In this post, we dive into the technical details behind A.R.T. and explore how the Royal Developer Toolkit has enabled us to build a seamless, secure, and user-friendly digital provenance solution. We built A.R.T. on top of our toolkit so we could make sure it’s actually useful and we’re really happy to share the results. While A.R.T.’s launch has already been announced, here we focus on the nuts and bolts detailing the IDV flow, claim registration process, NFT integrations, file storage, and more to show you exactly how it all comes together.

1. Seamless Web3 Onboarding with the IDV Flow

One of the biggest hurdles for new users is navigating the complexities of Web3. With Royal’s Identity Verification (IDV) flow, you don’t need to install any additional Web3 libraries or handle intricate wallet setups. Instead, Royal takes care of it all in an OAuth-like redirect flow:

• User-Friendly Wallet Setup:

  When users are redirected to Royal’s IDV endpoint, Royal handles all the web3 related requirements in a streamlined and user-friendly way automatically. This means even users new to Web3 can get started without a steep learning curve.

• Automatic Delegation:

  Royal ensures that users delegate to your registrar as part of the flow. By the time they return to your application, all the heavy lifting such as wallet setup, account creation, and delegation is already done.

• Easy Integration:

  Once the process is complete, users are redirected back with a signed token (JWT) that includes their account ID. This token is all you need to identify your users Royal ID which you can then use in the Registration API, allowing you to register claims effortlessly.

Here’s a quick example of the IDV flow in action:

const idvUrl = new URL(`https://royal.io/idv/yourAppRegistrarUsername`);
idvUrl.searchParams.set("redirect_uri", "<https://your-app.com/callback>");
idvUrl.searchParams.set("state", sessionId);
idvUrl.searchParams.set("response_type", "token");

// Redirect the user; no Web3 library required!
window.location.href = idvUrl.toString();

When the user returns, simply extract the account ID from the token and use it to register their claim via the Registration API. There’s documentation on where to get the keys and verify the token is legitimate.

2. Registering Digital Claims with Confidence

With the user’s account verified, A.R.T. leverages the Registration API to create immutable claims on the Royal Protocol. The API is designed to be both simple and powerful, accepting basic content metadata while allowing for detailed enrichments for provenance specific information when needed.

Quick Example of a Registration Call

curl -X POST <https://api.royal.io/v0/provenance/register> \\
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ryl_sk_YOUR_SECRET_KEY" \\
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \\
  -d '{
    "originator_id": "123",
    "file_url": "<https://example.com/content.jpg>",
    "name": "Digital Artwork #1",
    "description": "An original digital artwork created with...",
    "external_url": "<https://gallery.example.com/artwork/1>",
    "image": "<https://example.com/preview.jpg>",
    "metadata": {
      "artist": "Jane Smith",
      "medium": "Digital",
      "year": 2024
    },
    "provenance_attributes": [
      {
        "type": "ai",
        "data": {
          "service": {
            "account_id": "456",
            "name": "Midjourney",
            "url": "<https://midjourney.com>"
          },
          "metadata": {
            "prompt": "A serene landscape..."
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  }'

By combining the verified account ID from the IDV flow with this API, A.R.T. ensures that every claim is tied to a trusted digital identity, creating an unassailable provenance record.

3. Empowering Creators with NFT Solutions

A unique aspect of the Royal ecosystem is its integration of NFT contracts, which reinforces authenticity and traceability and adds dimensions through collectability and trading. Even when you collect the NFT’s that are attached to claims, the original claim remains intact but the NFT is forever tied to it. It is an artistic and visible representation of the claim that you can trade.

Account NFTs vs. A.R.T.’s Dedicated NFT Contract

• Personal Account NFT Contracts:

  Royal automatically sets up an NFT contract for every account, meaning each user or registrar has a personal NFT contract for managing their own NFT collection, including A.R.T.

• A.R.T.’s Dedicated NFT Contract:

  Importantly, A.R.T. does not use your personal account NFT contracts. Instead, ART mints all NFTs through its own dedicated NFT contract. This means every digital claim registered via ART is part of a unified **A.R.T. collection.** This provides a consistent, easily verifiable provenance record across all registrations.

• Decentralized Ownership:

  While personal account NFT contracts remain fully controlled by their respective owners (and can be deployed via Royal’s public factory), A.R.T.’s approach ensures that all its registrations are aggregated under one managed collection without needing permission to mint from your personal contracts.

This clear separation reinforces the authenticity of claims while offering a streamlined experience for those interacting with A.R.T.

4. Reliable File Storage for Retroactive Verification

As we were building A.R.T, we recognized the critical need to store public files alongside their registrations. By ensuring that the original file is available, anyone can retroactively verify that the content matches the claim.

• Content-Addressable Storage:

  Files are stored using their content hash as an identifier. This means that every file is accessible at a predictable URL. For example:

  Code Snippet

   https://useruploads.com/<CONTENT_HASH>
  

  Copy
  With just the content hash, anyone can locate the original file, providing a robust method for retroactive verification.

• Consistent Interface:

  While the underlying storage internals may evolve over time, we’re committed to maintaining a stable and user-friendly interface. Your applications can reliably retrieve original files using the known URL format, ensuring that every digital claim remains verifiable.

By integrating this file storage system into A.R.T., we not only secure your digital claims but also empower anyone to independently verify that the registered content is indeed the original creation. We’ve also made it available to all applications built on-top of Royals toolkit.

5. Custom Registrars: Tailor-Made Confidence for Every Use Case

A.R.T. provides an open-access registration solution, but the beauty of the Royal Developer Toolkit is its flexibility. Developers can build their own registrars tailored to their specific needs:

• Flexible Trust Models:

  Whether you want a registrar that integrates additional checks, certifications, or even one similar to our specialized tool Sonic for music, you have the freedom to create a workflow that matches your trust requirements.

• Empowering Developers:

  With our toolkit, you can craft a registrar that provides the exact level of confidence required for your content. A.R.T. is just one example. The framework allows for many custom implementations to meet different industry standards or creative workflows.

Built-in registrars aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution; they’re a foundation that you can adapt to ensure every digital claim carries the proper level of verification and trust.

6. Looking Ahead: Expanding the Royal Developer Toolkit

The Royal Developer Toolkit is built on the foundation of the Royal Protocol, and this is only the beginning. As we move forward:

• Expanded Capabilities:

  We’re actively working to integrate more of the protocol’s features into the toolkit, giving you even greater power and flexibility to build innovative applications.

• OnChain SDK in the Works:

  In addition to the current toolkit, we’re developing an SDK that will enable you to interact directly with the onchain protocol. This SDK will simplify accessing and leveraging onchain data, further empowering developers to create cutting-edge provenance solutions.

Our vision is to continuously evolve the toolkit so that it not only meets today’s needs but also anticipates tomorrow’s challenges in digital provenance and ownership.

7. Bringing It All Together

By leveraging the Royal Developer Toolkit, A.R.T. was built with simplicity, security, and trust in mind:

• No Additional Web3 Libraries Required:

  The IDV flow manages all wallet and identity complexities, allowing you to focus on integrating the account ID into your registration process.

• Streamlined Claim Registration:

  The Registration API, combined with rich metadata support, ensures every digital claim is easy to register and robust in its provenance.

• Dedicated NFT Collection:

  All NFTs minted via A.R.T. are part of a dedicated A.R.T. NFT contract, ensuring that every registration is part of a consistent, unified collection.

• Reliable File Storage:

  With our content-addressable file storage system, every registration comes with a retrievable original file, making retroactive verification straightforward and reliable.

• Customizable Registrar Framework:

  The toolkit empowers developers to create registrars that match the specific confidence and verification needs of their content, opening the door for a wide range of applications.

• Future-Ready Developer Tools:

  With plans to expand capabilities and introduce an onchain SDK, the Royal Developer Toolkit is set to become an even more powerful resource for developers and creators alike.

8. Get Involved and Build the Future

The Royal Developer Toolkit has enabled A.R.T. to deliver a secure, efficient, and user-friendly digital provenance solution. Now, we invite you to explore the toolkit, experiment with building your own registrars, and join a community dedicated to redefining digital ownership.

Ready to get started?

• Get Early Access

• Explore the Royal Protocol Docs

• Dive into the Developer Docs

Join us in building a future where every digital creation is effortlessly protected and authenticated, empowering creators and developers alike with the tools they need to innovate.

Be first. Be bold. Build with Royal.