ARK2

This page details the progress on development of ARK 2.0

Aims

The primary aims of ARK2 are:

• Full code re-write to modern standards using modern components
• Separate the ARK Database backend from the ARK Web frontend
• Implement a modern RESTful API to allow other frontends and apps to access and update the ARK Database
• Simplify the setup and configuration of ARK by moving the config into the database and providing online config tools
• Improve the overall performance and data integrity of ARK
• Make it possible to provide an ARK hosting service

Modern frontend

• HTML5
• Bootstrap 3 based
• Twig templates
• Front Controller / Single Page model
• Config driven pages views

Modern backend

• Modern RESTful API to access and update all ARK data
• Database abstraction
• Config driven model
• User Authentication via internal user/password and external OAuth2 providers (Facebook, Google, etc)
• User Authorisation via Role Based Access Control (RBAC) using hierarchical Roles and Permissions structure

Documentation

Details of ARK2 can be found in the following sections:

• Design - High Level Design Decisions
• Architecture - System Architecture
• Development - Development tools and procedures
• Model - Data model / Schema
• API - REST API implementation
• Frontend - Web Frontend
• Database - Database details
• Localization - Internationalization, Localization, and Translation
• Security - Security, Authentication, Authorisation, User Management

Branding / Community

Two potential issues suggest an evolution of the ARK brand is required

• Building a development and support community may be easier if ARK is branded as a stand-alone project, rather than seen as owned/controlled by LP Archaeology
• Extending use of ARK and Hosted ARK to areas outside archaeology may be held back by emphasising the archaeology aspect in the branding

Branding as something like 'The ARK Project, sponsored by LP Archaeology', and coining a bacronym like 'ARK Recording Kit' might solve these issues.

The Hosted ARK would need a separate identity to the development project to keep the Open Source / Commercial split clear. A simple .com vs .org difference is probably not clear enough. Examples include:

• Salesforce.com vs Force.com
• Mediawiki vs Wikia
• Wordpress .com vs .org

Branding would thus consist of three parts:

• The project
• The products
• The service

The branding would need to be distinctive but consistent to make it clear they are part of a cohesive whole.

Words with Ark / Arc in them (but not arch) for possible project or theme names:

• Archive / ARKhive
• Arctic (very white/light theme?)
• Arcadia
• Arkose (type of sediment)
• Arkaeology (available in .com, .org, .net!)
• Arcade
• Archaic / Arcane / Arcanum / Arcana (more apt for ARK v1 ;-)
• Arcuate / Arcuated (Arc/bow shaped)
• Architrave
• Architect
• Archipeligo
• Archosaur
• Arktivity...