June 2020 Summaries

Fly is a content delivery network for Docker containers that uses Firecracker VMs and a global WireGuard mesh. To generate certificates, it utilizes LetsEncrypt's ACME protocol which involves domain-validated certificates based on proof of ownership. The ACME challenges include tls-http-01, tls-dns-01, and tls-sni-01, with the latter being deprecated due to security concerns related to subdomain takeover. Fly mitigates this issue by not reusing IP addresses for applications. The new ACME challenge is tls-alpn-01, which uses ALPN (Application Layer Protocol Negotiation) and is more explicit than the SNI challenge.

Dj Walker-Morgan has introduced a new version of Flyctl with the addition of the --json or -j flag, which presents all output from flyctl as JSON data. This feature aims to allow users to create their own automation solutions for their workflow with Fly. The --json flag can be used in conjunction with other commands like list apps and info to generate structured JSON data that can be processed, filtered, and reorganized using tools like jq. Additionally, the flyctl deploy command can now produce a stream of JSON "Source/Status/Message" objects reflecting the progress of deployment. However, it is recommended to use --detach with flyctl deploy and poll flyctl status or run flyctl monitor for tracking deployments on an application.

The Fly Changelog has announced significant updates to the Fly platform, tooling and web sites. These include new commands such as restart, list and monitor; an improved Deno buildpack; and a new way to install flyctl on macOS, Linux, and Windows 10. Additionally, there are enhancements to existing commands like open and changes in the installation location of flyctl. The changelog also mentions updates to the Deno Buildpack, which now takes all configuration variables from a .config file. These updates aim to improve user experience and functionality on the Fly platform.