0017 CIP-509 as Primary Registration, CIP-36 Legacy Only

Author:: Assistant
Created:: 2025-10-29
Status:: Accepted
Tags:: cardano cip-36 cip-509 rbac

Context¶

Catalyst is transitioning from legacy voter registrations tracked under CIP-36 to a new approach under CIP-509. Gateway and clients must align on registration data sources for permissions and voting power.

Assumptions¶

New events will rely on CIP-509 registration flows.
Historical compatibility is required for prior events and data.

Decision¶

Use CIP-509 as the primary specification for new voter registrations and RBAC registration chains. Maintain legacy support for CIP-36 endpoints and data for historical compatibility only.

Rationale¶

CIP-509 aligns registrations and RBAC with Catalyst governance and simplifies server side authorization checks. Legacy CIP-36 remains available to avoid breaking older data or tools.

Implementation Guidelines¶

Clearly mark CIP-36 endpoints as legacy in API docs and client code.
Prefer CIP-509 data paths in new features and documentation.
Ensure snapshots and caches reflect the distinction in metrics and headers.

Risks¶

Dual support can confuse developers and users if not documented. Migrations may require data reconciliation for legacy records.

Consequences¶

Consistent path forward for new registrations while preserving backwards compatibility. Clear deprecation messaging enables gradual adoption.

More Information¶

CIP-509 (internal documentation)
CIP-36