In the seventh month of the year, it's time for a retrospective on the progress we've done in the past three months. Check the latest updates in the 0xcert news section, or subscribe to our newsletter in the footer below and have it all delivered to your inbox.

Development

Software and API development remains at the core of 0xcert's nature. Similarly as before, we've devoted the most of our time and resources to building new products and upgrading existing ones.

With the 0xcert Roadmap as our compass, we're moving forward with new milestones met along the way.

Development Roadmap

The 0xcert Roadmap provides the most transparent insight into what has been achieved so far and the direction we're moving to. Still, due to some pivots of focus required for rational utilization of resources, we've moved one milestone from Q2 towards the upcoming Q3 to guarantee its optimal execution.

Following the development of the Framework in Q1, we've continued to work on it and upgrade it in the past few weeks.

1. The 0xcert Protocol v2.0 Aragorn

The initial version of the 0xcert Protocol was built for Ethereum, the first blockchain network to support creation and management of unique ERC-721 non-fungible tokens. Aligned with our endeavors to create a blockchain-agnostic framework for building dapps employing non-fungible tokens, we started adding a new blockchain to be supported by the 0xcert Framework.

After the Framework version 1.0.0 Odin, we have successfully released the version 2.0.0 of the 0xcert Protocol called Aragorn, and thus upgraded the Framework by adding the Wanchain blockchain to its realm.

A new, recreated approach to building decentralized applications has therefore spread to a second network and now allows for dapp development on both Ethereum and Wanchain blockchains. Its powerful conventions and support of ERC-721 non-fungible tokens remain to be the core features provided by the Framework's audited and powerful JavaScript library.

To date, the 0xcert Framework has been upgraded to version 1.7.0, remains accessible as open-source software on GitHub and provides a comprehensive Framework documentation to assist dapp developers.

At the time of compiling the 0xcert Whitepaper v1 in 2018, we've planned the Framework 2.0 with notification system and community-requested features to be released in Q2. However, due to our recent decision to start working on new dapps parallelly, we were forced to move the release of the Framework 2.0 to Q3. We are already approaching its release closely, and we plan to announce it soon as one of the first milestones reached in Q3 of 2019.

Milestones

In terms of the specific stages of development, some new checkmarks have been added to the Milestones spreadsheet.

The 0xcert Protocol has gained a v2 DEX implementation and a new ERC-721 implementation. Despite some unchecked boxes like Conventions, Devkit, and DEX and DXM dapps in Q2, we're working on them as we speak and we plan to announce the newly released upgrades soon.

Due to our work on several fronts simultaneously, from Framework upgrades to new dapps, we expect to see a strong boost in announcements within the upcoming weeks.

Extras

1. Fabr(x) integration

Improving the 0xcert Framework not only vertically, but horizontally, as well, we're building cooperations with like-minded projects making the dapp world more accessible.

0xcert Framework has been integrated with Fabr(x), a blockchain automation platform, to allow a wider audience to issue and transfer non-fungible tokens with a single API call.

The Framework now supports Fabr(x) with HTTP Provider to communicate with the Ethereum node, Mutations or requests to alter the state of tokens, and Asset Ledger, an ERC-721-based smart contract for deploying NFT smart contracts on Fabr(x).

You can read more about it here.

2. Bitski integration

To lower the adoption barrier of dapps for the users unfamiliar with the blockchain and the needed infrastructure, we've partnered with digital wallet Bitski to allow for easy and user-friendly connectivity with the blockchain.

Bitski not only provides a straightforward blockchain log-in solution but also guarantees bank-grade security through hardware security modules with multiple security layers. Partnering with Bitski digital wallet was a no-brainer also because it supports both ERC-20 fungible tokens as well as ERC-721 non-fungible tokens, which makes the 0xcert Framework a perfect fit for it.

With this integration, Bitski has also become the third blockchain communication provider within the 0xcert Framework, right after HTTP and MetaMask. For all the users of the 0xcert Framework building dapps with minimal coding required, Bitski provides an intuitive UX and ultimate safety for users and their accounts.

You can read more about it here.

3. Fork of Ernst & Young's Nightfall

In mid-April, Ernst & Young released a zero-knowledge proof technology for blockchain-based transactions called Nightfall to speed up business adoption of the blockchain tech.

0xcert has followed suit and shortly after forked the open-source code of Nightfall and replaced the standard ERC-721 token implementation with the enhanced, 0xcert-native ERC-721 token called Xcert. The Nightfall-provided features of private transactions have thus acquired two new qualities, namely interoperability and certification.

With this fork, EY's Nightfall software has gained a new improvement proposal for the benefit of their clients. 0xcert, on the other hand, continues to engage in the blockchain community and contribute to real-life adoption of the blockchain tech.

You can read more about it here.

4. Bug bounties

0xcert continues to encourage the developer community to propose edits or changes to the code and our publications through our bug bounties on GitHub:

Bug Bounty for ERC-721 RC1: to detect issues and provide suggestions for the RC1 improvements

Bug Bounty for the 0xcert Framework: to expose issues and submit improvement proposals in terms of code or documentation

Marketing

Events

Since we've spent most of our time tirelessly developing our products and solutions, the Q2 of 2019 was somewhat publicity-shy. Still, we're saving the best of our announcements for the upcoming weeks and months.

HEK.SI Conference

The two-day HEK.SI Conference in Ljubljana was devoted to ethical hacking and solutions for data breach issues in the digitally connected world.

On April 5, our CSO Urban Osvald held a talk about the threats and issues that the educational field faces in terms of certificate, data, and document forgeries. Aligned with the work of 0xcert, he provided an insightful solution to prevent and alleviate their consequences in the form of non-fungible tokens and data management on the blockchain.

Content

With the new addition to the 0xcert Framework, the Wanchain blockchain, we're compiling new tutorials for building decentralized applications on this network, as well, following the Framework tutorial series for the Ethereum blockchain.

The objective is to provide developers with the same guidelines for building dapps regardless of the blockchain network they decide to employ.

Ecosystem

The community of actively non-fungible projects in the blockchain world, the Non-fungible Alliance, continues gathering like-minded teams on a single platform for resources and knowledge exchange. With over 100 members, the Alliance remains one of the epicenters of non-fungible activities and continues welcoming new projects and teams to join in.

Further supporting the developer community, the 0xcert Gitter channel provides daily assistance to peer developers that encounter issues or challenges building their dapps.

In the second half of the year, the results of the previous months will culminate in some notable new releases, far beyond the premises we've established in the Whitepaper. To keep track of our work, we invite you to subscribe to our newsletter below and follow our social media channels.