Author: Joost Jager 2023-06-02 15:00:37
Published on: 2023-06-02T15:00:37+00:00
The taproot annex is currently consensus valid but non-standard, and conversations around standardization are leaning towards a flexible Type-Length-Value (TLV) format. However, agreeing on an exact format may take time. In the meantime, making the annex available in a non-structured form would allow developers to use its features without delay. The proposal is to define any annex that begins with '0' as free-form, without additional constraints. This approach offers immediate utilization, future flexibility, and chainspace efficiency. Immediate utilization allows developers to make use of the taproot annex for a variety of applications without waiting for structured formats. Future flexibility keeps options open for future developments and structure improvements. Chainspace efficiency means non-structured data may require fewer bytes compared to a probable TLV format which would necessitate encoding length even when there's only a single field. Adopting this approach will broaden the utilization scope of the taproot annex immediately while preserving the possibility of transitioning to a more structured format in the future. It is believed to be a pragmatic and efficient route that can yield substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Updated on: 2023-06-16T18:43:41.792150+00:00