Real-Time Killmail Firehose API for Developers

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Summary:
Provide a push-based, Firehose-style API that streams verified killmails in real time to authorized developers. This supports low-latency tools, reduces polling load, and aligns with CCP’s “ESI Everywhere” initiative.

Why It’s Needed:
Faster access
Enables live dashboards, overlays, alerts, and intel feeds.

Lower load
Removes the need for constant polling of ESI and zKillboard.

Improved completeness
Helps ensure fewer killmails are missed or delayed.

Empowers developers
Enables a new generation of tools and real-time capabilities.

Addressing Common Concerns:

Privacy
No new data is exposed — the Firehose would only emit killmails already verified through ESI, respecting current visibility rules.

Data integrity
Only verified killmails would be included. Manual or untrusted sources would be excluded.

Technical feasibility
CCP’s “ESI Everywhere” vision supports this.
Modern APIs like WebSockets, Kafka, and webhooks are standard, and developers already use RedisQ/zKillboard to mimic this.

Suggested Implementation:

• Authenticated WebSocket stream (via ESI dev credentials)
• Optional webhook or Kafka/NATS feed
• Filters by region, ship type, corp, alliance, etc.
• Only emits verified killmails per ESI standards

Conclusion:
A killmail Firehose would modernize EVE’s developer ecosystem, reduce load on public endpoints, and empower real-time tooling. For example live battle-reports showing the sway of a battle. It delivers major community value while maintaining current access rules and platform integrity.

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