Using rust-ipfs as a library

[dadepo]

This is not a feature request but a request for clarification on the usage of rust-ipfs as a library

Currently I am interacting with IPFS by calling out to an installed binary.

So far, here are the commands I need for my interactions:

//1
// Ensure ipfs is started with --enable-pubsub-experiment and --enable-namesys-pubsub
//2
ipfs add -r /path_to_dir 
//3
ipfs name publish --key=hash-public-key cid_to_publish
//4
ipfs get "ipns/path"--output=destination_path

My questions now are:

1. I know rust-ipfs is pre-alpha, but does it currently support --enable-pubsub-experiment and --enable-namesys-pubsub?

2. Does it also currently support adding a directory, publishing to ipns and requesting from ipns?

3. Would there be a theoretical/real performance benefit of using rust-ipfs as a library compared with interacting with an installed binary?

Thanks!

[koivunej]

Thanks for reaching out!

1. I know rust-ipfs is pre-alpha, but does it currently support --enable-pubsub-experiment and --enable-namesys-pubsub?

The current build has an equivalent of --enable-pubsub-experiment always on, and in fact, it cannot be turned off via configuration. The inability to configure it off with the #132 makes it so that you cannot connect to go-ipfs 0.5 which is running with --enable-pubsub-experiment.

We currently do not support IPNS at all, so no support for IPNS over pubsub either.

2. Does it also currently support adding a directory, publishing to ipns and requesting from ipns?

We do not currently have an unixfs importer or the add but we have planned implementing it rather soon. Currently I am working over at the unixfs reading support #172 and /cat is looking ok with #184 which will leave the main library or crate missing out the IpfsPath resolving, which has had some iterations over it. The IpfsPath enhancements should be following rather soon.

I don't think we have any concrete plans for IPNS. On my mind the path has been to first fix the dns story #83 to enable dnslink, then implement keystore management followed by initial work on IPNS over DHT. At that point I expect the libp2p-gossipsub to be compatible with go-ipfs and go-ipfs defaulting to it as well, so the IPNS over pubsub would be next logical step.

We are currently gathering Phase 3 ideas over at #181 but since this issue was already created: Could you open a bit your use case up? Any details would be much appreciated.

3. Would there be a theoretical/real performance benefit of using rust-ipfs as a library compared with interacting with an installed binary?

At least the theoretical benefit is there but at least for now, it might be non-existent or only caused by the fact that we implement so few features compared to {go,js}-ipfs. In the long run we aim to provide a predictable and trustworthy experience as crate and of course rust and LLVMs optimization capabilities will shine compared to communicating over HTTP when we have the features working.

[dadepo]

Thanks for the response. I have enough information to make my decision regarding usage of the current version rust-ipfs. Tnanks!