Oct 29, 2024

I've been thinking a bit on Bitcoin Core (really all bitcoind-based implementations). Obviously the above paints a bleak picture, and maybe Libbitcoin is showing that failure isn't necessary. I think that, realizing the performance issues but not realizing that they are implementation-based vs. inherent/necessary, has driven development in a certain direction for years. There are SPV wallets and pruning, but also "assume valid" and "assume utxo". It is becoming increasingly likely that few people will actually validate or be able to bootstrap others (really already the case). Development is moving toward greater and greater reliance on trust to as the only apparent solution.