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Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

unifiedpush.org

1–10 of 54 posts

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#2
I was surprised how easy it was to integrate. I'm on GrapheneOS/FDroid. I installed the ntfy app and connected it to my ntfy server. I wanted to set it up for Tusky (Mastodon app). I was confused about the lack of instructions. What do I set on Tusky? What do I set on all my Mastodon servers? It turned out there were no instructions. I was already configured for Tusky. Tusky found the ntfy app, got my ntfy server's URL from it, and passed it on to the Mastodon servers.

Now, I actually think this is a little too easy. What if I want to keep my ntfy server private for certain at-home uses? But still, very impressive. Element does it right, it at least asks you when you open the app (or it's in a setting or something). But I think UnifiedPush or ntfy instructions should make these steps more clear (or I failed to find it), even if just to say "it's actually that easy" to save our time looking.

BTW I'm working on porting ntfy to Sandstorm. Already works, I just have a handful of loose ends.

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#3
Quick note that this is for Android and gets rid of the centralized gateway talking to the centralized Google service. Leaving only the centralized Google service. There's no decentralized way to get a push notification onto a Google/Android phone. Except perhaps if you hack something up using EAS.

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#5
post #3

Quick note that this is for Android and gets rid of the centralized gateway talking to the centralized Google service. Leaving only the centralized Google service. There's no decentralized way to get a push notification onto a Google/Android phone. Except perhaps if you hack something up using EAS.

Is this true even with some deep integration of UnifiedPush with something like microG?

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#6
post #3

Quick note that this is for Android and gets rid of the centralized gateway talking to the centralized Google service. Leaving only the centralized Google service. There's no decentralized way to get a push notification onto a Google/Android phone. Except perhaps if you hack something up using EAS.

> There's no decentralized way to get a push notification onto a Google/Android phone

What is a "push notification" exactly?

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#7
If I understand the notifications flow correctly: a device (typically mobile phone) will get a "registration" with a "push url" from its platform/provider (eg android/google or iphone/apple), which it hands to an application server (eg IMAP server), which then uses that to send notifications to the push url, "authenticating" with vapid. And due to vapid, no special account/preregistration is required for the application server to talk to the provider, hence decentralized (good!). The platform/provider behind the push url makes the notification appear at the device. It is quite a complicated way to get a message from server to device...

The post says it is about Android. But I'm online searches turns up documents about VAPID at apple/ios. Will it work there too? What about other platforms (eg non-google android-likes)?

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#8
post #3

Quick note that this is for Android and gets rid of the centralized gateway talking to the centralized Google service. Leaving only the centralized Google service. There's no decentralized way to get a push notification onto a Google/Android phone. Except perhaps if you hack something up using EAS.

> There's no decentralized way to get a push notification onto a Google/Android phone What is a "push notification" exactly?

A notification delivered “by” a phone application when that application is not necessarily running.

They’re “notifications” in common speech but there’s also stuff like “now playing” and live activities and rich content that are also “notifications” but do require the app to run.

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#9
Push notifications are a powerful concept, but I feel like their potential has been stifled by Google's and Apple's near-total control over them on their respective OSes.

And while I'm not fun of heavy-handed government intervention, I hope the EU compels both companies to adopt a more open approach; provided that security remains uncompromised.

Re: Push Notifications for Decentralized Services

#10

I was surprised how easy it was to integrate. I'm on GrapheneOS/FDroid. I installed the ntfy app and connected it to my ntfy server. I wanted to set it up for Tusky (Mastodon app). I was confused about the lack of instructions. What do I set on Tusky? What do I set on all my Mastodon servers? It turned out there were no instructions. I was already configured for Tusky. Tusky found the ntfy app, got my ntfy server's U…

> BTW I'm working on porting ntfy to Sandstorm.

Oh this would be really handy, I'd love to run it on my Sandstorm server!

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