We are excited to announce the release of Blocklet Server v1.16.25, marking the culmination of 4 weeks of dedicated improvement, testing, and 36 impactful commits. This latest version introduces many new features and improvements, solidifying Blocklet Server's position as a cutting-edge platform for the next generation of decentralized applications.
Features and Improvements#
Blocklet Launch Workflow#
- New Launcher and Payment-kit Support: We've enhanced the blocklet deployment experience by integrating a new launcher and payment-kit. This update simplifies the process, making it more efficient for developers to launch their blocklets. ArcBlock Launcher is also upgraded with this release:
- Layout Fix on Launch Page: Addressed an issue where the layout on the blocklet component launch page was broken, ensuring a smooth and visually appealing setup process for users.
User Login Experience#
- Session Management for Users: Now, users can directly logout expired or active sessions from their profile page, enhancing the security of their accounts, more on this in a future post.
- Session Management for Admins: Administrators have been granted the ability to manage user sessions directly from the blocklet dashboard, offering greater control and oversight.
- Simplified Auto-Login: After recovering a passport, users will now be automatically logged in, streamlining the process and improving ease of use.
App Management Experience#
- Workflow Enhancement for Blocklet Publish: The process for creating and releasing resource and pack blocklets has been polished, resulting in a smoother and more intuitive experience for developers managing their applications.
- QR Code and DID Prefix Display: For improved identification and usability, all DIDs now show a QR code and the
did:abt:prefix, making it easier for users to access and interact with decentralized identities.
- Validation for Blocklet Titles and Descriptions: When adding a blocklet, the system now validates titles and descriptions to ensure that all entries meet our quality standards, fostering a more reliable and professional ecosystem.
- Alignment and Icon Polish in Component List: Fixed an issue where components and URL mappings were not aligned in the component list and enhanced the icon for the cancel button, improving the user interface and experience when managing blocklets.
DID Spaces Integration#
- Authorization for Import with DID Spaces Requirement: We've implemented a feature that supports authorization for importing resources when DID Spaces integration is required. This ensures secure and compliant access to decentralized identity spaces.
- Read/Write Authorization to DID Spaces on User Login: Now, when users log in, there is enhanced support for authorizing read/write access to their DID Spaces. This improvement significantly bolsters the security and functionality of interacting with DID Spaces.
- More details on the above features:
Developer Experience#
Blocklet CLI#
- Implemented persistence for
BLOCKLET_PORTandBLOCKLET_VITE_PORTin.env.development.localto prevent unwanted port changes, streamlining the development process. - If you are using vite-plugin-blocklet in your blocklet, please remember to upgrade it to latest.
Blocklet Service#
- Automatic Resizing and PNG Format for App Logos: Introduced a feature to always resize app logos to valid dimensions and use PNG as the default format. This ensures consistency and quality across all app logos displayed within the platform.
- Direct Response Configuration with URL Mapping: We've added the ability to configure direct responses through URL mapping, allowing for more flexible and efficient routing and response strategies. Checkout tutorial
- Image Filter Support for Default SVG Logo Files: The platform now allows for image filtering on default SVG logo files, such as converting them to PNG, providing more versatility in logo presentation.
- Enforcement of PNG Format for Email Logos: To ensure uniformity and compatibility across various email clients, the platform now enforces the use of PNG format for logos used in emails, addressing previous format inconsistencies.
Security and Reliability#
- Support for Amazon Linux 2023: We've added compatibility to ensure Blocklet Server runs smoothly on Amazon Linux 2023, broadening our support for diverse deployment environments.
- Router Fixes: Addressed and corrected issues where the preference page and studio would return a 404 error with the default routing engine, enhancing the reliability of navigation within the platform.
- Dependency Management: Improved the system to respect the dependency hierarchy when installing and starting components, ensuring a smoother operation and integration of various blocklet components.
- Database Initialization Lock: Implemented a lock mechanism during blocklet database initialization to prevent race conditions, significantly improving the stability and reliability of database operations.
- Websocket Log Pooling: Fixed broken websocket log pooling on the blocklet dashboard, ensuring real-time and consistent log updates for developers.
- External Dependencies: Made sure external dependencies are installed at every start, eliminating issues related to missing or outdated dependencies for a more reliable development experience.
- Optional Components Parsing: Optimized the system to only parse optional components when required, enhancing performance and efficiency.
- Error Management in Optional Component Installation: Ensured no errors were thrown during the installation and removal of optional components, providing a smoother user experience.
- Visibility of Optional Components: Addressed the issue where optional components were missing from the blocklet dashboard, ensuring all components were properly displayed and manageable.
- Navigation Item Duplication: Fixed the duplication of navigation items on the blocklet dashboard, streamlining user navigation and improving UI consistency.
- App Logo Fallback: Implemented a fallback to the default app logo when the custom app logo fails to load, maintaining a professional appearance and user experience.
Breaking Changes#
- Deprecated the use of string arrays for
components.source.storeas part of our ongoing efforts to streamline and improve the blocklet schema. - Removed the blocklet reload action due to its redundancy, focusing on actions that deliver meaningful impact.
As part of our commitment to quality, each official release of Blocklet Server undergoes a week of rigorous testing in our production environment, ensuring the highest standards of reliability and performance.
Developers can take advantage of the latest features and improvements by upgrading their Blocklet Server or utilizing our official Launcher. Blocklet Server remains at the forefront of decentralized application platforms, offering developers the tools and infrastructure needed to innovate and excel in the space.
Join the Bug Bounty Program#
We will continue to improve the user experience of Blocklet Server. If you have any needs, suggestions, or problems during use, please visit ArcBlock Community for feedback. We will do our best to help.