- Author
- Daniel Holmgren
- Published
- 27 August 2026
- Kind
- Protocol design essay on a personal blog
- Original
- dholms.leaflet.pub/3mu3p3ldwrc26
- Subject
- Future of computing
What it is
Daniel Holmgren wrote this after the alpha launch of atproto Spaces. It restates why the design groups records into spaces rather than attaching audiences to records. It follows the author's earlier series of design diary posts.
What it says
- Holmgren says spaces extend atproto to non-public data and to large social contexts.
- Holmgren says each record lives in exactly one space, and each space has one owner.
- Holmgren calls spaces mini atprotos, so answers on moderation and migration carry over.
- Holmgren contrasts spaces with circles, where content is the object and audience an attribute.
- Holmgren offers a Circles Postulate. Sharing with two circles is safe only if one entity made both for one modality.
- Holmgren admits spaces suit differing-audience records poorly, yet thinks they still work.
- Holmgren says the protocol has launched in alpha and asks readers for feedback.
What evidence it gives
The post offers design argument and a thought experiment about a shared circle. It mentions an example app built on spaces. It gives no measurements or user data.
Interests and limits
The author works on the design, so the post argues for the chosen approach. The protocol is in alpha. The recipe-sharing case is said to need its own post, and is not worked through.