=Usability of WKD


== How good does an email client use WKD (to improve crypto usability)

In a [[https://wiki.gnupg.org/WKD/BachelorThesisIncreaseWKDUsage2021|bachelor thesis]] two use cases were developed which describe how users who don't have much experience with encryption can encrypt emails or check signatures with little effort and a good usability.
\\These use cases are used to name criteria which help developers to improve the usability of their products. They are also useful when it comes to a comparison between the usability of different products.
\\OpenPGP pubkeys fetched via WKD come with basic trust. See the explanations of the web key directory [[EasyGpg2016/PubkeyDistributionConcept|concept]] why.


* **C1 - Direct method:** The product allows fetching pubkeys by the direct method of WKD somehow.
* **C2 - Advanced method:** The product allows fetching pubkeys somehow, by the preferred, "advanced" method of WKD.
** Why? - Not all servers are able to offer the Direct method. Implementing both direct and advanced method means a higher chance that users get a key and can use encryption.
* **C3 - WKD-ready:** ´WKD can be used without any preparations after a clean installation
* **C4 - Offered in compose area:** WKD is offered in the area where users enter an email-address. To fulfill this criterion it's sufficient that there is a button to start a key lookup. It's not necessary that WKD will be executed automatically. But, users shouldn't have to open additional windows before they can start the lookup.
* **C5 - Automatic WKD (Compose):** The product uses WKD automatically when users enter an email-address in the area where they can compose an email. The users do not have to press a button to retrieve a key via WKD.
* **C6 - Prefer WKD-keys (Compose):** When the product has access to keys which were directly imported and don't contain any information about their trust and a WKD-key it should automatically use the WKD-key. This criterion applies to the area to compose an email.
* **C7 - Displays basic trust (Compose):** The product distinguishes between keys without any information about their trust and WKD-keys that have at least a basic trust. It displays this trust in the area to compose an email.


=== Advanced features to improve the usability

On this page the basic aspects are explained that should be considered when building WKD into an email client. But there is [[/Advanced|more]] what you can do to improve the usability even further.

==Usability of different email clients

Multiple email clients offer the feature WKD already. Some of them were [[WKD/UsabilityTests|tested]] to check how many of the criteria they fulfill.