Published on: 2018-07-28T02:16:34+00:00
In a discussion about virtual channels in Lightning implementations, Rusty suggests utilizing the BOLT-11 'r' fields to advertise private or virtual channels. He highlights that the advertisement of a channel's existence does not necessitate its use, and it is possible to transact without opening a channel by establishing a trust relationship. Dmytro Piatkivskyi builds upon this idea and proposes allowing heterogeneity in LN transactions, enabling companies to transact with entities they trust. To illustrate this, Dmytro presents a scenario where Alice aims to send a satoshi to Bob, but Dmytro lacks a channel with Bob. In such cases, Dmytro trusts Rusty, who has a channel with Bob. While Rusty acknowledges that source routing could pose a challenge, he suggests potential solutions such as advertising their trust as a single node or introducing virtual channels to continually determine respective balances. The author of the post seeks advice on approaching a situation involving virtual channels in the Lightning Network. They reference Rene's article [1], which explores virtual channels and their application for companies with multiple nodes to transact between them. However, the author argues that the LN should allow for more heterogeneity, facilitating transactions between entities with established trust relationships. They present an example where they trust someone who possesses a channel with Bob, and Alice intends to send Bob a satoshi. In this scenario, the author receives an HTLC from Alice and passes it to their trusted contact, who creates an HTLC with Bob, executing it after ensuring everything is satisfactory.The primary concern lies in source routing. As Alice initiates the payment chain, she needs to be aware of the author's relationship with their trusted contact. One solution proposed involves advertising their trust as a single node or incorporating virtual channels, as suggested by Rene. The author seeks input on whether there are feasible methods to accomplish this or alternative solutions. Additionally, the author acknowledges that the term 'trust' may elicit negative connotations but emphasizes its applicability in situations where a company operates multiple nodes.
Updated on: 2023-07-31T20:24:06.739275+00:00