At the ATmosphere conference in Seattle, Bluesky CTO Paul Frazee revealed a slew of upcoming features and improvements to the ATProto protocol, which powers Bluesky's social network and a growing number of other applications. The updates aim to make it easier for developers to build new apps on the protocol, expand the ecosystem, and provide a more seamless user experience.

One of the most significant additions is support for the OAuth authentication standard, which is currently being tested by some developers. OAuth will enable users to create accounts and sign in to applications more easily and securely, eliminating the need for app-specific passwords. This feature will also provide tools for session management and visibility into core account data, making it a game-changer for developers and users alike.

For users, the OAuth integration will allow them to sign in with Bluesky, similar to how they sign in with their Google or Apple accounts. However, there is ongoing debate about the branding and user interface, as Bluesky will be just one of many applications in the ATProto ecosystem. The goal is to create a seamless experience that reflects the open social account's ability to work across multiple apps.

Another key development is the ability to publish lexicons, or schemas, that define the structure of data records directly on AT Protocol. This feature will enable developers to create new types of applications by expanding the ecosystem with lexicons for various data types, such as recipes or events. When an application encounters an unknown record, it can resolve the lexicon definition through a DNS-like lookup process, ensuring a smoother user experience.

Later this year, the Bluesky team will focus on ideas around privately shared data, which will enable features like bookmarks and end-to-end encryption, similar to Signal or WhatsApp. The development of MLS, a security layer championed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), is expected to accelerate progress on this front.

Other improvements in the works include optimizing relays, which will make it cheaper and more scalable to run a relay, and enhancing the user experience around account migrations. Currently, users can only migrate away from Bluesky's servers, but the upcoming update will allow them to migrate to Bluesky's servers as well.

The ATProto ecosystem is poised for significant growth and expansion with these upcoming features. As the protocol continues to evolve, it's likely to attract more developers and users, ultimately creating a more robust and diverse ecosystem.

With its focus on ease of use, security, and scalability, ATProto is well-positioned to become a leading protocol for social media and beyond. As the Bluesky team continues to push the boundaries of what's possible, the future of the ATProto ecosystem looks bright indeed.