The Interledger Community 🌱: Santosh Viswanatham

Introducing ILP Cookbook GPT: Your AI Companion for Interledger

Santosh Viswanatham — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:33:30 +0000

Getting Started with Interledger Shouldn’t Be Hard

Interledger technologies are incredibly powerful. They enable seamless payments across different networks and power innovations like Open Payments, Web Monetization, and Rafiki.

At the same time, navigating the ecosystem can sometimes be challenging, particularly for those who are new to it.

The information is available, but it often lives across multiple places such as

Documentation websites
GitHub READMEs and contribution guides
Community Slack channels
Meeting notes and discussions

For newcomers, especially, this creates a frustrating experience.

You might find yourself asking questions like:

How does an Open Payments flow actually work?
Why am I getting an ECONNRESET error while running the Bruno collection?
What is the relationship between Rafiki, Open Payments, and the Interledger protocol?

The challenge isn’t a lack of resources. The documentation resources are powerful but the challenge is to navigating between them.

The Hidden Barrier: Asking Questions

There’s another challenge that is rarely talked about.

Many people hesitate to ask questions publicly.

Not everyone is comfortable posting in a Slack channel and waiting for a response. Some people worry about asking “basic” questions, while others may come from cultures or communities where asking questions in public feels intimidating.

So instead of asking, they often:

Spend hours searching across documentation
Dig through GitHub issues
Try to piece together information from different places

And sometimes, they simply give up.

This is the problem we should solve.

Introducing ILP Cookbook GPT

AI tools like ChatGPT have become the go-to assistant for developers. Many of us already use them to understand documentation, debug code, or explore new technologies.

However, general AI models often lack deep context about Interledger.

For example, if you ask ChatGPT about Open Payments, the response might be generic or incomplete.

You could refine the prompt or try enabling web search, but the results still may not fully capture the nuances of the Interledger ecosystem.

So we asked a simple question:

What if there was a GPT trained specifically on Interledger knowledge?

That’s where ILP Cookbook GPT comes in.

👉 https://chatgpt.com/g/g-695bd95212fc8191be866c52f9a4f82f-ilp-cookbook

How it works?

Using ILP Cookbook GPT is simple.

Go to chatgpt.com
Click Explore GPTs in the sidebar
Search for ILP Cookbook

Or simply open it directly:
👉 https://chatgpt.com/g/g-695bd95212fc8191be866c52f9a4f82f-ilp-cookbook

Once you’re in, you can start asking questions just like you would with any assistant.

For example:

What is Open Payments?
How does an Open Payments flow work?

Now the responses come from a knowledge base built specifically around Interledger technologies.

Building the Knowledge Base

One of the biggest challenges was gathering the knowledge itself.

As mentioned earlier, Interledger information exists across multiple places:

GitHub repositories
Documentation websites
Specifications
Guides and tutorials

The first step was to bring this information together into a single knowledge base that the GPT could use.

You can explore the repository here:

👉 https://github.com/devcer/interledger-kb

This repository aggregates knowledge from various Interledger-related sources and structures it so it can be used for AI-assisted learning and development.

And it’s completely open source.

Why this matters

ILP Cookbook GPT helps reduce friction for developers and community members by providing:

⚡ Quick, context-aware answers

Instead of searching across multiple docs, you can get answers instantly.

👩‍💻 Easier onboarding

New developers can understand Interledger concepts faster.

🚀 Faster experimentation

Developers can move from ideas to prototypes more quickly.

🤝 A safe space to ask questions

Sometimes you just want to ask a question without worrying whether it’s “too basic.”

Think of it as a friendly Interledger buddy - someone who can help you explore the ecosystem without hesitation.

How you can contribute

The project is designed to be community-driven.

The knowledge base powering the GPT lives here:

👉 https://github.com/devcer/interledger-kb

You can contribute by:

Adding documentation sources
Improving existing content
Including helpful guides and explanations
Expanding coverage across Interledger projects

The richer the knowledge base becomes, the better the assistant will be for everyone.

What's next?

This is just the beginning.

Future improvements could include expanding the knowledge base with:

Community meeting notes
Helpful Slack discussions
Public technical conversations
Tutorials and implementation examples

The goal is to create a living knowledge resource for the Interledger ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

Interledger has an incredibly innovative ecosystem, but getting started shouldn’t feel overwhelming.

By combining community knowledge with AI, ILP Cookbook GPT aims to make the ecosystem easier to explore, learn, and build on.

Whether you’re:

A developer experimenting with Open Payments
A contributor exploring Rafiki
Or someone just discovering Interledger

ILP Cookbook GPT can help you get unstuck faster.

Try it out, share feedback, and help improve the knowledge base.

And if you find it useful, don’t forget to rate it on the GPT Store ⭐

👉 https://chatgpt.com/g/g-695bd95212fc8191be866c52f9a4f82f-ilp-cookbook

Reflecting on the ILP Summit 2024: From Ideas to Impactful Projects

Santosh Viswanatham — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 17:46:39 +0000

As the year comes to a close, I find myself reminiscing about one of its highlights — the ILP Summit. This year’s summit holds a special place in my heart, as it is my first summit after my ambassadorship. It's been an incredible experience watching the summit evolve over the years, and I'm thrilled to share my reflections.

A journey through three Summits

Having had the privilege of attending all three ILP Summits, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the event has grown and transformed:

1. Summit 2022: The Inception of Ideas

The first summit in New Orleans was a celebration of innovative ideas surrounding the Interledger Protocol. Projects like Dassie and Rafiki were introduced, sparking discussions and ideation. It was thrilling to see the seeds of innovation being planted.

2. Summit 2023: From Ideas to Proof of Concepts

The second summit in Costa Rica showcased an evolution—ideas turning into proofs of concept. It was fascinating to watch attendees build prototypes and exchange POC payments. The energy was palpable, as organizations brought their visions closer to reality.

3. This Year: Real Products and Compliance

Fast forward to this year, and the summit has matured into a space where fully-fledged projects send real money and address compliance. It’s incredible to see the progress—from brainstorming to beta-testing to production-ready solutions.

Highlights from the 2024 Summit

One consistent challenge across all the ILP Summits has been deciding which room to attend when fascinating, relevant talks are happening simultaneously. It’s a bittersweet dilemma, but it reflects the richness of the summit’s offerings.

Mainstage Highlights: Talks That Defined the Summit

This year’s mainstage was a powerhouse of ideas, featuring diverse perspectives and groundbreaking discussions. Here are some sessions that stood out to me:

African Parliamentarian Perspectives: An insightful panel exploring how legislative frameworks can catalyze financial inclusion across Africa.

The History & Future of Digital Financial Inclusion: Kosta Peric delivered an unforgettable talk, starting with the example of a chappal (Hindi for slipper) to demonstrate how informal methods still dominate money transfers globally. It was a powerful reminder of the work needed to modernize financial systems.

Open Payments in Africa’s Regulatory Ecosystem: A thorough examination of regulatory strategies essential for fostering growth and trust in open payments across Africa.
Bridging Communities with Rafiki: Though I missed this session while attending another, I made sure to catch the recording back at my hotel. It was an eye-opening panel showcasing Rafiki’s transformative potential in cross-border remittances and community building.

Talks & Demos Room: A Hub of Innovation

I spent a significant portion of the summit in the Talks & Demos room, affectionately dubbed the “best room of the conference” by @ioana . This space was a wellspring of inspiration, brimming with ideas and practical advancements:

GateHub’s Rafiki Demo: A seamless, production-ready implementation that sets the standard for innovation.
Chimoney’s Mobile App: An impressive milestone showcasing the potential of mobile-first payment solutions.
Web Monetization: A promising beta feature aimed at revolutionizing content consumption and creator compensation on the web.
TigerBeetle: A visionary session exploring the scalability of data in payment systems. Joran’s use of India’s UPI as a real-world example to highlight the exponential growth in transaction processing was particularly engaging.

These talks only scratch the surface of what was shared, but they reflect the profound depth and diversity of ideas exchanged at this year’s summit. Both the mainstage and the Talks & Demos room delivered a blend of visionary insights and tangible solutions, making the event an exceptional experience for all who attended.

The Local Community’s Involvement

One of the most heartening aspects of this year’s summit was the Foundation’s effort to incorporate the local community. Last year’s feedback about this was taken to heart, resulting in an inclusive event featuring participants like Fynbos, TigerBeetle, Snake Nation, UCT students, and many others. Their involvement added depth and diversity to the conversations.

A Place for Connection

ILP Summits have always been more than just a gathering—they’re a space for connection and collaboration. Over the years, my relationships within this community have grown stronger. It’s a privilege to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who share a passion for innovation and progress.

Even though I missed the hackathon this year, the updates on Twitter kept me engaged, and I felt like a part of the action. Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional projects!

Closing Thoughts

From its early days of ideation to the launch of impactful projects, the ILP Summit has been a remarkable journey of growth and evolution. The Foundation’s commitment to addressing feedback and fostering inclusivity continues to make these gatherings special.

A heartfelt thank you to @chrislarry and team for giving me the opportunity to be part of this year’s summit and for supporting me throughout my ambassadorship. Here’s to more success stories and milestones in the years to come!

What was your Summit highlight this year?

I’d love to hear your favorite memories from this year’s summit. Let’s celebrate the strides we’ve made together!

Web Monetization and Open Source — ILF Ambassador Final Report

Santosh Viswanatham — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 17:47:01 +0000

Project Update

I'm glad to share the progress and achievements during my ambassadorship. Here are some highlights:

📚 Get Involved guides for Web Monetization, Rafiki, and Open payments are live now
📝 Authored a Developer Guide for migrating Web Monetization code to the latest draft
🏅 Built the Open Badges Recognition Program.
🎤 Delivered talks at Fossasia 2024 and JSNation 2024.
🔄 Migrated react-monetize to the latest spec: GitHub Pull Request.
Participated in CityJS Singapore by being a part of the Web Monetization Booth
Engaged with the Web Monetization working group during the Web Monetization Workweek in January 2024.
Virtually participated in the Web Monetization Workweek this July.
📖 Developed an Open Source Guide to discuss challenges and improve pathways and communication.
🛠️ Updated the libraries list on the Web Monetization site.

Progress on Objectives, Key Activities

Here is an update on the objectives and the activities undertaken to meet those objectives:

Guide Development 📝
- Created comprehensive guides for getting involved with Web Monetization, Rafiki, and Open Payments.
- Authored migration guidelines to help developers transition to the latest Web Monetization specifications.
Open Badges Program 🎉
- Developed and launched a recognition program to acknowledge contributors within the Web Monetization community.
- These Open Badges were issued during the recently concluded Hackathon in Cape Town, South Africa.
Conference Engagement 🎤
- Delivered talks at major tech conferences such as Fossasia 2024 and JSNation 2024, expanding awareness and engagement with Web Monetization.
- Part of the Web Monetization Booth at CityJS Singapore
Library Migration 🔄
- Successfully migrated WM libraries to the latest Web Monetization specification, ensuring compatibility and future-proofing the ecosystem.
Community Participation 👥
- Participated in Web Monetization workweeks, both in-person and virtually, contributing to ongoing discussions and developments.
Documentation and Resources 📖
- Created and updated essential Contribution.md for various repos under Interledger Github, making them accessible to developers worldwide.

Project Impact & Target Audience(s)

My tech talks at conferences in Fossasia and JSNation reached a wide and geographically diverse audience(Asia and Europe). With this, I was able to introduce Web Monetization (WM) to both students and working professionals. The Get Involved guides I created to cater to both tech and non-tech individuals of all age groups.

During the Hacktoberfest Campaign, my outreach successfully engaged over 1300 participants, including a significant number from diverse backgrounds, such as People of Color. This global participation resulted in substantial code contributions from eight countries across four continents, fostering a collaborative spirit across multiple Interledger repositories during Hacktoberfest. Moreover, participating in Hacktoberfest has created a gateway for individuals worldwide to engage with a more inclusive and innovative community, committed to fostering global financial inclusion and equitable opportunities. 🌍

Communications and Marketing

Community.interledger.org has been an excellent platform, along with social media, to share my progress and insights:

Additionally, my talks at Fossasia 2024 and JSNation 2024 allowed me to reach a wider developer audience, introducing them to Web Monetization. Being a part of the WM Booth at CityJS allowed me to introduce WebMonetization to a focused Javascript developer audience.

What’s Next?

As my ambassadorship concludes, here’s what I plan to do next:

Support the Launch of Open Badges: Assist in the successful rollout and adoption of the Open Badges Recognition Program.
Maintain WM Libraries: Continue maintaining the Web Monetization libraries for which I have taken ownership.
Community Involvement: Stay actively involved in the Web Monetization community, participating in discussions, meetups and workweeks.
Spread the Word: Introduce Web Monetization at relevant community meetups and conferences to expand its reach and adoption.

Community Support

I am incredibly grateful for the continuous encouragement and support from the entire ILF team, previous and current ambassadors, grantees, and community members. I am truly humbled to be part of this incredible community.

Special thanks to Alex, Ayesha, Chris, Lawil, and Vineel for always supporting and helping me throughout my ambassadorship. Thank you, Ioana, Although you joined recently, you have helped me fast-track my objectives and reach a wider audience with my ambassadorship.

Additional Comments

This ambassadorship has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to build lifelong relationships and contribute to an innovative and inclusive ecosystem. I am excited about the future of ILP and Web Monetization and eager to continue this journey. Hope I get an opportunity to work together soon.

Announcing Contribution Guides for Web Monetization, Rafiki, and Open Payments!

Santosh Viswanatham — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:13:54 +0000

I am thrilled to announce that we have launched contribution guides for Web Monetization, Rafiki, and Open Payments! 🎉

Over the past few months, I have been focused on solving the challenge of helping contributors who are eager to get involved with Interledger. As part of this initiative, I’ve been creating comprehensive Open Source guides for various projects.

Why Contribution Guides?

The objective of these guides is to provide a clear and accessible pathway for anyone interested in contributing to the Interledger Ecosystem. Whether you're into coding, writing documentation, translation, or joining community calls, there's a place for you to make a meaningful impact. Below are the details of our new Contribution Guides:

🌟 Rafiki

Rafiki and the Testnet have been favorites among contributors for the past two years. We have created a comprehensive "Get Involved" guide for Rafiki, which you can find here.

🌐 Web Monetization

With the latest draft version and the new Web Monetization extension coming up, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Check out the "Get Involved with Web Monetization" guide here.

💸 Open Payments

Open Payments offers another fantastic opportunity for contributors to help build the Open Payments standard. You can find the guide here.

Additionally, If you have not seen it, There is a Get Involved page on the interledger website as well to guide you through other ways to get involved with Interledger. You can find it here.

Continuous Improvement

These guides are just the beginning. If you have additional information to add or new ideas to help people get involved, we welcome your contributions! Feel free to let us know in the comments or even submit a PR to enhance the guides.

Special Thanks

Thank you @laka @mkurapov @sabineschaller @vineel for helping brainstorm the initial content. And a big shoutout to Melissa @huijing @ioana — this wouldn’t have been possible without your support and hard work. 🙌

We hope these guides inspire others to dive in and start contributing. Your skills and passion are what makes a community thrive. Happy contributing! 🎉

Interledger at JSNation, Amsterdam

Santosh Viswanatham — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 15:51:28 +0000

I recently gave a talk at JSNation 2024. This talk was particularly special to me as I was delivering a talk remotely for the first time 🌐. Also, This was my first Javascript-focused conference, and as a Javascript engineer myself, it brings me pride and joy to share my learnings with fellow JS enthusiasts. 💻✨

Web Monetization: Your New Friendly JavaScript API

My talk, titled "Web Monetization: Your New Friendly JavaScript API" is centered around the W3C Standard proposal, which most of us know as Web Monetization.

During my talk, I discussed the challenges and pain points involved in monetizing the content today such as significant privacy concerns, restrictions, and dependence on big tech, and How Web Monetization offers a refreshing alternative.🌟 I also spoke about how this API leverages the Interledger Protocol, enabling open payments and microtransactions, and providing a more efficient and inclusive path to monetize web content.🌍💸 I mentioned how this new standard breaks down barriers and incentivizes creators with a global audience, fundamentally changing the way web applications are monetized.

I also shared some personal examples of how I(being from India 🇮🇳) can buy a Medium subscription to read posts on Medium, and How I can write articles on Medium but when It comes to making money for my content, I cannot because I don't belong to the ~40 countries where Medium partner program is available, which is an unfair practice. ⚖️

Navigating the Online Speaking Experience

Delivering my talk online was a unique and rewarding experience. Although I missed the immediate feedback of a live audience, the virtual format allowed me to reach a broader audience, connecting with JavaScript enthusiasts from around the world.

You can watch my talk here If you have participated in JSNation 2024. Else you could watch the talk soon in 3-4 weeks once the talk is public.🎥

Future Prospects

Speaking at JSNation 2024 was an incredible opportunity to share my insights on Web Monetization. 🚀 The future of Web Monetization is bright, and I am excited to see how developers will harness its capabilities to create innovative and monetized web applications. As an advocate for the Open Web, I am committed to continuing this journey and empowering developers to build a more inclusive and monetized web.💪

Oh! And I got this beautiful gift pack with a handwritten note from the JSNation Team.🎁✉️

Looking forward for more such experiences and learnings. ❤️

Developer guide to migrating the breaking changes in the latest Web Monetization draft

Santosh Viswanatham — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:43:33 +0000

The Web Monetization API allows websites to receive payments from visitors who have a wallet connected to their browser.

The most recent draft of the Web Monetization specification (2023-09-20) introduced changes to be more consistent with the design of other browser features. The working group tries to provide stability in the API design. However, backward-incompatible changes like this are possible during the draft stage.

Websites and tools that implemented an earlier draft of the Web Monetization specification used by Coil will need to update their code to be supported by the new Web Monetization providers launching later this year. This guide will walk you through the necessary changes to ensure a smooth transition.

Updating the monetization meta tag 💻

The latest specification replaced the meta tag with a link tag. The name attribute changed to rel and content to href accordingly. Update your HTML codes:

Old monetization tag:

<meta name="monetization" content="https://example.com/pay">

New monetization tag:

<link rel="monetization" href="https://example.com/pay">

This change is the only one many websites will need to make to be compatible with the latest version of the Web Monetization specification.

Checking monetization support 🕵️‍♂️

Previously, the specification recommended checking for monetization support using the presence of a document.monetization object. The latest specification recommends using the browser’s supports() functionality for feature detection. Update your JavaScript feature detection code::

Old monetization feature detection:

if (document.monetization) {
    // Monetization is supported
}

New monetization feature detection :

const link = document.querySelector('link[rel="monetization"]') ||
             document.createElement('link');


if (link.relList.supports(“monetization”)) {
    // Monetization is supported
}

Handling monetization events

Previously, the specification considered payments as streams with start, progress, and stop events. The latest draft uses a single event for when the browser has sent a payment. Update your JavaScript event listeners:

Old monetization stream events:

document.monetization.addEventListener('monetizationstart', function(event) {
    // Handle monetization start
});

document.monetization.addEventListener('monetizationstop', function(event) {
    // Handle monetization stop
});

document.monetization.addEventListener('monetizationprogress', function(event) {
    // Handle monetization progress
});

New monetization event:

const link = document.querySelector('link[rel="monetization"]');

link.addEventListener("monetization", function(event) {
    // Handle sent payment 
});

By following this guide, you'll be well-equipped to adapt your application to the evolving landscape of Web Monetization.

How to test your code? 🧪

With the retirement of the Coil extension, the new Web Monetization provider extension has taken the stage. While it's not officially published, you can access and test your code by cloning the extension from here. Follow the instructions in the README file for building and installing the extension. While the extension doesn't currently feature wallet integration, it provides an environment for observing Web Monetization events triggered by the extension.

This extension allows you to simulate test events, and verify the integration of your library with the latest specifications. Keep an eye on the repository for updates and improvements. 🌐

Contributing to Web Monetization 🤝

To further support the Web Monetization ecosystem, You can actively contribute in various ways:

Contribute by porting existing libraries to ensure compatibility with the latest WM draft
Build new libraries for other frontend frameworks to enhance the WM tooling ecosystem
Actively participate in testing the Web Monetization Provider extension to identify and report the potential issues in the extension

Organize a Hackday! 🚀

Take your contribution to the next level by organizing a Web Monetization Hackday! Bring developers together to collaborate on creating and enhancing libraries, porting existing ones, and testing WM provider extensions. Connect with me for any support to make this event even more impactful! Let's shape the future of Web Monetization together. 🌐💸

By following this guide and actively participating with the Web Monetization community, you can make the Web a more monetarily inclusive space! 🚀

Thank you @jeremiah and @laka for providing your valuable feedback and helping me in making this guide better.

Thank you for reading and share with us in the comments if you have any comments/feedback on this guide to make it better.

Web Monetization and Open source collaborations — ILF Ambassador Progress Report

Santosh Viswanatham — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:15:58 +0000

Brief Project Description

Hi, I'm Santosh, Open Source Ambassador at the Interledger Foundation. Since starting my Ambassadorship in September, my mission revolves around three core objectives:

Improve the Interledger project repositories ready for contributors to get involved 🚀
Help Build and test the Web Monetization provider extension that runs on the v2 spec and also improve the tooling around WM. 🔧
Create a framework for ILF to participate in Open Source Campaigns 🌐
- Spearheading our participation in events like Hacktoberfest.
- Establishing a comprehensive framework for the Interledger Foundation's involvement in Open Source Campaigns.

Project Update

Open Source Campaigns:
- Participated in Hacktoberfest, the largest Open source campaign globally. You can find more about what we achieved with clear metrics here.🎉
- Authored and published ‘Git hacks for Hacktoberfest‘, a practical guide to facilitate open-source contributions here. 📖
Community Engagement:
- Collaborated with seven Open Source and Tech Communities spanning two continents and three countries.
  - Angola Open Source Community in Angola
  - GDSC Mbeya in Mbeya, Tanzania
  - Open Source Talks in Ahmedabad, India
  - Codewave Hub in Hyderabad, India
  - GDSC NFSU in Gandhinagar, India
  - GDSC - ABES in Ghaziabad, India
  - Hack This Fall in Vadodara, India
- Co-developed the Hacktoberfest website with the help of Hui Jing here.🌟
Educational Initiatives:
- Delivered talks at multiple Hacktoberfest events, reaching over 550 individuals globally.🗣️
- Initiated a Community Templates Repository here to streamline the collection of different blog post templates within the Interledger community.📚
Repository Contributions:
- Authored and updated contribution guides on various Interledger repositories. Small contributions to Testnet as well. 🛠️
- Successfully migrated the Eleventy Monetization Plugin to the V2 Spec and published it on NPM here. 📦
- Built and published the Astro Monetization plugin, a Web monetization plugin for the Astro framework on npm here. 📦

Project Impact & Target Audience(s)

During the Hacktoberfest Campaign, my outreach successfully introduced Interledger, Web Monetization, and Open Payments to over 1300 participants, mostly individuals from diverse backgrounds, including People of Color. This global engagement resulted in substantial Code Contributions, spanning eight countries across four continents, fostering a collaborative spirit across multiple Interledger Repositories during Hacktoberfest.

Recognizing the evolving landscape of the Web Monetization (WM) specification, I initiated the essential process of porting WM tools to the v2 spec. This proactive step is pivotal in revitalizing the WM tooling ecosystem, ensuring its alignment with the latest WM Specification. Notably, the Eleventy and Astro plugins have already been successfully published on npm, and the Hugo plugin will be published soon in the upcoming months.

The impact extends beyond the immediate community. By addressing the lag in WM tool evolution, we are contributing to the advancement of the Web Monetization ecosystem. Furthermore, this endeavor of participating in Hacktoberfest has created a gateway for individuals worldwide to engage with a more inclusive and innovative community, that is committed to fostering global financial inclusion and equitable opportunities. 🌍

Progress on Objectives, Key Activities

Empowering Open Source Contributors ✅
- Authored an insightful blog post on GitHub Hacks for Open Source contributors, providing practical insights and tips for efficiency.
- Writing and updating the Contributing.md across Interledger Repositories, ensuring clear guidelines and fostering a welcoming environment for new contributors. Updated for many popular repositories. I will update the rest over the coming months.
Framework for Open Source Engagement ✅
- Successfully constructed a robust framework for Interledger's participation in Open Source Campaigns, fostering partnerships with diverse Open Source and Tech communities.
Participation in Hacktoberfest ✅
- Successfully participated in Hacktoberfest and onboarded contributors to participate across Several Interledger Repositories
Advocacy for Web Monetization ⏳
- Currently submitted proposals on Web Monetization at Web development meetups and conferences, Looking forward to speaking at them in the upcoming months.
Recognition for Partnerships ✅
- Rewarding our valuable Open Source and Tech Community partners, acknowledging their pivotal role in our shared success. We have sent out Interledger Swag to our community members. 🎁
Guide for Web Monetization Transition ⏳
- Currently working on a comprehensive guide for porting Web Monetization code from v1 to v2 spec, providing developers with a seamless transition path.
Development and Publication of WM Tools ⏳
- Building and Publishing Web Monetization tools, contributing to the growth and accessibility of the Web Monetization ecosystem. Also published for Eleventy and Astro, Hugo will be published soon and others will follow.

Communications and Marketing

I delivered online talks at 4 Community events and one offline talk at the Hyderabad Hacktoberfest event. Authored and published about Github hacks for contributors here, We Announced our participation in Hacktoberfest here and wrote a detailed report about the impact here.

I also submitted proposals to Several tech conferences and I hope to speak about Web Monetization and Interledger at several conferences over the upcoming months. 🎤

What’s Next?

Spearheading a Diversity-focused Hackathon/Workshop. If anyone wants to collaborate to make this happen, I would love to collaborate and do this together.
Contribute to the building of the Web Monetization Provider
Crafting a comprehensive guide for transitioning Web Monetization code from v1 to v2 spec.
Collaborating on developing a contributor-friendly "How to Get Involved" page on the interledger.org website to guide enthusiasts through the Interledger Foundation's mission.

Community Support

Contribute to Astro Monetization and Eleventy Monetization plugins.
Help me port more of the libraries listed here to the v2 spec. Your involvement is pivotal in advancing the capabilities of the Web Monetization tooling system.
Collaborate with us on Web Monetization, Rafiki, or any Interledger Hackdays and Workshops. If you're passionate about organizing such an event within your community, we'd love to hear from you.🤝
Your valuable insights and feedback are instrumental in fostering an open-source culture. Share your thoughts on how we can enhance our approach to encourage greater contributor involvement. Let's collectively build resources that empower your communities to learn and actively engage in this transformative payments revolution. Your participation is not just welcome; it's pivotal to our shared success.

It has been an incredible learning experience throughout the past few months. Thank you everyone at Interledger for supporting me on this Ambassadorship so far.

Heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional individuals who have been the pillars of support throughout my journey:

@chrislarry: Your ideas, motivation, and unwavering support during the Hacktoberfest Campaign and throughout my ambassadorship have been invaluable.
@laka: A special thank you for your continuous guidance, steering me towards an impactful pathway throughout my ambassadorship.
@vineel: Your constant mentorship has been instrumental in getting things done, and your support has truly shaped my ambassadorship.
@lwlkarama: An immense appreciation for always being available to answer questions, provide guidance, and assist in creating a more significant impact with my work.
@ayeshaware and @julaireh : Your encouragement and motivation have been a driving force behind my efforts.
Sabine, Timea, Huijing, and the entire Tech team: Your approval of my and other contributor’s PRs, guidance for contributors, and efforts to make everyone feel welcome has made a world of difference. You are the best.
Madalina: A huge thank you for promptly providing all the designs I needed, anytime, day or night. 🎨
Chiara and Anna: Your constant support in Social Media and Marketing has been invaluable to the success of our endeavors. 📢
Fellow ambassadors, Erika and Jeremiah: Thank you for your diligent reviews and constructive feedback on everything I contribute to Community.interledger.org. Your insights continually help me elevate my work.

This journey has been enriched by your collective wisdom, encouragement, and collaboration. Thank you for being the extraordinary team that makes every achievement possible. 🙏🌟

From Hack to Glory: The Migration of the Web Monetization Tools

Santosh Viswanatham — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:39:24 +0000

Hello everyone,

The Migration of the Web monetization tools project won the Web Monetization theme at the recent Interledger Summit 2023 hackathon. Let's dive into the story and explore the impact this journey has had. 🕵️‍♂️

What the Hack Was About

Over the past year, the Web monetization spec has evolved significantly. Unfortunately, the tools designed to work with them haven't kept up, becoming outdated and unusable. That's where this project comes in – it's all about giving these retired tools a new lease on life.

If you take a look at the libraries list on the Webmonetization Docs, sadly, you will notice that the libraries do not have the support for the latest Web monetization spec yet. 😟

This project focused on revitalizing these outdated web monetization libraries, bringing them in line with the updated spec. The goal was to upgrade some of these retired tools and make them relevant again. I started with two components, namely the Hugo Web Monetization Component, and Monetize 11ty. They were crafted to empower web creators, simplifying the process of monetizing websites and content built with Hugo and 11ty frameworks.

Moreover, since all the documentation websites at Interledger were built using Astro, I took the initiative to develop a new Web monetization plugin specifically designed for Astro. Drumroll, please! Allow me to introduce Astro Monetization (Contributions are welcome), an Astro plugin that effortlessly enables Web monetization on your Astro sites. 🚀

Its Value or Impact:

This project has a dual impact. Firstly, it revitalizes tools, upgrading them to the latest Web Monetization spec, offering the latest and simplified functionality, and opening new monetization possibilities. 💡

Secondly, the new Astro Monetization project simplifies the process of enabling Web Monetization on Astro sites. This provides Astro developers with an easy option to seamlessly integrate web monetization on a site, fostering more dynamic and web monetization-friendly web pages. 🌐💰

Challenges Encountered and Lessons Learned:

Every journey has its challenges, and this was no exception. Exploring three new frameworks within a tight seven-hour window tested my adaptability. Additionally, grappling with less-than-optimal documentation in existing tools underscored the importance of clear, comprehensive documentation in the open-source world. These challenges taught me the value of resilience and accessible documentation in ensuring an open-source project's success. 📚💻

Future Work

While the hackathon may be over, my journey with "The Migration of the Web Monetization Tools" is far from complete.

The next steps involve:

Discussing with the project owners of Hugo(11ty is already merged) and get the PR reviewed and merged.
Upgrading the remaining web monetization tools listed on webmonetization.org.
Implementing a restricted content module for my Astro Monetization tool.

Simultaneously, I'm eager to dive into building new tools specifically tailored for other site generators and frameworks.

The vision is to create a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that evolves with the ever-changing web monetization landscape.

In conclusion, winning the hackathon is more than just a personal victory; "The Migration of Web Monetization Tools" stands as proof of what individuals can accomplish when they tackle challenges, contributing to a future on the web that is brighter and more Web monetized.

Reach out to me if you are interested in getting involved with this project at viswanathamsantosh@gmail.com

Stay tuned for more updates as I continue this journey, and Thank you, Interledger Team and Judges, for your support and encouragement. 🙌✨

Hacktoberfest Swag Redemption: Claim Your Cool Gear! 🚀

Santosh Viswanatham — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 17:21:04 +0000

Hello Hacktoberfest Contributors,

Firstly, a massive thank you for your valuable contributions during this year's Hacktoberfest with Interledger! 🌟 It's been an incredible journey, and we appreciate the effort and enthusiasm you've poured into making this Hacktoberfest a success.

Now, it's time to claim your well-deserved swag – the stylish T-shirts(1 PR) and Exclusive hoodies(4+ PRs) await you! Here's a quick guide on how to redeem your awesome gear:

Step 1: Fill Up the Redemption Form

Head over to our Swag Redemption Form and provide the necessary details. Make sure to fill in accurate shipping information to ensure a smooth delivery process.

Step 2: Sit Back and Relax

Once you've submitted the form, consider your job done! We'll take it from here. Our team will process the submissions and get your swag ready for shipment.

Step 3: Await Your Swag

We'll keep you in the loop on the shipping status and provide updates on when you can expect your swag to arrive. Keep an eye on your inbox for our notifications.

It's that simple! Thank you again for being a crucial part of the Hacktoberfest with Interledger. We hope you enjoy rocking your new gear as much as we enjoyed having you on board. 🎉

Please do let us know if you have any questions here on this post. The deadline for filling out the form is December 10th, 2023.

Stay tuned for more exciting initiatives, and until then, happy coding! 💻✨

In Retrospect: The Impact of Hacktoberfest with Interledger

Santosh Viswanatham — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 17:01:49 +0000

Hello, everyone! 👋

I'm Santosh, an Open Source Ambassador at the Interledger Foundation. With over 8 years of experience as a JavaScript Engineer, I'm currently working at Marvin, a user research platform. At Marvin, I build apps that help users stay more focused on the user experience, making user-centric decisions. I've been an open-source contributor and advocate for the open web for over a decade. Previously, I was a volunteer at Mozilla, serving as a Mozilla Rep and a Tech Speaker for over 10 years. My contributions to Mozilla even landed my name in the about:credits of every shipped Firefox browser.

Embracing the Interledger Vision 🌐

In 2022, Hacktoberfest brought me closer to Interledger. As Alex was onboarding Interledger projects to Hacktoberfest, I was fortunate enough to discover and participate in Hacktoberfest with Interledger. My passion for open web standards found a perfect home with Interledger, thanks to their commitment to advocating for open payments and web monetization standards. This involvement led to my invitation to the Interledger Summit 2022, where I delved deeper into ILP's vision and mission.

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This year, I took on the role of Ambassador at the Interledger Foundation, and my first goal was to execute Hacktoberfest with Interledger 2023 to Introduce the Interledger project and organization as a pathway that many Open-source contributors can get involved with. A special thanks to @ayeshaware and @lwlkarama for their quick onboarding into the Ambassadorship program and their invaluable guidance and support throughout the past two months. Your mentorship has been an immense help, and I'm grateful for it.

Hacktoberfest: A Month of Open Source Magic ✨

Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open source that encourages people to contribute throughout October. Each year, thousands of contributors participate in this festival to enhance their skills, get mentorship, and contribute to the projects they love.

This Hacktoberfest, we witnessed a surge of contributions, new stars on our repositories, and support from both seasoned open-source contributors and enthusiastic newcomers. We also partnered with seven open-source and tech communities across Angola, Tanzania, and India, introducing open payments, the Interledger Protocol, and Web monetization to over 1,300 people.

Key Highlights of the Campaign 🌟

GitHub Contributions 🐱

We invited contributors to work on several Interledger projects, including Rafiki, Testnet, and Web Monetization. We received around 50 pull requests across our Interledger repositories. You can track the contributions via these links:

None of this would have been possible without the constant efforts from the Tech team. Alex, @sabineschaller, Timea, Max, @huijing, Ionut, Melissa, Tseli, and many others have been with us from the very start, actively creating and assigning issues, reviewing code, and providing constant feedback and support to help contributors successfully submit their code and engage with Interledger. Thank you for being the driving force.

Stars on the Repositories 🌟

We saw a significant increase in stars, with about 250+ stars across our repositories on GitHub. These stars reflect the growing interest in our work, emphasizing the value of our projects and the dedication of our community.

Global Collaborations: Our Partnerships 🌍

We partnered with several open-source and tech communities worldwide, fostering innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. Our collaborations reached across borders and connected with like-minded organizations. Our partners include:

Angola Open Source Community in Angola
GDSC Mbeya in Mbeya, Tanzania
Open Source Talks in Ahmedabad, India
Codewave Hub in Hyderabad, India
GDSC NFSU in Gandhinagar, India
GDSC - ABES in Ghaziabad, India
Hack This Fall in Vadodara, India

Over 1,300 individuals participated in our Hacktoberfest events across Angola, Tanzania, and India, spreading Interledger's message to diverse communities.

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Angola Open-source Community on LinkedIn: Hacktoberfest with Interledger: Join the Open Payments Movement

Você sabe JavaScript e TypeScript? Interledger Foundation convida você para uma emocionante celebração do Hacktoberfest! A Interledger é uma plataforma…

linkedin.com

Spreading Interledger's Message 📢

I had the privilege of delivering a talk about 'Coding for Change: Hacktoberfest with Interledger' to around 550 individuals in Tanzania and India. This talk introduced Interledger, Open Payments, Web Monetization, and how people can contribute and become part of the Interledger community.
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Social Media Buzz 📱

People shared updates, pictures, and write-ups about the event, capturing the spirit of Hacktoberfest and helping us connect with a broader audience.

A huge thank you to Chiara and Anna for amplifying the community's voice and actively engaging with their posts across multiple channels. Special thanks to Madalina for providing us with all the design assets needed for engagement.

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Communications 🗨️

Over 40 people joined us on community.interledger.org, and 50+ joined our Slack community, fostering communication and collaboration.

Kickstarting the Campaign 🚀

Vineel and I brainstormed about community engagement and successfully planned and executed the campaign in approximately three weeks. This involved creating timelines, establishing a rewards program, defining various activities, fostering cross-functional engagement, reaching out to open-source and tech communities, and devising strategies to maximize the campaign's impact.

Our focus during this process was on several key aspects:

How Open Source Communities and Contributors Can Discover and Learn About Interledger.
How We Can Effectively Onboard and Support New Contributors: This includes the addition of comprehensive contribution guides and informative posts to facilitate their journey.
Identifying Resources and Knowledge That We Can Provide: We aim to equip contributors with the necessary tools and knowledge to contribute effectively.

Through careful planning and consideration, we worked to ensure the success of this campaign. A big thank you to Hui Jing for helping us design and launch the website and to Madalina for providing us with all the design assets needed for building the website.

Rewards for contributors

As previously mentioned during the campaign launch, contributing with 1 or more accepted PRs will earn you a T-shirt 🎽, and those who make 4 or more accepted pull requests will receive an exclusive, limited-edition swag! Instructions for redeeming your swag will be posted shortly. Stay tuned by following the #hacktoberfest channel on our Community Slack for the latest updates. 🚀👕🛍

Looking Ahead 🔍

As we close the chapter on this year's Hacktoberfest campaign, it's essential to acknowledge the remarkable efforts and dedication of our community. You've helped us come closer to our goals, and for that, we're immensely grateful.

The journey doesn't end here. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to work together to make Interledger and open source even better. Keep your eyes on our repositories, stay connected on our communication channels, and be ready for more exciting initiatives shortly. Vineel and I, along with Alex, are working on coordinating with the programs team and tech team to amplify our impact.

Once again, thank you for being a part of the "Hacktoberfest with Interledger" campaign. Your contributions have left a lasting mark on our community, and together, we'll keep pushing the boundaries of open-source innovation.

A heartfelt thank you to @laka, @chrislarry, and @vineel. This wouldn't have been possible without your constant support, mentorship, and ideas. I’m looking forward to achieving even greater things together. 🌟✨🚀

Hacktoberfest with Interledger: Join the Open Payments Movement

Santosh Viswanatham — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:54:19 +0000

We are thrilled to announce that Interledger will be participating in this year's Hacktoberfest edition. 🎉

What is Hacktoberfest?

Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of Open Source that encourages people to contribute to open source throughout October. This year marks the 10th edition of Hacktoberfest. Every year, thousands of contributors participate in this festival to contribute to the projects they love and use, learn and enhance their skills to advance their careers, get mentorship, and feedback from industry experts. For organizations that believe in giving back to the community, Hacktoberfest is a fantastic platform.

Interledger and Open Source 🌐

The Interledger Foundation’s (ILF) mission is to broaden the diversity of voices in the tech ecosystem by using the Interledger Protocol (ILP) as a driver for digital financial inclusion. 🌍

The Interledger Protocol is an open-source, currency-agnostic payments network that enables money to travel as quickly and efficiently as data on the internet. The open architecture and minimal protocol enable interoperability for any value transfer system.

Interledger's objective is to enhance access to digital financial services by advocating for adopting an open-source currency network powered by the Interledger Protocol (ILP). Moreover, it actively collaborates with historically marginalized groups to fulfill this mission. These core values inspire us at Interledger to participate in Hacktoberfest.💪

This year marks the second edition of Interledger participating in Hacktoberfest.🎈

Contributing to Interledger this Hacktoberfest 🌟

There are multiple ways to contribute to Interledger this Hacktoberfest. You can build new features, find and fix bugs, write tests, help with documentation, organize digital/physical events to contribute to your community, and much more.

Short Answer:

Star our Interledger Repositories
Search for issues that are labeled with Hacktoberfest
Get the issue assigned and start working on it
Submit a PR
Join our Slack community
Earn some great swags

Long answer:

How to Get Started? 🚀

Head over to our GitHub repositories.
Filter repositories based on your skill set and interests.
Please read the contribution guidelines before you start contributing.
Find issues that are tagged with Hacktoberfest labels. Tip: Issues labeled as good first issue/goodfirstbug are ideal for new contributors.
Once you've chosen an issue, work on your contribution.
When you're ready, submit a pull request. Our maintainers and community members will review your work and provide feedback if necessary.
After your pull request is merged, you've officially contributed to Interledger.

Offline events

We would really love to partner with you and help with your Hacktoberfest events. If you are one who is part of a community and planning to conduct an event to educate and inform your community about Hacktoberfest then please fill out this form and we will get in touch with you.

Few repositories that are participating in Hacktoberfest

Rafiki

Rafiki is open-source software that allows an Account Servicing Entity to enable Interledger functionality on its users' accounts.

This includes

sending and receiving payments (via SPSP and Open Payments)
allowing third-party access to initiate payments and view transaction data (via Open Payments)

Repo link - https://github.com/interledger/rafiki
Contribution guide - https://github.com/interledger/rafiki/blob/main/.github/contributing.md

Testnet

Testnet is an open-source test application for Rafiki. In other words, a Rafiki Playground. It wants to use all of the functionalities of Rafiki and put its advantages of to the real test.

Testnet is made up (or will be made up in the near future) of several components, including a wallet application, a bank application, and an e-commerce application.

Repo link - https://github.com/interledger/testnet
Contribution guide - https://github.com/interledger/testnet/blob/main/.github/contributing.md

Helm charts

This is a Helm Charts repository for Interledger Kubernetes.

Repo link - https://github.com/interledger/helm-charts

and many more on Interledger repositories

What's in It for You? 🎁

As a Hacktoberfest contributor at Interledger, you will receive:

The opportunity and satisfaction of contributing to the next big thing in the Open and Inclusive finance systems space.
An opportunity to collaborate with and learn from like-minded and passionate individuals at Interledger.
Grab a cool T-shirt 🎽 for contributing 1 or more accepted pull requests(First 150 contributors), and score exclusive, limited-edition swag for making 4 or more accepted pull requests(First 10 contributors)!

Hacktoberfest is an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and create change through open-source contributions. Join Interledger on this exciting journey, and let's work together to build a more inclusive and interconnected financial future.

Head over to our #Hacktoberfest channel on our Slack if you still have any other questions or doubts.📢

We can't wait to see the incredible contributions you'll make. Happy Hacktoberfest! 🚀🌟🎉

Git Hacks for Hacktoberfest: A Quick and Easy Guide

Santosh Viswanatham — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 05:33:02 +0000

If you haven't heard already, Interledger is participating in this year's Hacktoberfest.🌟 You can read more about Hacktoberfest with Interledger here.

Hacktoberfest is here, and for many, it serves as a gateway to dive into the world of open source. I personally started my Open Source journey through Hacktoberfest back in 2015, and I've found that mastering Git and managing it efficiently can significantly enhance your Open Source contributions. 🌟

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this; everyone has their preferred methods that work best for them.

In this post, I'd like to share a straightforward approach that has helped me streamline my Open Source work, using Rafiki as an example for commands and code. 🚀

Managing GitHub Remotes 🌐

GitHub Remote is the link that connects your local Git repository to the GitHub repository. Throughout your contribution journey, you'll be pulling code from the remote and pushing your changes to it. Here are a few tips for managing your remote

Clone the Repository from Its Origin:

When you clone the repository, make sure it's from its original source and not your fork. Your origin remote should look like this: git remote -v

   origin https://github.com/interledger/rafiki.git (fetch)
   origin https://github.com/interledger/rafiki.git (push)

Fork the Repository and Add it as a Remote:

After cloning, fork the repository and add your fork as a remote. Keep the remote name simple; fork works perfectly. It's only four letters, making it easy to remember and type.

   git remote add fork https://github.com/devcer/rafiki

Here devcer is my GitHub username.

Now your remote should look like this

$ git remote -v
fork https://github.com/devcer/rafiki.git (fetch)
fork https://github.com/devcer/rafiki.git (push)
origin https://github.com/interledger/rafiki.git (fetch)
origin https://github.com/interledger/rafiki.git (push)

Contributing to Any Repository 🌱

As a contributor, you typically won't have direct access to push your branch to the repository. To contribute effectively, follow these steps:

Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/interledger/rafiki.git

Fork the repository:

Add your fork as a remote on your local repository:

   git remote add fork https://github.com/devcer/rafiki

(Replace devcer with your username.)

Create and switch to your branch:

   git checkout -b feat/new-feature

Make your changes. 🛠️
Push your branch to your fork:

   git push fork feat/new-feature

Submit a pull request from your fork using the GitHub interface. 📤
Need to pull the latest updates from the origin remote?

   git pull origin main

Want to update your fork remote from your local repository?

   git push fork main

While some of the activities mentioned above can be performed directly using the GitHub user interface, where's the fun in that, right? Just kidding! Working with Git via the terminal provides you with a deeper understanding of how Git operates. Even if you can't remember all the commands, you'll still have a solid grasp of Git and the ability to figure out any command you want to use.

By following these steps, you can smoothly navigate the world of open source and contribute effectively during Hacktoberfest and beyond. Happy coding! 💻🔧