lightning-space.com is a proof of concept for an integration of bitcoin lightning payments into a web application to provide fully automated webhostings. If you have any questions that are unanswered please contact me right away.
The reasons for needing webspace are obvious. An automated plattform to create webspace aswell, but combining this with instant micropayments utilizing the bitcoin blockchain leads to a completely autnomous system that provides what both end-user and the provider want. The end user could rapidly spawn a webhosting within a minute of time and have quick access to SSH/FTP/HTTP/Mail/etc. The user can use micropayments for testing purposes and create short-term accounts while still being able to extend it to the needed time span afterwards. There is no need for a subscription based model if there is no need for human interaction on the provider side.
bitcoin lightning micropayments are completed after the transaction is published so there is no possibility of fraud. What sounds like an advantage for the provider is in fact an advantage for both sides because it on the one hand reduces the amount of support for the provider reducing costs dramatically. On the other hand it reduces the amount of user data necessary. There is no need for addresses or telephone numbers, names and locations. If a provider doesn't need to contact the end user why should the provider need an address at all.
Since bitcoin lightning transaction are fully set after it's published, there is no need for detailed user data, so lightning-space.com does not collect them. Nearly all of the well established online payment providers deliver detailed information of the end user to the provider. The end user has no control over deciding which of his information is shared with the provider, which is a serious issue considering data security. If there is no data involved it cannot be breached.
lightning-space combines a few components: A bitcoin full node (bitcoin core) in cooperation with a lightning node (c-lightning) for payments and a hosting panel (ISPConfig) to create new webhostings via it's API. lightning-space itself is an MVC-based Plugin for Typo3, an enterprise CMS. When a user creates a webspace on lightning-space the user chooses an amount of webspace and its duration. A unique username aswell as an email address and a password could be provided for a more comfortable user experience (e.g. expiration notifications). After submitting and validating the given data a lightning invoice will be created and presented to the user who could then use a lightning wallet to pay the invoice.
After the invoice was paid, the system will be notified and the creation of the webspace is triggered. This takes up to a minute until all necessary accesses are created (Webspace/FTP/SSH/DB/Mail) The login credentials are displayed to the user. The given user password or the generated one is the password to all services (DB/FTP/SSH/Mail).
After the successful payment the user is automatically logged into the control-center. Here the user is able to change the settings for the services of lightning-space.
lightning-space comes with a basic lightning tipjar application that is deployed to each hosting (index.php).
Logging into the control center also provides you with the possibility to extend your webspace. At this time, only extending the duration of the webspace is possible.
lightning-space is more a proof of work for bitcoin lightning pamyents then a real webhosting provider. In current times "webspace" is dramatically changing its form with cloud storage and continuus deployment / integration.
Micropayments on the other hand are a more or less new phenomenom with increasing need. Microservices like IoT with integrated ondemand micropayments is the next revolution on the Internet. lightning-space will continue to grow based on the interest of its users.
Extending space (rather than only time) is one thing that I will most likely implement next. Providing options to add more domains and email addresses is also planned for the near future.