1.4 KiB
MSC2284: Making the identity server optional during discovery
Currently the specification requires that clients FAIL_ERROR (hard failure - do not continue)
when the .well-known file for m.identity_server points to somewhere invalid or is invalid
itself. This can cause problems for clients if they either don't need an identity server to
function (and are forced to validate it anyways) or the client ends up having to disable all
their login UX because the identity server is misconfigured/down.
This proposal aims to change that by allowing clients to make a conscious decision to continue with the invalid identity server configuration, provided the homeserver configuration is valid.
Proposal
Instead of FAIL_ERROR for an invalid m.identity_server schema/server, clients are to move
to the FAIL_PROMPT (inform the user, ask for input if applicable) state. Clients can decide
to show a warning that the identity server is unavailable and allow the user to continue with
the invalid (or client's default) configuration.
Tradeoffs
Clients can end up being configured with an invalid or inoperable identity server. This is considered a feature by this proposal to allow for less intelligent clients to have their identity server disabled. Intelligent clients could interpret the lack of identity server as the homeserver/user asking that identity server functionality be disabled in the client.