arkA is an open, community-driven protocol for publishing, discovering, and viewing video content without centralized control, censorship, or platform lock-in.
arkA is not a platform.
arkA is not a startup.
arkA is an open protocol that anyone can build on.
The goals of arkA:
- Free expression without corporate gatekeeping
- Creator ownership of content, identity, audience, and revenue
- Open clients (web, mobile, accessible/special-needs-friendly)
- Decentralized storage support (IPFS, Arweave, S3, R2, local, etc.)
- A universal, open metadata and indexing schema
- Optional safety layers, including arkA Kids (guided & neurodiverse-friendly)
- Exploratory hardware for safe, controlled digital environments for children
- A protocol no single entity can capture
arkA begins as documentation and evolves through contributors.
arkA is currently defining the foundations:
- The Manifesto
- The MVP
- The Video JSON schema
- The Index format
- Architecture drafts
- First reference clients
- Tooling, validators, and test vectors
The project is open to contributors at all skill levels.
- Manifesto —
docs/manifesto.md - Roadmap —
docs/roadmap.md - MVP —
docs/mvp.md - Architecture Overview — (coming soon)
- Protocol Specification —
protocol/README.md
arkA/
├── docs/ # Vision, roadmap, planning, long-form documentation
├── protocol/ # Schemas, examples, and open formats
│ ├── schema/ # Core JSON schema definitions
│ ├── examples/ # Example metadata files
│ └── extensions/ # HLS, DASH, CMAF, and future extensions
├── frontend/ # Reference clients
│ ├── arka-play/ # General-purpose web client (MVP)
│ └── arka-kids/ # Child-friendly & neurodiverse-friendly client
├── backend/ # Optional future backend services (not required)
├── community/ # Community docs, outreach, and contributor guides
├── governance/ # Decision-making, proposals, contribution standards
└── hardware/ # Exploratory device concepts
- Read the Manifesto (
docs/manifesto.md) - Explore open Discussions:
https://github.com/baconpantsuppercut/arkA/discussions - Check Issues:
https://github.com/baconpantsuppercut/arkA/issues - Propose ideas, refine schemas, write docs, or build example clients
- Join architecture discussions and help shape the protocol
Technical and non-technical contributions are welcome:
- Developers
- Designers
- Writers
- Educators
- Parents
- Researchers
Everyone can help shape the early stages.
arkA uses a minimal TypeScript setup at this stage.
npm installnpm run build
See LICENSE.
arkA is fully open-source and may be forked, remixed, or extended under the license terms.
arkA exists to restore digital sovereignty to creators and to build a healthier future for video — from open creators to children on both sides of the neurological spectrum.