The Zcash Arborist Calls are bi-weekly protocol development meetings focused on tracking upcoming protocol deployment logistics, consensus node implementation issues, and protocol research.
This summary focuses on the last call that took place on 10/17/2024
Zcashd 6.0.0 has been released with support for NU6 - Upgrade Now!
zcashd 5.1.0 series will end of service halt November 5th.
The new release of @zashi_app is now available! Major new feature is a minimal note management feature so that users wallets can have a mix of notes enabling back to back transactions! → x.om/ElectricCoinCo/status/1848426232435691728
@thecodebuffet started outreach to block explorers with the purpose of understanding RPC requirements for service using Zebra instead of zcashd.
He is also taking on a development task on librustzcash + zcashd deprecation DAG to be updated soon.
The outreach team is also working with @chainsafeth as theyre contributing on the in-memory wallet side of zcashd wallet deprecation.
Arlo from @ZingoLab noting they are working on a test framework which will show functionality between lightwalletd / Zaino to ensure they match.
They will finish building all of the lightwalletd functionality in Zaino over the next couple of weeks at which point they will move onto integrating properly with the read state service in Zebra.
Zcash Shielded Assets | Updates
Asset Swaps changes to ZIPs are continuing, @qeditzkp completed a first draft of changes to the Orchard Crate that are necessary for ZSA swaps!
On the ZSA protocol & v6 Transaction format, work has concluded on the Orchard + librustzcash crates.
Team now working on Zebra.
Two main Zcash Shielded Asset priorities going forward:
Adding consensus rule verification.
Updates to global state to account for data stored for ZSAs.
The ZSA Transaction Acceptance initial design work has been done and expected be formalised in the coming weeks!
FROST | Updates
Encryption authentication has now been added to the FROST server, code cleanup being the final piece before server is production ready.
@conradoplg has reviewed contributor PRs, FROST v2.0.0 release imminent! Another area still in-progress being the refresh shares functionality.
To improve community's understanding of what Zcash Sustainability Fund (ZSF) is & its function, a name change is required.
The NSM is not a fund - it's an upgrade to the current issuance mechanism enabling ZEC to be removed from circulation & recreated as future block rewards.
As a result of this change, ZIP-233 no longer refers to deposits or distributions and instead uses terms 'Mint' & 'Burn'.
Trailing Finality Layer | Updates
@FeministPLT made a new discovery - finding it possible to improve the security proof for Crosslink 2 halving the finalization latency for the same security
The document with trade offs and goals for Shielded Labs' first deployment of Crosslink is now a short list of items.
@zooko requesting people use @ShieldedLabs GitHub as the way to solicit feedback on Crosslink.
A comment period will open as soon as document is uploaded to the GitHub - comments closing on October 31st.
In discussion between @Nate_ZEC and @FeministPLT, the potential of test mode for Crosslink was mentioned.
Discussion then moved to a new attack vector being possibility for the chain to be halted.
It was clarified that part of the rationale for using a BFT protocol is that halting is better than long rollbacks leading to stolen funds.
Discussion then moved to a new attack vector being possibility for the chain to be halted. It was clarified that part of the rationale for using a BFT protocol is that halting is better than long rollbacks leading to stolen funds.
Into Open Discussion, @thecodebuffet had a meeting with @ZcashCommGrants with the intention to figure out a better structure for development heavy grants such that more incentives exist to develop & also contribute upstream.
Finally, @nuttycom calling everyone's attention to the NU7 ZIP deadlines & timeline. All ZIPs must be semantically stable and in pull request by November 5th!
