Ark v0.3.0: VTXO Tree Signing, Simplified Onboarding Process
Ark is a layer-two protocol designed to scale Bitcoin transactions.
- "We're pleased to announce the release of Ark v0.3.0. This update introduces several security, efficiency, and functionality improvements, continuing our ongoing efforts to refine and enhance the Ark ecosystem," announced the project.
"To start using Ark v0.3.0, update your installations and check out our updated documentation for detailed guides on the new features."
What's new
- VTXO Tree Signing. This release implements MuSig2 for VTXO tree signing, eliminating trust requirements between clients and servers. Participants now jointly sign and verify all VTXO tree transactions, enabling a more decentralized process.
- New onboarding process. New users can now join Ark by simply sending funds to a boarding address. Once confirmed on-chain, users co-sign with the ASP while claiming the UTXO in a round.
- Extended functionalities:
- Enhanced Client SDK. "We've exported
ListVtxosandGetTransactionHistoryin the SDK, providing developers with more powerful tools to build on Ark." - Reversible policy for pending VTXOs. Senders now have the option to revert a offline payment if the receiver fails to claim it.
- Chain offline payments. Change from offline payments is now immediately spendable without needing to be claimed. This enables chaining of offline payments, enhancing the efficiency of off-chain transactions.
- Bitcoin wallet restoration for Covenantless ASP. This feature improves system robustness, making recovery and maintenance of the ASP's Bitcoin wallet easier.
- Enhanced Client SDK. "We've exported
- Efficiency improvements:
- Dynamic fee and dust amount handling. Ark now dynamically fetches dust amounts and minimum relay fees based on chain activity, replacing hardcoded values, thus enabling more accurate and efficient transaction processing.
- Improved testing. "We've expanded our e2e testing suite to include adversarial scenarios. These tests ensure the server behaves correctly if clients attempt to cheat, further solidifying Ark's security model."
- Better developer experience:
- CLI built with Ark SDK. "The Ark CLI is now built on top of the client SDK, serving as a reference implementation for developers."
- API Renaming. "We've renamed several APIs to be more production-oriented, improving clarity and consistency across the platform."
