@farcaster

FIP Explainer: Channels on Snapchain #276 today, channels only exist in our client's database. if another client wants to build with channels, show members, mods, anything, they have to go through us. why does it matter? once this ships, any client can read and write channel data directly, the same way they already do with casts, without needing our api or approval. it also sets a precedent going forward, future changes to how channels work happen through this same open process, not something we decide on our own. who does this affect? mostly builders, they're the ones who gain something new. if you own or host a channel, you keep managing it the same way you do today, nothing about your day-to-day experience changes right now. what about channels that already exist? nothing breaks and nothing needs to be recreated. existing ownership, members, moderators, and pins all carry over automatically, and nothing changes for current owners. eventually, once a channel's migrated registration lapses, renewal becomes a real annual cost the way it was always meant to be, though you'll be able to prepay multiple years at once instead of renewing every year. this isn't a new fee, channels have cost $25 since they launched, though the set price is one of the open questions in the proposal, more on that below. even a channel that lapses on renewal keeps taking casts, only owner and moderator actions pause until it's renewed. some specifics: 1. ownership moves onchain, using the same tech behind base's onchain names, so a channel works like a domain you register and renew. 2. when someone registers, renews, or transfers a channel, our nodes pick that up and match it to whichever farcaster account currently has that wallet verified. 3. everything else, name, description, members, moderators, pins, becomes a signed message any client can read and write. 4. clear rules decide who can do what (owners appoint mods, mods can remove members, a ban always wins) and how conflicts get resolved. 5. ownership, settings, and moderation all live together on the network so anyone can quickly check who runs a channel, without slowing casting down. 6. existing channels get imported automatically, no recreation needed. open questions: -which chain does this live on? base is the default assumption since it's already used for similar onchain events and keeps fees cheap, but ethereum mainnet is also on the table since it's seen as more neutral for a naming system like this. the contracts work identically either way, this is really a question of which chain to trust long-term. -how much will it cost, and how often? $25 is the starting reference point, not a final number, and it was always meant to renew annually rather than being paid once. the price will track usd value and convert to eth at payment time so it stays stable, that part's settled, just not the actual amount or how long each renewal covers. -what happens the moment a channel lapses? nothing dramatic. there's a 90-day grace period first, same as ens uses. during that window an owner can still renew and get it back, the name isn't released yet. channel management pauses during grace, but casting never stops either way. github.com/farcasterxyz/protocol/discussions/276

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