N. R. Crowningshield, Author at Kaspa

Kaspa: Accelerating Beyond the Blockchain

N. R. Crowningshield — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 18:43:36 +0000

From a Concept to a Cutting-Edge Deployment

An Evolution, Not a Replication

Those who follow Kaspa understand the monumental work the developers are undertaking. It’s far from just another entry in the crowded space of crypto-nonsense; it’s not another Bitcoin clone, meme token, or even a blockchain; it’s a project set on a course to redefine the foundations of crypto technology and, by extension, the financial ecosystem.

Yet, there’s a narrative out there, fueled by a mix of misunderstanding, hype, and the fast-paced expectations common in the crypto world, that paints Kaspa’s progress as slow. But let’s be clear: The past eighteen months have been anything but stagnant for Kaspa. This period has been marked by a genuine push towards innovation, the application of cutting-edge scientific methods, and significant advancements, all of which together define the Kaspa standard.

A group of approximately 20 developers is central to this transformative journey. Through their collaborative efforts, Kaspa has experienced significant changes in its operations, carving a path for a future where scalability and efficiency in crypto are optimized and expected.

This rapid evolution and substantial work achieved in just a year and a half spotlight the commitment and expertise behind Kaspa, challenging any notions of slow progress and emphasizing the project’s role in setting new benchmarks for technological excellence in the cryptosphere.

The Rust Rewrite

In what’s commonly referred to as the Rust rewrite, the developers have realized a comprehensive overhaul of Kaspa’s codebase. To describe this effort as merely a ‘rewrite’ would be to undersell its magnitude; it was, in reality, a complete reconstruction, outstanding in its approach and execution. The mission extended beyond routine updates or refinements; it’s a visionary goal to reimagine Kaspa’s architecture from scratch. This foundational revamp demanded technical understanding and a profound reevaluation of Kaspa’s core principles, ensuring the revamped codebase would reflect and amplify these foundational ideals.

Throughout this intricate process of the Rust rewrite, the developers thoroughly examined each line of code, aspiring to transcend the established benchmarks of efficiency, scalability, and reliability set by the previous Go standards, pushing the envelope of blockDAG technology and setting new precedents for the future. A critical element of this overhaul was guaranteeing a seamless transition from the existing Go-based system with the Rust implementation, syncing at 1 block per second (BPS) to ensure backward compatibility. This is a critical move to provide a frictionless evolution and ongoing network functionality, laying a solid and versatile codebase for ramping up the Rust version to an insane 10 BPS. This exhaustive reconstruction reimagines Kaspa’s technological basis. It has also opened doors to a vast network of untapped potential, limited solely by the collective imagination of the Kaspa community.

Innovating Network Performance

While going into full detail of this major transition is beyond the scope of this article, here are some highlights to underscore the magnitude of the work involved.

Kaspa comprehensively reworked the mempool alongside significant segments of the network’s validation logic and difficulty adjustment algorithms – a re-engineered design to embrace throughputs that were once deemed unfeasible. With unprecedented grace, the Kaspa network is now adept at managing an influx of transactions, upwards of 500,000 pending transactions, establishing a new high-water mark for throughput within proof-of-work.

A Kaspa Performance Update
New Mempool Implementation Manages Thousands of Pending Transactionsmedium.com

Streamlining API

Understanding the pivotal role seamless integration plays in widespread adoption, the Kaspa developers have thoroughly retooled the API. An endeavor that aims to simplify the developer interface, rendering it more intuitive and accessible. The outcome is an API that offers enhanced flexibility and power and significantly lowers the entry barrier for developers and integrators, promoting a more inclusive Kaspa ecosystem.

kaspa_wasm – Rust
rusty-kaspa WASM32 bindings`docs.rs

Embracing WebAssembly

In a strategic pivot towards the future, Kaspa has embraced WebAssembly (WASM), laying the foundation for progressive applications like the Kaspa Next Generation (KNG) — which I have dubbed Kaspa’s New Groove. This enhancement widens the scope of potential applications for Kaspa — another shift towards more user-centric network interactions and bringing with it the future with browser extensions.

Integrating with Kaspa
Edit descriptionkaspa-mdbook.aspectron.com

Addressing UTXO Bloat

Kaspa has addressed the challenge of UTXO set bloat, a concern related to the increasing storage demands on full nodes caused by the growing database of unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs). This issue impacts storage requirements and hinders the efficiency of syncing new nodes to the network, as larger UTXO sets can slow down the process significantly. By devising innovative strategies to mitigate this problem, Kaspa is lowering the entry barrier and creating a more scalable and efficient network. An upcoming paper outlining their solutions will explore more details on this approach.

Transitioning to Rust

As you read, Kaspa is initiating the implementation of Rust on the mainnet, beginning with about 3–5% of its hash power. It’s worth noting the meticulous planning behind this transition. This careful migration from 1 BPS in Go to 1 BPS in Rust isn’t an upgrade; it’s more of a bridge, ensuring that Kaspa’s new design translates seamlessly from theory to practice within the live network.

This phase is crucial for the technical shift and maintaining the network’s integrity and user confidence. The quiet and controlled approach to moving hash power was deliberate, aiming to manage this significant change with precision and to be prepared for any contingencies. This decision recognizes that a successful deployment in cryptocurrency requires a well-planned integration of new features without disrupting the existing ecosystem.

If Kaspa had not already been a project valued in the billions, the push towards the mainnet might have come sooner. Yet, the scale of the project demands a cautious, controlled approach. This approach distinguishes the careful deployment from the creative development.

Development is the creative phase, where new ideas are born and tested in a safe environment, allowing for innovation without immediate real-world impact. Deployment, however, involves integrating these innovations into the live network. This process demands cautiousness to maintain stability, security, and efficiency. This method ensures that Kaspa continues to lead in innovation and guarantees a stable and scalable network for its users, balancing introducing new features with the imperative of preserving network integrity.

TN11

Also, it’s important to note that Kaspa’s TN11 has been operating at an impressive 10 BPS since the beginning of 2024.

KNG Visualizer — TN 11

Diving into 10 BPS in a world-scale peer-to-peer system, as evidenced by the development and deployment of TN11, Kaspa has ventured into previously unexplored territories of crypto technology. Achieving this level of implementation was a giant leap into new cutting-edge territory that necessitated pushing the boundaries of concurrency in computation and communication to their absolute limits. The complexity of producing such a high-throughput system, where every millisecond counts, demanded unparalleled precision in the design and execution of Kaspa’s network protocols.

This initiative of high-frequency block production upends how blockchain networks operate at scale. The engineering challenge here is profound — there’s a critical threshold where the system’s components must synchronize flawlessly. Any deviation, no matter how minor, can lead to cascading failures, transforming minor hiccups into major disruptions. The Kaspa developers’ ability to navigate this tightrope, ensuring that every part of the network operates in perfect harmony, emphasizes the technical prowess and innovative spirit driving the project forward.

Kaspa’s Testnet 11 has proven formidable in demonstrating stability, security, and speed. It operates at 10 BPS while managing a transaction throughput of 3,000 TPS and handles a mempool queue of over 500,000 transactions with remarkable stability.

Kaspa NG
Edit descriptionkaspa-ng.org

Kaspa Delivers

All of this plus more, in a relatively short span of eighteen months, Kaspa has undergone a metamorphosis that is the envy of many projects (proven by the seemingly endless forks). The Kaspa developers have achieved remarkable advancements with unwavering dedication and a visionary future transcending current crypto horizons. It’s important to remember that Kaspa isn’t just progressing; it’s leading the charge, reigniting the foundational crypto vision of a decentralized, efficient, and open financial system that once sparked the inception of Bitcoin.

Tip: Check the Block DAG tab on the top of the https://kaspa-ng.org/ page to see the visualizer.

TWITTER | GITHUB | N. R. Crowningshield | Bubblegum Lightning

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On Crypto Forks

N. R. Crowningshield — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 03:55:50 +0000

The differences and reasons of hard and soft forks.

Crypto Forks

Do you ever wonder what a fork actually is in cryptocurrency? What is the difference between a hard and a soft fork, and why does it matter? Why do people make such a big deal over a fork in the road? Imagine standing at the edge of a vast, digital city, where the streets and intersections beneath your feet are the possible paths a network could travel. Now, envision this gridiron intersecting with these countless routes, turns, and junctions, each representing a potential direction for a network. Forks, in this context, are junctures where the community decides which path to take, shaping the future of the network.

This article was created based on insights from a thread posted by Shai Deshe Wyborski on X/Twitter.

https://x.com/DesheShai/status/1764610476749574498?s=20

Deciphering Forks

At its essence, a fork represents a divergence in the network, a moment of decision that can alter the network’s trajectory. But not all forks are created equal; they come in different forms, namely ‘soft’ and ‘hard,’ each with its own implications and outcomes.

The Subtlety of Soft Forks

Soft forks in crypto can be likened to software updates on your smartphone — they roll out new functionalities or corrections without interfering with your current applications or data. When applied to a network, a soft fork narrows the criteria for a valid block, ensuring the network can function smoothly without mandating an update from every node.

An excellent example of a soft fork is the Taproot update in Bitcoin, designed to augment privacy and efficiency without necessitating an upgrade from all participants in the network. Soft forks achieve this through backward-compatible changes, meaning the network remains operational even as some nodes operate on legacy versions. The Taproot enhancements, for instance, aimed at optimizing block space utilization and boosting privacy for intricate transactions, were deliberately engineered so that nodes yet to be updated could still validate and relay transactions. They would, however, not benefit from the new Taproot features. The uninterrupted functionality of the network following such an update is contingent upon a substantial majority of miners embracing the latest rules. This consensus among miners helps solidify the new rules as the standard, ensuring network coherence and sidestepping possible short-lived forks. The broad acceptance of the Taproot update by the mining sector and the broader user base exemplifies the communal collaboration pivotal to the triumph of soft fork integrations.

The Power of Hard Forks

On the other hand, hard forks are the equivalent of opting for a whole new operating system. They introduce changes that make new blocks incompatible with the old rules, necessitating a unanimous update across all nodes to prevent a split in the network. This is where the network can truly fork, creating parallel chains if not everyone agrees to the update. Hard forks can be deliberate, aiming to add significant new features or address fundamental issues, or they can be contentious, leading to a split in the community and the birth of a new cryptocurrency.

The creation of Ethereum Classic from Ethereum, following a dispute over how to handle the DAO hack, and the birth of Bitcoin Cash from Bitcoin due to disagreements over block size and Segwit2X are evidence of the profound impact hard forks can have. These events are major technical updates and can be pivotal moments for a community to reflect on deeper philosophical and strategic divides.

New Coins?

The emergence of new cryptocurrencies from hard forks is a phenomenon fueled by disagreement. When a significant portion of the community — miners, developers, or users — chooses not to adopt the new rules, the network can split into two distinct paths: one that follows the old rules and one that embarks on a new direction with the updated protocol. This is how new coins are born, carrying with them the legacy of their origin chain but diverging in vision and functionality.

The Effects of Forks

The implications of forks extend far beyond the technical, influencing everything from market dynamics to community trust and regulatory perspectives. They can lead to uncertainty and volatility in the short term as stakeholders adjust to the new status quo. However, they also embody the decentralized, democratic essence of crypto technology, where the community has the power to shape its future.

Navigating the Forked Roads

Regarding Kaspa’s evolutionary path, the emphasis is on proactive hard forks — thoughtful, anticipated, well-planned upgrades designed to enhance the network’s capabilities, security, and efficiency. These are not emergency measures or divisive decisions but more like the regular updates you’d expect from any evolving software system. Proactive hard forks are the project’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring that the network remains cutting-edge and can adapt to the ever-changing demands of decentralized finance.

The key to navigating these updates smoothly lies in the preparation and communication strategies employed by the Kaspa community, volunteers, and developers. The network ensures seamless transitions by keeping all stakeholders informed and engaged — miners, developers, and users alike. This collaborative approach minimizes disruptions and reinforces the community’s trust and action in the project’s direction.

Moreover, proactive hard forks offer an opportunity to introduce new features and optimizations that can significantly enhance the network’s performance and user experience. These can range from scalability improvements and increased transaction speeds to more robust security measures, all of which contribute to the overall health and competitiveness of Kaspa. i.e., Rust rewrite!

These planned hard forks should be viewed not with apprehension but as milestones in Kaspa’s ongoing development. They are clear indicators of a dynamic, forward-thinking project that is not content with the status quo but is constantly striving for excellence. This proactive stance on network upgrades is a positive signal for the community and users alike, showcasing Kaspa’s dedication to enabling a resilient, innovative, and future-proof ecosystem.

Tip: Always stay informed and actively participate in your crypto community’s discussions to better understand and navigate the impacts of forks and the network’s future.

TWITTER | GITHUB | N. R. Crowningshield | Bubblegum Lightning

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Kaspa on Rust: Evolving Testnet 11

N. R. Crowningshield — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:30:29 +0000

Breaking New Ground in PoW Efficiency with Rust

Pushing Boundaries… Again!

On the evening of January 7th, at 8 PM UTC, another pivotal chapter in the Kaspa saga will be written in code and history with the second unveiling of Testnet 11 (TN 11). This public release is the second expedition into the new Rust codebase that brings the promise of the impossible 10 blocks per second (10 BPS) on a proof-of-work (PoW) network. The digital experiment provides an arena where developers and enthusiasts will come together to push the envelope, exploring the dynamics of the PHANTOM GHOSTDAG protocol live on the Rust programming language.

Testnet 11 is far more than a proving ground; it’s a digital recreation of the real world. Focused on simulating and stress-testing a miniature version of an entire ecosystem, a world’s worth of transactions, all anxious to settle instantly to buy their favorite snacks. Its evolution on fast-forward, where the protocol endures rigorous trials, loads of simulated throughput, real-world mining and use, all while ensuring efficiency and security against any real-world scenario.

Rusty Kaspa

Rewriting the Kaspa programming language from Go to Rust is an essential development to enhance performance and manage the complexities of the BlockDAG. This transition enables the groundbreaking achievement of 10 BPS, which allows for greater scalability and throughput. By increasing the BPS, the potential transactions per second go upwards to 3,000 TPS, as demonstrated in the highly successful first public release of TN11. The Rust programming language offers advantages such as higher efficiency and improved performance, memory safety, interoperability, error handling, and a growing crypto ecosystem and developer community.

Testnet 11 Updates

Since the first public Testnet 11 captivated the crypto world, several enhancements have been implemented to optimize network efficiency and performance. Improving high BPS Peer-to-Peer (P2P) communication, focusing on fine-tuning and orphan revalidation, is crucial for seamless network functionality under high transaction volumes.

Storage efficiency has also advanced with updates addressing the issue of quadratic writes in high BPS contexts, refining the network’s data processing and storage capabilities. These updates, along with smarter caching through dynamic data tracking and enhancements like parallel processing for block submissions, signify a considerable leap forward for Kaspa, a display of the developers’ ingenuity and insights gathered from the initial experiment. Refer to the Release Notes at the bottom of this article for a comprehensive overview of the updates.

Participating in Testnet 11

Participating in Testnet 11 is straightforward, primarily focusing on software requirements. The essential software needed is Rusty Kaspa, which acts as a portal, seamlessly connecting your system to the network. This enables synchronization with other nodes on TN 11. You have the option to run the node as it is, which is a straightforward way to participate. However, Rusty Kaspa also opens the door to additional testing features if you want to explore further.

CPU mining is the exclusive method for mining in Testnet 11, and it’s a crucial aspect of the process. By participating in CPU mining, you contribute to the TN 11’s computational strength. The advantage here is the simplicity and accessibility: you don’t need any specialized mining software or hardware to get involved. TN 11 comes equipped with its own CPU miner, making it easy for anyone to participate in this capacity. Although transaction simulation using the Rothschild tool is optional, if you decide to mine on TN 11, it’s vital to use CPU mining. This method is the designated approach for mining in the network. This simplifies and democratizes participation, enabling a broader range of users to contribute effectively and interact with the network’s features.

For hardware, a setup with at least 16GB of RAM, an 8-core CPU, and a 128GB SSD drive is recommended to handle the demands of the TN 11 environment efficiently.

Testnet 11 Instructions

Need support? Have feedback?

The Kaspa Discord #testnet channel is your go-to for troubleshooting and discussion. At the same time, #rust-rewrite offers a greater understanding of Rusty Kaspa development and updates.

Redefining the Proof-of-Work Consensus

Testnet 11’s performance is key to shaping Kaspa’s future, especially the shift to 10 BPS speeds on the mainnet. The data from these tests are necessary to tackle any needed optimizations and prepare for the mainnet to operate on Rustlang.

For a deep dive into participating and understanding the Rust rewrite, check out the Rusty Kaspa GitHub page. Remember, TN 11 is an experimental zone — expect some instability as part of the process.

The release of Testnet 11 marks a significant stride in cryptocurrency innovation, offering a unique platform for testing and fortifying the developmental foundation of the Kaspa PHANTOM GHOSTDAG protocol. It’s a critical step in the quest to push the boundaries and achieve the ultimate goal of 100 BPS.

Tip: It’s important to remember that Testnet 11 is a testing environment. It may face instability and occasional downtime due to experimentation processes. Nothing to worry about, and it’s anticipated.

Release Notes

Testnet 11 Updates

Improvement to high BPS P2P:

PRs:

Fine-tuning — https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/356
Orphan revalidation — https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/359
Perfects the P2P at high BPS. Also fixes the long-standing IBD loop.

Improvements to storage efficiency:

PRs:

Reachability refactor: https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/347
Block child relation refactor: https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/325
These PRs together eliminate quadratic writes in higher BPS to their respective storages, allowing the node to store block reachability and child relation data efficiently.

Improvement to caching:

PRs:

https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/351
Caches for dynamic data now track that size and adjust accordingly.
This should prevent Out-of-Memory issues — the caches are limited to what is needed for the node to operate smoothly.

Other Testnet 11 Changes

https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/357 — Parallel submit block processing — Submitting blocks can fill the message queue in higher bps, leading to serialization of processing (defeating the purpose of higher bps). This fixes that.
https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/320 — Various initial fixes from issues found in the internal TN11 experiment
https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/317 — Clear block template only when it’s expired.
https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/311 — Add request and response ID to every p2p message and route messages accordingly.
https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/356/files — Fine-tuning parameters.

Other non-TN11 Rusty Kaspa Update

Improvement to node initialization and overall health:

PRs:

https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/333
https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/345
These initialize the FD limits so that the node will have the resources it needs to run.

Wallet and Metrics Overhaul

PRs:

https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/360
This is the solid foundation on which the new rust-based KNG wallet is based.

Improvements to node reachability via UPnP

PRs:

https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/300
https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/pull/288
These changes introduce UPnP, which allows more nodes to become publicly connectable. The more public nodes there are in the network, the better the interconnectivity of the network becomes.

Other changes

Covered by the release notes in https://github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/releases/tag/v0.13.0

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Kaspium v1.0.1 Release

N. R. Crowningshield — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:00:51 +0000

The Kaspa Mobile Wallet

Kaspium

In crypto and likewise with Kaspa, there’s always some new innovation on the horizon. Riding this wave of continuous evolution and aiming to specifically accommodate the needs of the KAS community is Kaspium. Kaspium isn’t just any mobile wallet; it’s a sleek, modern, and intuitive wallet solution designed from the ground up to flawlessly integrate with the Kaspa network.

Kaspium has a new range of features designed to make managing your digital assets as easy as checking your email. Plus, with a name like “Kaspium v1.0.1,” you can be assured that it’s the latest and possibly the best version out there, having gone through refinements and improvements from earlier iterations. Whether you’re a novice or a crypto veteran, Kaspium promises a seamless experience, ensuring that managing your Kaspa assets is as straightforward and secure as possible. Welcome to the next chapter of Kaspa native wallets with Kaspium, now fully released and available on both iOS and Android app stores. Here’s a deep dive into its extensive feature set:

Wallet Creation and Import Options

New Wallet Creation: Users can set up a new wallet using a 24-word secret phrase.
Wallet Import: For those who already have a wallet, Kaspium provides multiple import options: 24-word and 12-word (Web Wallet/KDX)secret phrase wallets.
Watch-only wallets: For use with an extended public key tied to a 24-word compatible wallet.
Multiple Wallets: Users aren’t restricted to a single wallet. The platform supports the creation and import of multiple wallets.

Comprehensive Wallet Functionalities

Transactions and Details: Send and receive KAS natively on the Kaspa network. Stay informed with a detailed transaction history, UTXO views, and a list of all wallet addresses.
Address Utility: Users can filter to view only addresses with funds for added convenience.
Send and Receive: Integrated with the ‘@Contacts’ feature, users can swiftly send funds, opt for the maximum send amount, and even add local notes for reference. Quickly generate a QR code for receiving funds. This feature also supports specifying an optional amount.
QR Scan: For instantaneous payments, scan a Kaspa address or a Kaspa URI QR code.
Fiat Conversion: See your balance in any of 38 available fiat currencies.
Multilingual Support: Inclusive for a global audience, the wallet offers support in multiple languages.
Themes: Customize your visual experience with light or dark themes.
Security: Fortify your wallet using various measures such as PIN, biometrics, and a dedicated wallet password.
Auto-lock: For added security, the wallet automatically locks itself.
Custom Nodes: Connect to custom Kaspa nodes as per your preference.
Explorer Access: View address and transaction details on Kaspa Explorer, Kas.fyi, or Katnip.
Contact Management: Add, import, or export Kaspa addresses with the Contacts feature.
Compound UTXOs: Efficiently combine multiple UTXOs using this feature.
Address Discovery: Scan for possible undetected used addresses using the Address Discovery feature
Secret Phrase View: Access the 24-word secret phrase associated with your wallet anytime.
Kaspa URIs: For rapid transactions, utilize Kaspa URIs (Uniform Resource Identifier).

The Release

With the release of Kaspium v1.0.1, it is clear that the Kaspa network intends to offer a top-tier user experience, combining both functionality and security. Whether you’re new to the Kaspa network or a seasoned user, Kaspium ensures that managing your KAS is intuitive and secure.

The full release of Kaspium v1.0.1 is not just a tool; it’s a commitment from the community and contributors of the Kaspa network to provide you with a platform that makes managing your digital assets a breeze while ensuring they remain under lock and key. Now, you can carry your Kaspa in a dedicated mobile wallet!

Tip: Azbuky is a dedicated developer within the Kaspa community and the visionary mind behind the creation of the Kaspium mobile wallet.

TWITTER | GITHUB | N. R. Crowningshield | Bubblegum Lightning

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A Kaspa Performance Update

N. R. Crowningshield — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 01:32:10 +0000

New Mempool Implementation Manages Thousands of Pending Transactions

Rusty Kaspa Mempool Update

Kaspa recently unveiled another significant advancement in the performance of their mempool, a term referring to the temporary holding space for unconfirmed transactions. The new mempool design can now manage a high-frequency 10-BPS network, even when saturated with hundreds of thousands of pending transactions.

Behind this achievement stands Michael Sutton at the helm and documenting the process on Twitter/X, joined by the Rust powerlifter Tiram_88.

Some months back, Kaspa halted its eleventh testnet, TN11. This decision was primarily made to refine everything associated with the pathways of the mempool’s operations. Before this intervention, the focus was mainly on refining their consensus validation engine. This engine, created with parallel processing in mind, was tested and proved capable of handling approximately 32 BPS. However, challenges arose when attention shifted to the mempool. Its initial design was straightforward and needed to be refined to manage heavy loads, revealing bottlenecks that hindered performance.

Mempool Bottleneck

Figure 1

This graph, Figure 1, illustrates the challenges of the previous mempool system under constant pressure. It showed significant strain when subjected to an influx of transactions more than a 10-BPS BlockDAG could efficiently manage. The system nearly halted at one point, especially between the 60 to 80-second marks, even though it was handling a mere 35,000 transactions. Two metrics stood out in this figure. The left demonstrates the operation time, while the right showcased the real-time mempool size. Both metrics reflected that the Build Block Template (BBT) and the block submission times were increasing at a high rate in correlation with the mempool size. This indicated the need for internal mempool algorithm optimization.

Optimization objectives

— The system needed to quickly build blocks, which is crucial for the network’s responsiveness.

— Once a transaction was confirmed, it needed to be removed from the mempool promptly, ensuring a smooth operational flow.

— Maintain a consistent rate at which the new, unconfirmed transactions are accepted, regardless of the mempool’s load.

Results

The mempool then underwent a transformation. Large operations were fragmented into smaller, more manageable tasks, allowing many to run concurrently. Additionally, the internal algorithms of the mempool received significant overhauls for improved efficiency.

Figure 2

Figure 3

The results of these interventions were nothing short of impressive. Michael Sutton referred to Figures 2 and 3 to underscore the improvements. In tests, they attempted to send a staggering 1.4 million transactions to a node to prove that until the mempool reaches a stable size of 600 thousand transactions. Over 600 thousand, the transaction submissions will alternate pausing and resuming to maintain. Figure 2 showed that BBT times were around 25 milliseconds, while block submissions averaged 150 milliseconds. Simultaneously, Figure 3 highlights the transaction processing speed of over 2,000 transactions every second. Most notably, these figures remained stable, even with a considerable load on the mempool, indicating that the node performed seamlessly.

The Nutshell

Kaspa’s advancements signal a more resilient, efficient, and adaptable system. It’s designed to manage a significant transactional load without compromising performance, marking a pivotal moment for Kaspa’s breakthrough technological journey.

The days of frustrating delays, throughput limitations, and lengthy transaction times are poised to be things of the past. With a keen focus on quicker transactions, the revamped system efficiently processes tasks, even amidst high transaction volumes, ensuring unparalleled reliability.

Twitter Kaspa Update

Tip: With a potential to manage thousands of transactions seamlessly, Kaspa’s 10-BPS mempool is the future of practical everyday commerce.

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Kaspa Pool Addition — Hiveon

N. R. Crowningshield — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:54:30 +0000

Hiveon Kaspa Pool
Hiveon is proud to announce the addition of a new mining pool designed explicitly for Kaspa (KAS) mining. This addition accommodates the needs of the Kaspa mining community, who are interested in exploring new mining opportunities. This Hiveon Kaspa Pool allows miners to leverage these characteristics and optimize their mining activities.

Pool Features
An affordable pool fee of only 1%
Pay Per Share Plus (PPS+) reward type
A manageable minimum payout threshold of just 50 KAS
Absence of transaction fees, covered entirely by Hiveon
Mining servers located across the globe
An automatic server selection that allows Hiveon to select the nearest server for your miners

If these compelling features have piqued your interest, you can initiate the process of setting up your Hiveon Kaspa Pool.

Hiveon OS
Create a Hiveon account here.

After establishing your account, or if you opt for anonymous usage, the next step is to create a Flight Sheet within your Hiveon OS account.

Applying this Flight Sheet to your worker(s) enables the start of mining.

Connecting to Kaspa Pool
ASIC miners enter the following addresses in your ASIC miner settings:
stratum+tcp://kas.asic.hiveon.com:4444

GPU/FPGA
kas.hiveon.com:4444 or kas.hiveon.com:8888
SSL 20443

Becoming a part of the Hiveon Kaspa Pool guarantees stable daily rewards without hidden transaction fees or extra charges. In addition, you will join a community of supportive ‘Hivers.’ Experience the pinnacle of cryptocurrency mining with Hiveon!
You can contact their customer support team at bee@hiveon.com for any questions or issues.

Tip: Hiveon OS is an operating system that helps to keep your crypto farms at their peak and monitor their info in one place.

TWITTER | REDDIT | GITHUB | EXPLORER | Bubblegum Lightning

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Kaspa Integrated on NOWPayments

N. R. Crowningshield — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 11:00:48 +0000

Fully Supported by August 31st

NOWCommerce with Kaspa

The primary use of Kaspa and the original use case of cryptocurrency, in general, is stateless money and P2P transactions of decentralized money. The journey starts with commerce, and this is where NOWPayments comes into the picture. As a significant player in the crypto payment gateway space, NOWPayments is making waves with its recent integration with Kaspa (KAS), furthering the practical use and decentralization mission.

NOWPayments

NOWPayments is a crypto payment gateway that stands out for its tailored solutions and accessibility. By integrating Kaspa, NOWPayments adds a new dimension to its offerings, fostering the broader acceptance of decentralized money.

Focusing on industries like gaming, NFT marketplaces, and e-commerce platforms, NOWPayments provides customized API solutions that seamlessly integrate crypto payments. This commitment to personalization ensures that various sectors can embrace crypto practically and realistically with the ability to fit each business model.

Integration lies at the heart of NOWPayments. With its user-friendly platform, businesses can effortlessly integrate with platforms like Shopify, accepting crypto payments as part of their regular operations. This ease of integration bridges the gap between traditional and digital currencies, embodying the original concept of stateless money.

While maintaining a solid focus on crypto payments, NOWPayments offers Fiat conversion to onboard more traditional users into the digital currency. The system’s lightning-fast speeds ensure that payments are quickly recognized on the blockchain, keeping transactions smooth and efficient.

While maintaining a solid focus on crypto payments, NOWPayments offers Fiat conversion to onboard more traditional users into the digital currency. With the integration of Kaspa, merchants can receive KAS and instantly exchange it for a stablecoin. This process allows them to enjoy the security, speed, and minimal fees of Kaspa while avoiding the potential volatility often associated with cryptocurrencies. The system’s lightning-fast speeds ensure that payments are quickly recognized on the BlockDAG and updated for both the user and the merchant, keeping transactions smooth and efficient.

This added functionality illustrates NOWPayments’ commitment to combining the innovative aspects of cryptocurrency with the stability and familiarity of traditional financial systems. It builds a bridge between two worlds, ensuring that businesses can capitalize on the unique benefits of Kaspa without having to navigate the often complex landscape of digital currency volatility. Whether you are a seasoned crypto enthusiast or a business exploring digital currencies for the first time, NOWPayments’ seamless integration of Kaspa offers an accessible and efficient solution.

Become an Affiliate get Rewarded for KAS Adoption!

NOWPayments isn’t just about providing innovative payment solutions; it’s also about building a community and incentivizing the growth of the Kaspa ecosystem. As part of this commitment, NOWPayments offers an attractive affiliate program that enables individuals and businesses to earn rewards by promoting connections between merchants and NOWPayments.

Here’s how it works:

Register an Affiliate Account: By simply registering an affiliate account, you can start earning money by building ties between merchants and NOWPayments.
Share an Affiliate Link: Once registered, share your unique affiliate link to engage potential partners.
Earn a Percentage: Get a percentage from every transaction of your referred partners for an entire year! Specifically, the reward amount is 25% of NOWPayments’ service fee for each transaction.
Spread the Word to your Favorite Merchants to Accept Kaspa!

NOWPayments

Disclaimer: The Affiliate Program extends beyond merchants. The NOWPayments links in this post are my Affiliate links for demonstration. Share your own link and use others’ to sign up, promoting Kaspa adoption!

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Kaspa Community AMA with Guest @realKateL from ChangeNOW & NOWPayments

N. R. Crowningshield — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:06:52 +0000

Held on July 27th— Hosted by @BubblegumLtng

ChangeNOW & NOWPayments

The Kaspa Community hosted an AMA on July 27th with guest @realKateL, a partnership lead from two exciting projects: ChangeNOW and NOWPayments, each offering unique solutions for users and merchants with their latest KAS integration.

A Unique Swap Exchange

ChangeNOW is a unique exchange service and liquidity aggregator that caters to individuals and businesses. Supporting 900 cryptocurrencies across 60 blockchains enables cost-effective cross-chain swaps by sourcing the best rate from several centralized and decentralized exchanges.

Here are some key takeaways:

Versatility: ChangeNOW can be used by users, projects, and businesses.
Integration: Businesses and projects can integrate cross-chain swaps using ChangeNOW’s exchange API.
Ease of Use: It doesn’t require an EVM-compatible wallet or a wallet connector. Users can send funds to an address or have ChangeNOW send the exchanged funds to their wallet.
Speed: It’s aiming for fast confirmation times, aligned with the desire for cryptocurrencies to be used for everyday transactions.
Now Wallet & Tracker: The NOWWallet can integrate anything listed on ChangeNOW. At the same time, the NOWTracker is a portfolio tracker for asset performance analysis.
Crypto Loans: Through a partnership with Coin Rabbit, ChangeNOW offers crypto loans as an additional feature.

A New Crypto Payment Gateway

NOWPayments is a crypto payment gateway offering many tools for businesses to accept payments. Here’s what you need to know:

Custom Solutions: NOWPayments offers customized API solutions for gaming, NFT marketplaces, and e-commerce platforms.
Ease of Integration: Integrating platforms like Shopify for accepting crypto payments is effortless.
Fiat Conversion: While focusing on crypto payments, it also facilitates Fiat conversion to onboard more people.
Lightning Fast Speeds: It aims for fast payment processing, with a system that quickly recognizes payments on the blockchain and immediately updates the status for the user and the merchant.
Minimum Amounts: Like ChangeNOW, NOWPayments has low minimum amounts, making it accessible for various transaction sizes.

KAS & NOW

ChangeNOW and NOWPayments are both remarkable platforms, each serving a unique need within the cryptocurrency community. Change Now’s focus on a versatile and limitless exchange experience and NOWPayments’ emphasis on fast and easy payment solutions cater to many users, businesses, and developers, now bridging gaps by integrating Kaspa and expanding the KAS and NOW ecosystems.

Whether you are looking for a KAS exchange service, a business interested in accepting Kaspa payments, or simply curious about the evolving world of cryptocurrencies, these two platforms offer various services and tools that might cater to your needs.

ChangeNOW

NOWPayments

Tip: NOWPayments not only integrates seamlessly with all major eCommerce sites, it’s also flexible. Allowing merchants to accept KAS and settle in your favorite stable coin to avoid concerns of volatility.

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The Solution to Double Spending

N. R. Crowningshield — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 03:52:44 +0000

Kaspa Education

Understanding Double Spending

Double spending is the fraudulent practice of using the same digital currency in multiple transactions. It’s like paying for two things with the same physical dollar bill. In the digital world, where a currency’s presence isn’t tangible, this can become a severe issue, threatening the entire system’s trust and integrity.

Parallel Blocks and The Risk of Double Spending

Traditional digital currencies process transactions sequentially, like a single line at a bank. Some newer systems use parallel processing to be faster, like Kaspa, but this introduces the risk of double spending, where two transactions using the same digital coin might be simultaneously approved.

Kaspa’s Solution: GHOSTDAG Protocol and UTXOs

Kaspa addresses this challenge using the GHOSTDAG protocol and the Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) model. Together, these technologies ensure that even when transactions are processed in parallel, each digital coin is used only once.

GHOSTDAG ensures a universally agreed-upon order for transactions. Like a rulebook that every bank teller follows so no one gets confused about the order of customers.

Transactions are sorted into “blue” (main chain) and “red” (conflicting) sets. This sorting is like a supervisor quickly resolving teller disputes.
Utilizing Kernels, Anticone, and UTXOs

In the GHOSTDAG system, blocks are grouped into “kernels” (approved) and “anticone” (not yet approved). This allows the systematic handling of conflicting transactions.

But the UTXO model adds another layer of security. In a UTXO system, users don’t have balances like a traditional bank account. Instead, they have “unspent outputs” from previous transactions. When you spend a digital coin, you’re essentially pointing to an unspent output and saying, “I’m using this now.” Once used, that output is marked as spent and cannot be used again.

By coupling the GHOSTDAG protocol with UTXOs, Kaspa ensures that once a digital coin is used in a transaction, it can’t be used again elsewhere. It’s like a vigilant cashier who ensures you hand over the dollar bill once you’ve used it, so you can’t spend it again.

The Benefits of GHOSTDAG and UTXOs

Combining GHOSTDAG’s conflict management with the UTXO model’s precision, Kaspa offers a robust solution to the problem of double spending. The system ensures quick resolution without loss or delay. It adds an additional layer of certainty that each digital coin is spent only once.

Kaspa’s GHOSTDAG protocol and the UTXO model represent a comprehensive solution to the challenge of double spending in digital currency. By innovatively merging these technologies, Kaspa has created a fast, secure digital transaction system.

This complex intersection of technology is designed to foster trust in a system otherwise prone to exploitation. Kaspa’s approach may well pave the way for broader acceptance and reliance on digital currencies, bridging the gap between conventional banking and the exciting frontier of digital finance.

Tip: Kaspa’s solution offers a cutting-edge defense against double spending, ensuring the integrity, efficiency, and security of digital transactions, paving the way for a trustworthy future in digital finance.

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Embarking on the Unknown

N. R. Crowningshield — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 11:00:25 +0000

Kaspa’s Relentless Pursuit of Innovation

The Primordial Data

Kaspa’s inception was not only a winding and intricate journey but also one marked by exploration, confusion, and experimentation. In the very beginning, even fundamental aspects such as installing and running a node or mining were bewildering. The developers had to communicate constantly through platforms like Discord, explaining every step and every detail. It was raw, scrappy, and at times, chaotic.

In its early stages, Kaspa’s progress resembled a child learning to walk, faltering and unsure, with foundational software that stood on shaky ground. Few developers could grasp the complexities of this new terrain, and no ecosystem developers were willing to take the plunge. New versions of mining software were frequently updated, adding to the already unstable environment.

Early Struggles and the Drive for Innovation

The team’s primary aim was not about aiming for a high market cap or capitulating to fears; instead, it was about courageously maintaining stability amidst the chaos. And to build a network that was supposed to be unbuildable. January 2022 presented itself as an especially taxing month, with nodes struggling to manage three days’ worth of transaction data. Many fell out of sync, and some transactions failed to register on the ledger. However, this was not a significant concern, as the network’s underlying structure remained robust and verifiable, and more pressing matters were at hand.

Despite these obstacles, the developers’ unrelenting spirit fueled Kaspa’s evolution. Setbacks turned into stepping stones, as they were more than merely surviving; they were laying down a path filled with innovation and daring explorations. The struggles, breakthroughs, and exhilarating yet exhausting journey have become integral to what defines Kaspa today.

The individuals behind Kaspa understood that failures would be essential learning experiences. They confronted technological immaturity, misconceptions, and roadblocks, which instead of hindering them, fueled their creative process. This led to innovative solutions that set Kaspa apart from other digital currencies.

Kaspa started as a small, committed crew working for years to overcome the theoretical and practical challenges of creating a true Block Directed Acyclic Graph (BlockDAG) system. They fought relentlessly through the dark, stumbling upon bugs and an unending cycle of testnets, weighed down by the feeling of missing the technological train as attention shifted to proof of stake, DeFi, and NFTs.

From the very beginning, Kaspa’s genesis was born from chaos. With monetary resources dwindling, the immaturity of optical ASIC development, and a business plan teetering on failure, the decision to initiate a fair launch emerged as a desperate yet inspired attempt to keep the dream alive. The team employed at DAGlabs chose to place their trust in the core proof-of-work (PoW) community, clinging to a conviction that their ideas were far too valuable to abandon. This belief propelled them into the unknown as they embarked on daring experiments with unnamed algorithms, untethered from the constraints of existing mining technology. It was a last-ditch effort to let their creation live on, a gambit born from the chaos, and a defining moment in Kaspa’s genesis.

Embracing Chaos Amidst the Innovation

Kaspa’s continuous journey was guided by innovation, a readiness to challenge conventional wisdom, and a willingness to push boundaries. The early days on Discord were frantic, plagued by seemingly endless bugs, followed by neverending debugging and a constant need to educate and inform the community. Building something unique in the face of adversity and confusion became the team’s defining characteristic, embodying the thrilling yet demanding journey that defines Kaspa.

The shift brought about another hurdle: the need to solo mine after a hard fork to stabilize the network. A community poll decided to burn over 11 million KAS, with 40% of the community choosing this path. The commitment to this promise further solidified Kaspa’s dedication to transparent, community-driven decision-making.

Around two months later, anomalies emerged within the network, requiring immediate investigation and understanding. A detailed examination led to crafting an urgent patch, enhancing synchronization, and handling the network’s intricate structure. The positive impact of this fix led to deeper insights into the system’s architecture, albeit at the cost of superficial transaction data, saving the network and opening up more avenues for growth and innovation.

The Present and Future

Kaspa’s story is one of perseverance, creativity, and resolve. From the intention to develop ASICs to the daring decision to fair-launch, the journey was filled with uncertainty, trials, and enlightening realizations. The early days were turbulent, and the complications were not mere roadblocks but rites of passage that shaped Kaspa’s growth, laying the foundation for resilience, inventiveness, and steadfast pursuit of excellence.

Through trials and successes, Kaspa’s evolution stands as a symbol of not just success but endurance, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to a bold vision. The narrative also serves as a meaningful reminder of the scrappy and turbulent beginning, where uncertainty reigned, and every step forward was an adventure in itself. The raw energy and determination that fueled Kaspa’s early days continue to inspire its pursuit of innovation and excellence, along with embracing the unavoidable new challenges.

Tip: Kaspa’s journey may not have followed a straight line, but its enduring success is rooted in embracing its chaotic beginnings and remembering the lessons learned along the way.

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