IP IPCrypt

IPCrypt Community

Join the IPCrypt community and learn how to contribute to the project, report issues, and submit pull requests.

Join the IPCrypt Community

IPCrypt is an open project that welcomes contributions from the community. Whether you’re a developer, researcher, network operator, or privacy advocate, there are many ways to get involved and help improve IPCrypt.

Ways to Contribute

Code Contributions

You can contribute to IPCrypt in several ways:

  1. Implement IPCrypt in a New Language: Create an implementation in a language not currently supported
  2. Improve Existing Implementations: Enhance performance, add features, or fix bugs in existing implementations
  3. Add Test Cases: Expand test coverage to ensure implementations are robust and correct
  4. Optimize Algorithms: Improve the efficiency of cryptographic operations
  5. Create Integration Examples: Develop examples showing how to integrate IPCrypt with common frameworks and tools

Documentation Contributions

Help improve the documentation:

  1. Specification Clarifications: Suggest improvements to make the specification clearer
  2. Implementation Guides: Create tutorials and guides for specific languages or use cases
  3. Use Case Documentation: Document real-world applications and best practices
  4. Website Improvements: Enhance this website with better content, examples, or features

Research and Analysis

Contribute to the theoretical foundations:

  1. Security Analysis: Analyze the security properties of IPCrypt constructions
  2. Performance Benchmarks: Compare performance across implementations and scenarios
  3. Privacy Impact Assessment: Evaluate how IPCrypt improves privacy in different contexts

Contribution Guidelines

All contributions to IPCrypt should follow these guidelines:

General Guidelines

  1. Follow the IETF Process: Contributions are considered part of the IETF Standards Process
  2. Respect Intellectual Property Policies: Adhere to BCP 78, BCP 79, and the IETF Trust Legal Provisions
  3. Use Clear Communication: Be specific and detailed in your contributions and discussions
  4. Be Respectful: Treat all community members with respect and consideration

Code Contribution Guidelines

  1. Maintain Compatibility: Ensure your code follows the specification exactly
  2. Include Tests: Add tests that verify your code against the test vectors
  3. Document Your Code: Add clear comments and documentation
  4. Follow Language Conventions: Adhere to the style guidelines for the language you’re working in

Pull Request Process

  1. Fork the Repository: Create your own fork of the relevant repository
  2. Create a Branch: Make your changes in a new branch
  3. Write Clear Commit Messages: Use descriptive commit messages that explain your changes
  4. Submit a Pull Request: Open a pull request with a clear description of your changes
  5. Respond to Feedback: Be prepared to address comments and make requested changes

Reporting Issues

If you find a bug or have a suggestion for improvement:

  1. Check Existing Issues: Make sure the issue hasn’t already been reported
  2. Use the Issue Template: Fill out all relevant sections of the issue template
  3. Be Specific: Include detailed steps to reproduce bugs
  4. Provide Context: Explain why a feature would be useful or how a bug affects users

Communication Channels

GitHub

The primary platform for collaboration is GitHub:

  • IPCrypt Repository: Main repository for the specification and reference implementations
  • Issues: Report bugs, request features, or ask questions
  • Pull Requests: Submit changes for review

IETF

IPCrypt development resources:

Code of Conduct

All participants in the IPCrypt community are expected to adhere to the IETF Guidelines for Conduct and treat others with respect and professionalism.

Licensing

All contributions to IPCrypt must be compatible with the project’s licensing:

  • Specification: Contributions to the specification are subject to the IETF Trust Legal Provisions
  • Code Implementations: Code is typically licensed under the ISC License

By submitting a contribution, you agree to license your work under the same terms as the project.

Recognition

Contributors to IPCrypt are recognized in several ways:

  • Acknowledgments: Contributors are listed in the Acknowledgments section of the specification
  • Commit History: Your contributions are recorded in the Git history
  • Implementation Credits: If you create or significantly improve an implementation, you’ll be credited in that implementation

Getting Started

Ready to contribute? Here’s how to get started:

  1. Familiarize Yourself with IPCrypt: Read the specification and understand the project goals
  2. Set Up Your Development Environment: Clone the repository and set up the necessary tools
  3. Find an Issue to Work On: Look for issues labeled “good first issue” or “help wanted”
  4. Discuss Your Approach: Before making significant changes, discuss your approach with the community
  5. Submit Your Contribution: Follow the pull request process to submit your changes

We look forward to your contributions!