Version 1.0 is out · Version 1.1 is open
Help shape Version 1.1
The Layered Web: The Desirable Properties of a Meta-Layer is a living book. Version 1.0 sets out 24 properties a trustworthy layer above the web must have, decided in the open across 1,635 proposals. Version 1.1 starts now, and it is written the same way: by the people who read it.
Way in 1
Contribute
Select a passage in any chapter and propose better wording, a missing case or a sharper requirement.
Way in 2
Co-edit a DP
Each DP has three co-editor seats. Co-editors read every proposal for their chapter and decide what goes in.
Way in 3
Steer Version 1.1
The steering committee keeps the 24 chapters consistent and signs off each document. Volunteer for 1.1.
- Desirable Properties
- 24
- Desirable Properties
- documents, with the front matter
- 28
- documents, with the front matter
- proposals decided in the open
- 1,635
- proposals decided in the open
- community contributors in the open review
- 57
- community contributors in the open review
Where help goes furthest
Priorities
Priorities for Version 1.1
Version 1.1 is an open revision. These are the places where help goes furthest. None of them is closed: if you see something more important, propose it.
Pick up what 1.0 held back
The MTPs were held out of Version 1.0 for 1.1, and chapter glossaries and steering-decided purpose statements are planned for this revision. Draft, challenge or improve them.
Work through the open questions
Every chapter ends with “Open Questions and Future Work”. Proposals that answer a question, sharpen it, or show where two chapters disagree are especially welcome.
Read the book →Revisit what was deferred or considered
Some proposals were marked Considered, and items still open when a steering stage closed were deferred to 1.1 with their votes kept. Filter the explorer below by status to find them.
Make each property testable
Requirements use MUST, SHOULD and MAY deliberately, and a requirement that cannot be checked becomes guidance. Proposals that make a chapter’s minimums checkable help the requirements work that follows.
How the book is made →Keep the 24 chapters consistent
Terms, cross-references and claims should agree across neighbouring DPs. Reading two related chapters side by side is one of the most useful reviews anyone can do.
Fill the co-editor seats
A chapter moves only as fast as its co-editors. Check which DPs below have an open seat, and claim one or nominate someone who should hold it.
Looking to Version 2
The Desirable Properties are the first step of a circuit that turns shared values into running software, and running software back into better values.
Step 2
Requirements (ML-REQs)
Each property becomes testable requirements. Version 1.0 is the input; the project timeline has this work starting in December 2026.
Requirements at theoverweb.org →Step 3
Architecture decisions (ML-ADRs)
Requirements become recorded design decisions, tied to code and tests. Most chapters already name what they need in a “Path Toward ML-RFC” section.
Architecture decisions at theoverweb.org →Step 4
The Overweb
Built and piloted against those decisions. What the builds teach flows back into the properties.
Step 5
Version 2 of the book
The project timeline sketches a Version 2 that folds in the requirements, the architecture decisions and what implementation teaches. Its scope is open: tell us what it should hold.
Before then, Version 1.2 is planned to add reviewed images.
Explore
Find your DP
Search the 24 DPs and every proposal made on Version 1.0. Open a DP to see its open co-editor seats, propose a change, or review what has been proposed.
DPs
Proposals
355 proposals were made in the open review before the November 9 freeze (237 of them from 57 community contributors), and the steering committee made 1,280 editorial repairs after it. Each row opens its document’s steering page.