matrix-org / matrix-org/matrix-spec
"Identity service" is a confusing name
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Description
Link to problem area:
https://spec.matrix.org/v1.6/#identity, https://spec.matrix.org/v1.6/identity-service-api/, and everywhere.
Issue
The names "identity service" and "identity server" repeatedly cause confusion with people thinking they are responsible for managing user identity in Matrix, which is not the case at all.
(For clarity: all they do is provide a way of mapping from a "third-party identifier" such as email address or phone number onto a Matrix User ID, to make it easier for your existing contacts to find you.)
I can't really think of a good name though. "Third-party identity mapping service" doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. Suggestions welcome.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Review the terminology in the Matrix specification's identity and identity-service sections, along with the linked third-party identifier definitions. Propose an agreed replacement for “identity service” and “identity server,” then update the terminology consistently throughout the specification.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Domain
- documentation
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100