Published on: 2013-07-24T04:09:01+00:00
In a series of email exchanges from July 23 and 24, 2013, several individuals discuss the protocol used for transmitting data through wires, specifically in relation to the Bitcoin codebase. Gregory Maxwell notes that the protocol is predominantly Little Endian (LE), but there is still enough Big Endian (BE) to be mindful of. The transmission order is crucial for effective communication between devices and networks. While the protocol may not be consistent across all systems, it is essential to understand and account for variations in transmission order.Wendell raises a question about the barrier to achieving endian independence in the Bitcoin codebase. In response, it is stated that there isn't a significant obstacle to achieving endian independence, and fixing the memory order to and from the wire is a common way to address endianness. However, due to the use of authenticated data structures in Bitcoin, simply swapping the byte order on input is not sufficient. Some data needs to be hashed for authentication, which requires a specific order. Luke had previously attempted to address this issue but had not yet succeeded. It appears that fixing this problem would be challenging, and without a compelling reason to do so, no progress has been made in resolving it.In another conversation on July 24, 2013, Wendell asks Luke about the presence of a substantial barrier to achieving endian independence in the Bitcoin codebase. Luke responds, mentioning an 'endian' branch in his repository but admits that it still does not work as intended. He also states that he has not yet identified why it is not functioning correctly.The discussion continues with Douglas Huff stating that attempting to package and ship big endian binaries would be negligent. This implies that prioritizing little endian compatibility is necessary for proper functionality and reliable distribution.Overall, these email exchanges highlight the importance of understanding and addressing endianness in the Bitcoin codebase. While efforts have been made to achieve endian independence, challenges remain due to the use of authenticated data structures. The need for attention to detail in communication protocols and awareness of transmission order variations is emphasized throughout the conversation.
Updated on: 2023-08-01T05:25:44.775584+00:00