Dandelion is not dead:
https://groups.google.com/g/bitcoindev/c/YO8ZwnG_ISs/m/NpQfYlGLAgAJ
We review each other's work and it's been fun trying to add joinstr in sparrow:
I have replaced 'core' with 'knots' on donate.joinstr.xyz page. Willing to contribute to other alternative implementations as well.