To avoid security problems the CSS is sanitized before being used. Scripts or import references to other CSS files are not permitted. It is possible to include arbitrary CSS within a custom theme. To avoid security problems the CSS is sanitized before being used. Scripts or import references to other CSS files are not permitted.
The way that the theming system was designed is in order to avoid problems similar to Wordpress, in which an adversary will create an attactive looking theme which contains an expolit. The discovery of exploits then leads to a centralizing dynamic where there is a single "official" themes website or app store. With Epicyon, *themes should always be safe to use no matter where they were downloaded from*. There should be nothing *Turing complete* within a theme. The way that the theming system was designed is in order to avoid problems similar to Wordpress, in which an adversary will create an attactive looking theme which contains an expolit. The discovery of exploits then leads to a centralizing dynamic where there is a single "official" themes website or app store. With Epicyon, *themes should always be safe to use no matter where they were downloaded from*. There should be nothing *Turing complete* within a theme.
## C2S Security
This currently uses basic auth, which is simple to implement. Oauth2 is conventional, but seems overly complex and the user interface for it within other comparable apps is clunky.
## Support Accessibility
In terms of trying to keep up with web accessibility standards, having configurable keyboard shortcuts, high contrast themes, text-to-speech client and also the ability to run in a shell browser such as Lynx.
Avoid adding any features which would be hard to make accessible.
## Block Crawlers
Ordinarily web crawlers would not be a problem, but in the context of a social network even having crawlers index public posts can create ethical dilemmas in some circumstances. News instances may allow crawlers, but other types of instances should block them.
## Notifications ## Notifications
There are no notifications in the conventional sense. That is, there is no streaming API or linkage to browser notifications. Instead when significant events occur these create text files which can then be detected by other systems via polling. There are no notifications in the conventional sense. That is, there is no streaming API or linkage to browser notifications. Instead when significant events occur these create text files which can then be detected by other systems via polling.