Author: Olaoluwa Osuntokun 2021-11-03 02:19:04
Published on: 2021-11-03T02:19:04+00:00
A group of developers for the Lightning Protocol recently met in Zurich to discuss the current state and evolution of the protocol. One topic that was debated was whether to upgrade the network to taproot-based channels with EC keys for payment mechanisms through a "big bang" rollout or an iterative one. The group proposed an iterative roadmap that includes implementing Mu-Sig 2, porting scripts into tapscript, adding PTLCs, incorporating new scriptless revocation mechanisms, and introducing layer commitments before rolling out eltoo.During the meeting, discussions were held on various topics related to the protocol's development, including Mu-Sig 2, which would allow for more efficient channel announcements by reducing the number of signatures needed. The activation of taproot brought about PTLCs, and there was consensus that Surebits’ team’s concept could be built upon for designing the final version of PTLCs. There were also talks about modifying the onion payloads for PTLCs, which may shrink the max possible route length. Discussions were also held on moving towards a more synchronous channel update state machine vs the current asynchronous state machine. The trade-offs between the two were discussed.The attendees also discussed the current process, progress, and priorities of the Lightning Network specification work. Some attendees suggested having standalone proposals alongside a minimal set of changes to the core BOLT document. Talks were also held on when to create a new standalone document vs extending an existing one, with some suggesting a layering approach similar to IETF. Discussions were also held on the concept of "silent dissent" and its impact on review bandwidth.The Lightning Network community also explored various concepts related to mitigating spam attacks and improving network performance. One approach involves introducing a cost for attempting to spam HTLCs, which could be achieved by retroactively raising a node's minimum bond size when its set of commitment slots becomes saturated. The community also explored introducing new packet switching operating modes to the network, including trampoline nodes that offer delegated path finding and receiver anonymity. However, there are still open questions regarding trampoline incentives, sender implications, and privacy implications. Overall, the community is focused on striking a balance between scalability and privacy.
Updated on: 2023-05-23T16:53:06.140005+00:00