diff --git a/documentation/en/payment-channels.md b/documentation/en/payment-channels.md index b1729dc47..44f9affd9 100644 --- a/documentation/en/payment-channels.md +++ b/documentation/en/payment-channels.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ Payment channels are used to transfer funds between two actors. -In lotus a payment channel is created when a client wants to fetch data from a provider. +For example in lotus a payment channel is created when a client wants to fetch data from a provider. The client sends vouchers for the payment channel, and the provider sends data in response. The payment channel is created on-chain with an initial amount. @@ -15,9 +15,11 @@ Collect sends the value of submitted vouchers to the channel recipient (the prov Vouchers have a lane, a nonce and a value, where vouchers with a higher nonce supersede vouchers with a lower nonce in the same lane. Each deal is created on a different lane. +Note that payment channels and vouchers can be used for any situation in which two parties need to incrementally transfer value between each other off-chain. + ## Using the CLI -For example a client creates a payment channel to a provider with value 10. +For example a client creates a payment channel to a provider with value 10 FIL. ```sh $ lotus paych get 10 @@ -56,7 +58,9 @@ $ lotus paych get 5 # Same address as above. Channel now has 15 ``` -Once the client has received all their data, they settle the channel. +Once the client has received all their data, they may settle the channel. +Note that settlement doesn't have to be done immediately. +For example the client may keep the channel open as long as it wants to continue making deals with the provider. ```sh $ lotus paych settle