Discover the Update That Could Revolutionize Bitcoin Development Forever
"Libbitcoinkernel" is an ongoing and comprehensive upgrade to Bitcoin's code that might have slipped under the radar but is likely to make it easier for developers to experiment with changes to Bitcoin.
The goal of this ambitious project is to untangle Bitcoin Core's code—the primary underlying software for Bitcoin—so that a significant portion of the "security-critical" code can be separated from the rest. This paves the way for new improvements in Bitcoin.
Untangling this code streamlines the life of developers and is likely to result in changes that will eventually reach users as well. The faster developers can create new features—whether they relate to privacy, security, or easier-to-use wallet tools—the sooner users can benefit from these innovations.
Libbitcoinkernel has a verbose and esoteric name because the idea is that it will ultimately become a library that developers can utilize. But even though it's specifically aimed at developers, this change may have broader implications for the BTC universe.
"What really drew me to devote time to Libbitcoinkernel was when I realized it could be a technical solution to some of the social obstacles of Bitcoin Core," said Carl Dong, a Bitcoin developer to Decrypt. He was the initial leader of the project.
Understanding Libbitcoinkernel starts with grasping the "consensus code." The consensus code is critical security code within Bitcoin Core, the code that keeps all network nodes in agreement with each other.
The goal of Libbitcoinkernel is to gradually extract all of this code into a separate library, so developers working on other code sections don't have to be anxious.
If developers can spend less time trying to ensure they aren't accidentally tampering with any landmines in the consensus code, they can devote more time to more exciting BTC features or bug fixes.