examples, doc and readme update

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 [package]
 name = "pow_sha256"
 version = "0.1.0"
-authors = ["Robert Kornacki <robk@syre.io>, Aravinth Manivannan <realaravinth@bastsense.net>"]
+authors = [ "Aravinth Manivannan <realaravinth@bastsense.net>", "Robert Kornacki <robk@syre.io>"]
 description = """
-SHA256 PoW on any serializable datatype.
+SHA256 PoW on any serializable datatype used in mCaptcha
 """
 edition = "2018"
-keywords = ["PoW", "sha256", "proof-of-work"]
-readme = "readme.md"
+keywords = ["mCaptcha", "PoW", "sha256", "proof-of-work"]
+readme = "README.md"
 license = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 repository = "https://github.com/mcaptcha/pow_sha256"
-categories = ["algorithms", "cryptography::cryptocurrencies"] 
+categories = ["captcha", "algorithms", "cryptography::cryptocurrencies"] 
 
 
 [dependencies]

README.md

@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
-
-
 <div align="center">
-  <h1>PoW_SHA256</h1>
+  <h1>PoW-SHA256</h1>
   <p>
-    <strong>PoW_SHA256 - SHA256 based Proof-of-Work</strong>
+    <strong>PoW-SHA256 - SHA256 based Proof-of-Work</strong>
   </p>
 
 [![Documentation](https://img.shields.io/badge/docs-master-blue)](https://mcaptcha.github.io/pow_sha256/pow_sha256/index.html)
@@ -14,48 +12,51 @@
 
 </div>
 
-> pow_sha256's copy of `pow_sha256` by 
-> [robkorn](https://github.com/robkorn/pow_sha256) 
+> pow_sha256's copy of `pow_sha256` by
+> [robkorn](https://github.com/robkorn/pow_sha256)
 > which is a modified version of [`pow` library](https://github.com/bddap/pow).
 > All copyrights belong to the original authors.
 
-Rust crate which generates SHA256 Proofs of Work on serializable datatypes. 
+Rust crate which generates SHA256 Proofs of Work on serializable datatypes.
 
 Whether for blockchain-related projects or Hashcash-like schemes, this
 crate can be used to prove work was done on a given serializable input.
 The input merely needs to implement `serde::Deserialize` to be used.
 
 This is a fork of the [`pow` library](https://github.com/bddap/pow) by
-bddap with some new additions. Primary of these being:
+[@robkorn](https://github.com/robkorn/pow_sha256)) with some new
+additions. Primary of these being:
 
-- PoW datatype now saves the calculation result to be used for checking
-  proof validity given input
-- `is_valid_proof` method to do the above mentioned
-- PoW datatype no longer saves `u128` values as these are unsupported by
-  popular serialization formats (CBOR, Msgpack, ...)
-- `is_sufficient_difficulty` method to check difficulty with new changes
+- PoW datatype now offers a constructor 
+- Salt is no longer hard coded into the library, users can provide
+  unique salts.
 
 Other small changes have also been included of various importance but
 mostly just stylistic/ease of use improvements.
 
-# Examples
+## Examples
 
-Prove work was done, specifically targeting a phrase.
+Prove work specifically targeting a phrase.
 
 ```rust
-use pow_sha256::PoW;
 
-// Very easy difficulty
-let difficulty = u128::max_value() - u128::max_value() / 2;
+use pow_sha256::{ConfigBuilder, PoW};
 
-let phrase = b"Phrase to be used.".to_vec();
-let pw = PoW::prove_work(&phrase, difficulty).unwrap();
+fn main() {
+    let config = ConfigBuilder::default()
+        .salt("myrandomsaltisnotlongenoug".into())
+        .build()
+        .unwrap();
 
-// Asserting that the result is of sufficient difficulty
-assert!(pw.is_sufficient_difficulty(difficulty));
+    let phrase = "ironmansucks";
 
-// Asserting that the PoW was generated from the provided phrase
-assert!(pw.is_valid_proof(&phrase))
+    const DIFFICULTY: u128 = u128::MAX / 32;
+
+    let work = config.prove_work(&phrase, DIFFICULTY).unwrap();
+    assert!(config.calculate(&work, &phrase).unwrap() >= DIFFICULTY);
+    assert!(config.is_valid_proof(&work, &phrase));
+    assert!(config.is_sufficient_difficulty(&work, DIFFICULTY));
+}
 ```
 
 Prove more difficult work. This time targeting a time.
@@ -63,31 +64,44 @@ Prove more difficult work. This time targeting a time.
 ```rust
 // Greater difficulty this time around. Takes around 100,000 hashes
 // to find a nonce of the correct difficulty.
-let difficulty = u128::max_value() - u128::max_value() / 100_000;
 
-let now: u64 = get_unix_time_seconds();
-let pw = PoW::prove_work(&now, difficulty).unwrap();
 
-assert!(pw.is_sufficient_difficulty(difficulty));
-assert!(pw.is_valid_proof(&phrase))
+use pow_sha256::{ConfigBuilder, PoW};
+
+fn main() {
+    let config = ConfigBuilder::default()
+        .salt("myrandomsaltisnotlongenoug".into())
+        .build()
+        .unwrap();
+
+    let phrase = "ironmansucks";
+
+    const DIFFICULTY: u128 = u128::max_value() - u128::max_value() / 100_000;
+
+    let work = config.prove_work(&phrase, DIFFICULTY).unwrap();
+
+    assert!(config.calculate(&work, &phrase).unwrap() >= DIFFICULTY);
+    assert!(config.is_valid_proof(&work, &phrase));
+    assert!(config.is_sufficient_difficulty(&work, DIFFICULTY));
+}
+
 ```
 
+## Hashing Scheme
 
-# Hashing Scheme
-
-A randomly generated constant, `SALT`, is used as prefix to prevent PoW
-reuse from other systems such as proof of work blockchains.
+`SALT` is used as prefix to prevent PoW reuse from other systems such as
+proof of work blockchains.
 
 SHA256 is calculated over the concatenation of the:
+
 - SALT
-- Serialized Input `T` 
+- Serialized Input `T`
 - Nonce
 
 The first 16 bytes of the resulting hash are interpreted as a 128 bit
 unsigned integer and saved as the final result.
 
-
-# Choosing a difficulty setting.
+## Choosing a difficulty setting.
 
 Depending on your use case, difficulty settings often are best set
 dynamically a la bitcoin.
@@ -104,14 +118,15 @@ fn get_difficulty(average: u128) -> u128 {
 }
 ```
 
-Conversely we can use the same equation to calculate the probable number of hashes required to satisfy a given difficulty:
+Conversely we can use the same equation to calculate the probable number
+of hashes required to satisfy a given difficulty:
 
 ```rust
 fn est_average(difficulty: u128) -> u128 {
     let m = u128::max_value();
     if difficulty == m {
         return m;
-    } 
+    }
     m / (m - difficulty)
 }
 ```

examples/simple.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/* The easiest way to use this crate is with the default configuration.
+ * See `Default` implementation for the default configuration.
+ */
+
+use pow_sha256::{ConfigBuilder, PoW};
+
+fn main() {
+    let config = ConfigBuilder::default()
+        .salt("myrandomsaltisnotlongenoug".into())
+        .build()
+        .unwrap();
+
+    let phrase = "ironmansucks";
+
+    const DIFFICULTY: u128 = u128::MAX / 32;
+
+    let work = config.prove_work(&phrase, DIFFICULTY).unwrap();
+    assert!(config.calculate(&work, &phrase).unwrap() >= DIFFICULTY);
+    assert!(config.is_valid_proof(&work, &phrase));
+    assert!(config.is_sufficient_difficulty(&work, DIFFICULTY));
+}

src/lib.rs

@@ -1,3 +1,26 @@
+//! MCaptch's SHA256 based Proof of Work library
+//!
+//! # Example:
+//! ```rust
+//!   use pow_sha256::{ConfigBuilder, PoW};
+//!
+//!   fn main() {
+//!       let config = ConfigBuilder::default()
+//!         .salt("myrandomsaltisnotlongenoug".into())
+//!         .build()
+//!         .unwrap();
+//!
+//!       let phrase = "ironmansucks";
+//!
+//!       const DIFFICULTY: u128 = u128::MAX / 32;
+//!
+//!       let work = config.prove_work(&phrase, DIFFICULTY).unwrap();
+//!       assert!(config.calculate(&work, &phrase).unwrap() >= DIFFICULTY);
+//!       assert!(config.is_valid_proof(&work, &phrase));
+//!       assert!(config.is_sufficient_difficulty(&work, DIFFICULTY));
+//!   }    
+//! ```
+
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
 
 use derive_builder::Builder;
@@ -13,7 +36,10 @@ pub struct PoW<T> {
     _spook: PhantomData<T>,
 }
 
-/// Proof of Work over concrete type T. T can be any type that implements serde::Serialize.
+/// Configuration for generting proof of work
+/// Please choose a long, unique value for salt
+/// Resistance to dictionary/rainbow attacks depend on uniqueness
+/// of the salt
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Builder, PartialEq, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct Config {
     pub salt: String,
@@ -22,8 +48,8 @@ pub struct Config {
 impl Config {
     /// Create Proof of Work over item of type T.
     ///
-    /// Make sure difficulty is not too high. A 64 bit difficulty, for example, takes a long time
-    /// on a general purpose processor.
+    /// Make sure difficulty is not too high. A 64 bit difficulty,
+    /// for example, takes a long time on a general purpose processor.
     /// Returns bincode::Error if serialization fails.
     pub fn prove_work<T>(&self, t: &T, difficulty: u128) -> bincode::Result<PoW<T>>
     where
@@ -35,8 +61,8 @@ impl Config {
     /// Create Proof of Work on an already serialized item of type T.
     /// The input is assumed to be serialized using network byte order.
     ///
-    /// Make sure difficulty is not too high. A 64 bit difficulty, for example, takes a long time
-    /// on a general purpose processor.
+    /// Make sure difficulty is not too high. A 64 bit difficulty,
+    /// for example, takes a long time on a general purpose processor.
     pub fn prove_work_serialized<T>(&self, prefix: &[u8], difficulty: u128) -> PoW<T>
     where
         T: Serialize,