Author: Mike Hearn 2012-03-09 14:50:02
Published on: 2012-03-09T14:50:02+00:00
The BitCoinJ 0.4 has been released which is the leading Java implementation of the Bitcoin protocol. The library implements simplified payment verification, which is a lightweight mode in which no central server or authority is required but the resource requirements are still low enough to be usable on smartphones. This version of the library is used in the new releases of Android Wallet and MultiBit. The new features include the ability to use "getheaders" to quickly catch up new users to the head of the chain, which is a big performance win. ECKeys no longer require the private part, allowing for "watching wallets" that cannot spend but still gather and track the transactions associated with the public keys. A new API that implements transaction confidences is added which gives quick summary or detailed information about how much confidence one can have that a given transaction won't be reversed.A new DerbyBlockStore that stores block headers and related data in the Apache Derby relational database is included and Protocol buffers are now a supported serialization format for the wallet. Various new event listeners are added that help learn when the state of the wallet or transactions change. Support for post February 20th version handshakes, new APIs that allow offline transactions and pending relevant transactions are recorded and announced to all newly connected nodes. Wallet now can now take an invalid transaction and complete it by adding sufficient inputs and a change output, enabling the creation of multi-sends, as well as making experimentation with contracts easier. Support for BIP 14, updated DNS seeds list, a new WalletTool program for command line usage, and a ToyWallet app showing how to set everything up is also included. In the next release cycle, the focus will be on real support for transaction fee calculations, a better block chain API, having the library manage save points for the wallet itself, further chain download time optimizations, and more support for moving apps onto "work done" as a confidence measurement.
Updated on: 2023-06-06T03:35:48.487721+00:00