From 9cefeadef1bd6e1521445c33d5e3357ccfc593da Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Luke Anderson Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2018 12:42:11 +1100 Subject: [PATCH] File formatting change, fixing long lines and adding minor adjustments. --- README.md | 140 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------------- 1 file changed, 73 insertions(+), 67 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 48317f162e..7417005763 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/sigp/lighthouse.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/sigp/lighthouse) [![Gitter](https://badges.gitter.im/Join%20Chat.svg)](https://gitter.im/sigp/lighthouse?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge) -A work-in-progress, open-source implementation of the Ethereum 2.0 Beacon Chain, maintained -by Sigma Prime. +A work-in-progress, open-source implementation of the Ethereum 2.0 Beacon +Chain, maintained by Sigma Prime. ## Introduction @@ -19,24 +19,24 @@ If you'd like some background on Sigma Prime, please see the [Lighthouse Update ## Lighthouse Client -Lighthouse is an open-source Ethereum 2.0 client that is currently under development. -Designed as an Ethereum 2.0-only client, Lighthouse will not re-implement the existing -proof-of-work protocol. Maintaining a forward-focus on Ethereum 2.0 ensures -that Lighthouse avoids reproducing the high-quality work already undertaken -by existing projects. As such, Lighthouse will -connect to existing clients, such as +Lighthouse is an open-source Ethereum 2.0 client that is currently under +development. Designed as an Ethereum 2.0-only client, Lighthouse will not +re-implement the existing proof-of-work protocol. Maintaining a forward-focus +on Ethereum 2.0 ensures that Lighthouse avoids reproducing the high-quality +work already undertaken by existing projects. As such, Lighthouse will connect +to existing clients, such as [Geth](https://github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum) or [Parity-Ethereum](https://github.com/paritytech/parity-ethereum), via RPC to enable present-Ethereum functionality. ### Goals -The purpose of this project is to further research and development towards a secure, -efficient, and decentralized Ethereum protocol, facilitated by a new open-source -Ethereum 2.0 client. +The purpose of this project is to further research and development towards a +secure, efficient, and decentralized Ethereum protocol, facilitated by a new +open-source Ethereum 2.0 client. -In addition to implementing a new client, the project seeks to maintain and improve -the Ethereum protocol wherever possible. +In addition to implementing a new client, the project seeks to maintain and +improve the Ethereum protocol wherever possible. ### Components @@ -45,30 +45,32 @@ by the team: - **BLS cryptography**: Lighthouse presently use the [Apache Milagro](https://milagro.apache.org/) cryptography library to create and -verify BLS aggregate signatures. BLS signatures are core to Eth 2.0 as they -allow the signatures of many validators to be compressed into a constant 96 -bytes and efficiently verified. The Lighthouse project is presently maintaining its own [BLS -aggregates library](https://github.com/sigp/signature-schemes), gratefully -forked from [@lovesh](https://github.com/lovesh). + verify BLS aggregate signatures. BLS signatures are core to Eth 2.0 as they + allow the signatures of many validators to be compressed into a constant 96 + bytes and efficiently verified. The Lighthouse project is presently + maintaining its own [BLS aggregates + library](https://github.com/sigp/signature-schemes), gratefully forked from + [@lovesh](https://github.com/lovesh). - **DoS-resistant block pre-processing**: Processing blocks in proof-of-stake is more resource intensive than proof-of-work. As such, clients need to -ensure that bad blocks can be rejected as efficiently as possible. At present, -blocks having 10 million ETH staked can be processed in 0.006 seconds, and -invalid blocks are rejected even more quickly. See -[issue #103](https://github.com/ethereum/beacon_chain/issues/103) on -[ethereum/beacon_chain](https://github.com/ethereum/beacon_chain). + ensure that bad blocks can be rejected as efficiently as possible. At + present, blocks having 10 million ETH staked can be processed in 0.006 + seconds, and invalid blocks are rejected even more quickly. See [issue + #103](https://github.com/ethereum/beacon_chain/issues/103) on + [ethereum/beacon_chain](https://github.com/ethereum/beacon_chain). . - **P2P networking**: Eth 2.0 will likely use the [libp2p framework](https://libp2p.io/). Lighthouse aims to work alongside [Parity](https://www.parity.io/) to ensure [libp2p-rust](https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p) is fit-for-purpose. - **Validator duties** : The project involves development of "validator - services" for users who wish to stake ETH. To fulfill their duties, validators -require a consistent view of the chain and the ability to vote upon blocks from both shard -and beacon chains. -- **New serialization formats**: Lighthouse is working alongside researchers from the Ethereum Foundation - to develop *simpleserialize*, a purpose-built serialization format for sending -information across a network. Check out the [SSZ + services" for users who wish to stake ETH. To fulfill their duties, + validators require a consistent view of the chain and the ability to vote + upon blocks from both shard and beacon chains. +- **New serialization formats**: Lighthouse is working alongside researchers + from the Ethereum Foundation to develop *simpleserialize* (SSZ), a + purpose-built serialization format for sending information across a network. + Check out the [SSZ implementation](https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse/tree/master/beacon_chain/utils/ssz) and this [research](https://github.com/sigp/serialization_sandbox/blob/report/report/serialization_report.md) @@ -79,8 +81,8 @@ select a canonical chain in the case of a fork. - **Efficient state transition logic**: State transition logic governs updates to the validator set as validators log in/out, penalizes/rewards validators, rotates validators across shards, and implements other core tasks. -- **Fuzzing and testing environments**: Implementation of lab -environments with continuous integration (CI) workflows, providing automated security analysis. +- **Fuzzing and testing environments**: Implementation of lab environments with + continuous integration (CI) workflows, providing automated security analysis. In addition to these components we are also working on database schemas, RPC frameworks, specification development, database optimizations (e.g., @@ -91,9 +93,9 @@ bloom-filters), and tons of other interesting stuff (at least we think so). **Lighthouse welcomes contributors with open-arms.** Layer-1 infrastructure is a critical component for the ecosystem and relies -heavily on contributions from the community. Building Ethereum 2.0 is a huge task and we -refuse to conduct an inappropriate ICO or charge licensing fees. Instead, we -fund development through grants and support from Sigma Prime. +heavily on contributions from the community. Building Ethereum 2.0 is a huge +task and we refuse to conduct an inappropriate ICO or charge licensing fees. +Instead, we fund development through grants and support from Sigma Prime. If you would like to learn more about Ethereum 2.0 and/or [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/), we are more than happy to on-board you @@ -117,9 +119,9 @@ your support! **NOTE: The cryptography libraries used in this implementation are experimental. As such all cryptography is assumed to be insecure.** -This code-base is still very much under-development and does not provide any user-facing -functionality. For developers and researchers, there are several tests and benchmarks -which may be of interest. +This code-base is still very much under-development and does not provide any +user-facing functionality. For developers and researchers, there are several +tests and benchmarks which may be of interest. To run tests, use: @@ -142,16 +144,18 @@ Lighthouse aims to produce many small easily-tested components, each separated into individual crates wherever possible. Generally, tests can be kept in the same file, as is typical in Rust. -Integration tests should be placed in the `tests` directory in the crate's root. -Particularity large (line-count) tests should be placed into a separate file. +Integration tests should be placed in the `tests` directory in the crate's +root. Particularity large (line-count) tests should be placed into a separate +file. -A function is not considered complete until a test exists for it. We produce tests to protect -against regression (accidentally breaking things) and to provide examples that -help readers of the code base understand how functions should (or should not) be used. +A function is not considered complete until a test exists for it. We produce +tests to protect against regression (accidentally breaking things) and to +provide examples that help readers of the code base understand how functions +should (or should not) be used. -Each pull request is to be reviewed by at least one "core developer" (i.e., someone with -write-access to the repository). This helps to ensure bugs are detected, consistency is maintained, -and responsibility of errors is dispersed. +Each pull request is to be reviewed by at least one "core developer" (i.e., +someone with write-access to the repository). This helps to ensure bugs are +detected, consistency is maintained, and responsibility of errors is dispersed. Discussion must be respectful and intellectual. Have fun and make jokes, but always respect the limits of other people. @@ -174,19 +178,20 @@ Ping @paulhauner or @AgeManning to get the quickest response. # What is Ethereum 2.0 -Ethereum 2.0 refers to a new blockchain system currently under development -by the Ethereum Foundation and the Ethereum community. The Ethereum 2.0 blockchain -consists of 1,025 proof-of-stake blockchains. This includes the "beacon chain" and 1,024 -"shard chains". +Ethereum 2.0 refers to a new blockchain system currently under development by +the Ethereum Foundation and the Ethereum community. The Ethereum 2.0 blockchain +consists of 1,025 proof-of-stake blockchains. This includes the "beacon chain" +and 1,024 "shard chains". ## Beacon Chain -The concept of a beacon chain differs from existing blockchains, such as Bitcoin and -Ethereum, in that it doesn't process transactions per se. Instead, it -maintains a set of bonded (staked) validators and coordinates these to provide -services to a static set of *sub-blockchains* (i.e. shards). Each of these shard blockchains -processes normal transactions (e.g. "Transfer 5 ETH from A to B") in parallel whilst deferring -consensus mechanisms to the beacon chain. +The concept of a beacon chain differs from existing blockchains, such as +Bitcoin and Ethereum, in that it doesn't process transactions per se. Instead, +it maintains a set of bonded (staked) validators and coordinates these to +provide services to a static set of *sub-blockchains* (i.e. shards). Each of +these shard blockchains processes normal transactions (e.g. "Transfer 5 ETH +from A to B") in parallel whilst deferring consensus mechanisms to the beacon +chain. Major services provided by the beacon chain to its shards include the following: @@ -202,19 +207,20 @@ Major services provided by the beacon chain to its shards include the following: Shards are analogous to CPU cores - they're a resource where transactions can execute in series (one-after-another). Presently, Ethereum is single-core and -can only _fully_ process one transaction at a time. Sharding allows processing of multiple -transactions simultaneously, greatly increasing the per-second +can only _fully_ process one transaction at a time. Sharding allows processing +of multiple transactions simultaneously, greatly increasing the per-second transaction capacity of Ethereum. -Each shard uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism and shares its validators (stakers) with other -shards. The beacon chain rotates validators pseudo-randomly between different shards. -Shards will likely be the basis of layer-2 transaction -processing schemes, however, that is not in scope of this discussion. +Each shard uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism and shares its validators +(stakers) with other shards. The beacon chain rotates validators +pseudo-randomly between different shards. Shards will likely be the basis of +layer-2 transaction processing schemes, however, that is not in scope of this +discussion. ## The Proof-of-Work Chain -The present-Ethereum proof-of-work (PoW) chain will host a smart contract that enables accounts to deposit 32 -ETH, a BLS public key, and some [other +The present-Ethereum proof-of-work (PoW) chain will host a smart contract that +enables accounts to deposit 32 ETH, a BLS public key, and some [other parameters](https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/blob/master/specs/casper_sharding_v2.1.md#pow-chain-changes), allowing them to become beacon chain validators. Each beacon chain will reference a PoW block hash allowing PoW clients to use the beacon chain as a @@ -226,10 +232,10 @@ an active topic of research and their details are yet to be confirmed. ## Ethereum 2.0 Progress -Ethereum 2.0 is not fully specified and a working implementation does not yet exist. Some -teams have demos available which indicate progress, but do not constitute a complete product. -We look forward to providing user functionality once we are ready to provide a -minimum-viable user experience. +Ethereum 2.0 is not fully specified and a working implementation does not yet +exist. Some teams have demos available which indicate progress, but do not +constitute a complete product. We look forward to providing user functionality +once we are ready to provide a minimum-viable user experience. The work-in-progress Eth 2.0 specification lives [here](https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/blob/master/specs/casper_sharding_v2.1.md)