Published on: 2021-07-10T01:48:04+00:00
The Lightning Network community is exploring the addition of a bLIP (Bitcoin Lightning Improvement Proposal) process to enhance the specification process. The proposed bLIP process aims to provide a descriptive home for optional features and best practices that have emerged over time without proper documentation. Developers from different implementations and the broader app layer ecosystem are encouraged to volunteer as editors in this process.However, there are differing opinions within the community regarding the implementation of bLIPs. Some argue that these points could be formalized into BOLTs (Basis of Lightning Technology), while others see value in having a separate bLIP repository. Those in favor of bLIPs believe that it would bring features built outside of the BOLT process into the fold, making them more accessible and documented.There are concerns about potential collisions when assigning feature bits or creating new TLV (Type-Length-Value) fields and messages. It is expected that bLIPs would adopt the amendment of BOLT 9 to define the feature bits they use. Clear processes are needed to avoid network incompatibilities.The Lightning Network community recognizes the limitations of the current BOLT process and seeks ways to improve it. While concerns about fragmentation, security risks, and reviewing spec proposals are acknowledged, the community is exploring options such as dynamic commitments and the addition of a BIP-style process to enhance flexibility and collaboration while maintaining standardization and avoiding fragmentation.The introduction of the bLIP process aims to provide a space for emerging best practices to be documented and standardized. Some potential bLIP ideas include lnurl variants, on-the-fly channel opens, AMP, dynamic commitments, podcast payment metadata, p2p messaging formats, new pathfinding heuristics, and remote node connection standards. The proposal has been met with positive reception, with both app layer and protocol developers expressing interest in the bLIP process.The discussion also touched upon the need for a clear process around bLIPs and how they would fit into the existing BOLT process. It was suggested that bLIPs could serve as a descriptive home for optional standards, while BOLTs would remain reserved for prescriptive measures. The goal is to provide a community-driven approach to standardization and allow for loosely coupled evolution of the Lightning Network.The proposed bLIP process aims to improve the usability and interoperability of the Lightning Network by providing a space for emerging best practices to be documented and standardized. Developers from various implementations and the broader app layer ecosystem are encouraged to volunteer as editors for the bLIPs. The process is still in its early stages but has received positive feedback and is being actively explored by the Lightning Network community.Ryan Gentry, a member of the Lightning-dev community, has proposed the addition of a Bitcoin Lightning Improvement Proposal (bLIP) process to the existing BOLT process. The bLIP process would handle best practices and features originating from the app layer that struggle to make their way into the spec. Examples of such features include on-the-fly channel opens, dynamic commitments, p2p messaging formats, and new pathfinding heuristics.The goal of introducing the bLIP process is to have a designated space for app layer best practices to be described and organized, ensuring that innovations on the app layer within the Lightning Network protocol are not overlooked but rather integrated into the broader system. Currently, such ideas may be lost in old mailing list posts or not documented at all.Overall, the proposed bLIP process aims to address the challenge of integrating app layer best practices and features into the Lightning Network protocol. By providing a designated space for these ideas to be documented and organized, the bLIP process ensures that innovations are not lost and overlooked. The process is based on BIP-0002 and will not disrupt the existing BOLT process. Developers from various implementations and the broader app layer ecosystem are encouraged to participate as editors.
Updated on: 2023-07-31T23:33:10.056905+00:00