Roadmap to a 402-native web

Each milestone sharpens the developer experience, the protocol conventions, and the Lightning integration story.

v0 · UX patterns & headers catalog

  • Document canonical request/response headers
  • Compile paywall UI flows for browsers & APIs
  • Ship accessibility checklist for payment prompts

Success: Developers can copy/paste 402 flows with confidence.

v1 · Client SDKs (JS) for request + pay + retry

  • Open-source JS client that detects 402 and triggers WebLN
  • Adapters for fetch, axios, and service workers
  • Wallet-agnostic UX fallbacks

Success: Drop-in client handles 402 end-to-end for major frameworks.

v2 · Reference gateways & paywall servers

  • Self-hosted Lightning gateway with simple config
  • Examples for media, API, and AI workloads
  • Performance benchmarks for micro-payment throughput

Success: Operators can run a 402 gateway with one command.

v3 · Interop test suite & draft spec

  • Compliance suite covering headers, retries, and proofs
  • Draft I-D for the IETF HTTP working group
  • Public testnet with simulated merchants & clients

Success: Draft spec enters community review with multi-vendor support.