diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 741700576..04db0a7be 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,17 +1,19 @@ -# Lighthouse: an Ethereum 2.0 client +# Lighthouse: an Ethereum Serenity client [![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 +A work-in-progress, open-source implementation of the Serenity Beacon Chain, maintained by Sigma Prime. +The "Serenity" project is also known as "Ethereum 2.0" or "Shasper". + ## Introduction This readme is split into two major sections: - [Lighthouse Client](#lighthouse-client): information about this implementation. -- [What is Ethereum 2.0](#what-is-ethereum-20): an introduction to Ethereum 2.0. +- [What is Ethereum Serenity](#what-is-ethereum-serenity): an introduction to Ethereum Serenity. If you'd like some background on Sigma Prime, please see the [Lighthouse Update \#00](https://lighthouse.sigmaprime.io/update-00.html) blog post or the @@ -19,10 +21,10 @@ 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 +Lighthouse is an open-source Ethereum Serenity client that is currently under +development. Designed as a Serenity-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 +on Ethereum Serenity 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 @@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ present-Ethereum functionality. 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. +open-source Ethereum Serenity client. In addition to implementing a new client, the project seeks to maintain and improve the Ethereum protocol wherever possible. @@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ 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 + verify BLS aggregate signatures. BLS signatures are core to Serenity 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 @@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ by the team: #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 +- **P2P networking**: Serenity 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. @@ -93,11 +95,11 @@ 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 +heavily on contributions from the community. Building Ethereum Serenity 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 +If you would like to learn more about Ethereum Serenity and/or [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/), we are more than happy to on-board you and assign you some tasks. We aim to be as accepting and understanding as possible; we are more than happy to up-skill contributors in exchange for their @@ -176,13 +178,17 @@ The best place for discussion is the [sigp/lighthouse gitter](https://gitter.im/ Ping @paulhauner or @AgeManning to get the quickest response. -# What is Ethereum 2.0 +# What is Ethereum Serenity -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 +Ethereum Serenity refers to a new blockchain system currently under development by +the Ethereum Foundation and the Ethereum community. The Serenity blockchain consists of 1,025 proof-of-stake blockchains. This includes the "beacon chain" and 1,024 "shard chains". +Ethereum Serenity is also known as "Ethereum 2.0" and "Shasper". We prefer +Serenity as it more accurately reflects the established Ethereum roadmap (plus +we think it's a nice name). + ## Beacon Chain The concept of a beacon chain differs from existing blockchains, such as @@ -227,21 +233,21 @@ reference a PoW block hash allowing PoW clients to use the beacon chain as a source of [Casper FFG finality](https://arxiv.org/abs/1710.09437), if desired. It is a requirement that ETH can move freely between shard chains, as well as between -Eth 2.0 and present-Ethereum blockchains. The exact mechanics of these transfers remain +Serenity and present-Ethereum blockchains. The exact mechanics of these transfers remain an active topic of research and their details are yet to be confirmed. -## Ethereum 2.0 Progress +## Ethereum Serenity Progress -Ethereum 2.0 is not fully specified and a working implementation does not yet +Ethereum Serenity 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 +The work-in-progress Serenity specification lives [here](https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/blob/master/specs/casper_sharding_v2.1.md) in the [ethereum/eth2.0-specs](https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs) repository. The spec is still in a draft phase, however there are several teams -basing their Eth 2.0 implementations upon it while the Ethereum Foundation research +basing their Serenity implementations upon it while the Ethereum Foundation research team continue to fill in the gaps. There is active discussion about the specification in the [ethereum/sharding](https://gitter.im/ethereum/sharding) gitter channel. A proof-of-concept implementation in Python is available at