What is the Mandala?
The Mandala introduces a new architecture to the BSV network, inspired by the intricate design of traditional Mandalas. This upgrade is designed to enhance availability, scalability, and operational efficiency by integrating a “Small World Network core surrounded by specialised “Overlay Networks” and SPV implementations.
Is the Mandala aligned with the set-in-stone nature of the BSV blockchain?
Implementing the Mandala on the BSV blockchain doesn’t change the core rules of the system. Instead, it adapts its rules to scalable network components (P2P transactions via SPV wallet, Overlay Networks and Teranode) that make the system more efficient and aligned with the Bitcoin whitepaper whilst still adhering to the set-in-stone protocol.
What do I need to do to be part of the Mandala?
To participate in the Mandala, you can either use the SPV Wallet or dissect it as a reference implementation. It’s crucial to ensure that your transactions include their Merkle paths in compliance with the BEEF and BUMP Bitcoin Request for Comments (BRCs). This approach helps maintain the integrity and efficiency of the network by streamlining how transactions are verified and processed.
Why the Mandala upgrade?
The old network topology cannot get enough information back from Teranode because of the way it optimises for massive throughput. Global listeners and indexers would be prohibitively expensive and would struggle to keep up with Teranode volume. The Mandala upgrade clarifies the way in which different specialised actors within the system can work together to focus nodes on their essential functions, as outlined in the 6 steps of section 5 of the Bitcoin whitepaper. This involves minimising unnecessary data lookups and retrieval. The BEEF specification plays a key role by allowing users to pass additional data, which they maintain, such as Merkle paths and full parent transactions. This reduces the burden on transaction processors to retrieve data elements from the UTXO set, enhancing overall network efficiency.
What is a Small World Network, and why is it important for BSV blockchain?
A Small World Network is a form of network topology optimized for rapid dissemination of information, reducing the number of hops to synchronise the entire network which is essential for optimising the propagation of transactions from the edge of the network to the core mining nodes. In the context of BSV blockchain, this helps in significantly reducing the risk of double spend attacks and distributing the read load across Overlay Services while improving its resilience.
How do Overlay Networks function within the Mandala upgrade?
Overlay Networks are specialized layers that handle specific types of transactions or business functions, such as digital currencies, archival services, or financial instruments. They operate independently but connect to the core network for critical functions like submitting transactions, retrieving Merkle paths and double-spend checks, thereby enhancing performance without overloading the core.
Can you explain the role of Teranode in the Mandala upgrade?
Teranode is a new BSV blockchain node implementation featuring a modular microservice architecture capable of supporting millions of transactions per second. It is central software to form the complete graph at the centre of the Small World Network, ensuring that the network can handle high transaction volumes efficiently and is scalable to meet future demands.
What is the ARC, and how does it interact with SPV wallets and Teranode?
ARC is a proto-overlay service in that it functions as a transaction propagation and merkle path delivery service. It is like a generic Overlay Service which will not filter out any transactions, it will handle any valid transaction it’s sent. It ensures a default transaction broadcast endpoint is easily accessible to applications in absence of an Overlay specific to their needs.
What enhancements are brought by integrating SPV Wallets in the BSV Mandala network?
SPV Wallets in the Mandala enhance the network’s functionality by using Merkle proofs to verify the authenticity and integrity of transactions without requiring the full blockchain data. This feature allows Overlay Networks to manage their transactions efficiently while maintaining security and data integrity.
How does the BSV Mandala network facilitate private permissioned capabilities on a public permissionless blockchain?
The mandala upgrade allows businesses to create private ledgers within Overlay Networks for secure data management while interacting with the public blockchain through verified transactions. This setup maintains the security benefits of the public blockchain while providing the flexibility and privacy of private databases.
What is the Extended Format (EF)?
The Extended Format is an enhanced transaction structure that includes additional data elements like lockScript, lockScriptLength, and satoshi amount of each input committed to a transaction. These elements are crucial for nodes determining whether the unlockScript evaluates as true against the inputs lockScript, calculating the necessary fees and recreating the sighash preimage needed to verify signatures if the lockScript requires them. This format is part of the Mandala’s efforts to streamline data processing and reduce the computational load on transaction processors by ensuring that users maintain and pass crucial transaction data they would otherwise need to look up.
Learn more about the Mandala upgrade
BSV Blockchain announces Mandala upgrade
Mandala upgrade explained: Transforming BSV with microservices architecture
