DashCore v22.0 Product Brief

DashCore v22.0 is a major release and will be a mandatory upgrade for all masternodes, miners, and users. Version 22.0 introduces several features and improvements to Dash, including network efficiency gains, improved network privacy, and numerous enhancements through Bitcoin backports. Below are a few key highlights of this release. Comprehensive details will be found in the release notes.

Since this release includes a consensus change, it is a hard fork and will be activated using the enhanced hard fork process.

Release Highlights

Network privacy

To improve censorship resistance and mitigate network partitioning risks, Dash Core nodes connected to the onion network now aim to maintain at least two outbound onion connections and protect these connections from eviction. As a result of the low percentage of gossiped addresses being onion nodes, it was often the case where, unless you specify `onlynet=onion`, a node would rarely, if ever, establish any outbound onion connections. This change ensures that nodes accessing the onion network maintain a few onion connections. As a result, network messages will continue to propagate across the network even if non-onion IPv4 traffic is blocked, reducing the risk of partitioning. Note: only nodes connected to the onion network are affected by this update. 

Network Efficiency

Compressed block header requests

The maximum number of compressed block headers that can be requested at once has been increased from 2000 to 8000. This change is expected to reduce blockchain synchronization times for clients using compressed block headers since they will be able to obtain headers faster.

DSQ Message

To reduce bandwidth usage, the DSQ message is broadcast using the inventory system instead of relaying to all connected peers. While this should reduce the bandwidth needs for all nodes, the effect will be most noticeable on highly connected masternodes.

Platform withdrawals

Platform withdrawal processing has been updated to accept withdrawal transactions from more Platform quorums. Previously, transactions were only accepted if signed by one of the first two active quorums. With this change, withdrawals can be signed by any of the valid quorums. 

Integration Partner Notes

DashCore v22.0 is a mandatory update due to updates in the Platform withdrawal process. Once the release is available in the coming days, all integration partners should immediately review the Release Notes to become familiar with the release details and begin the update process.

In addition to the hard fork that will occur with v22.0, some important fixes and optimizations will not be backported to v21.0. It is important to verify compatibility with particular attention to 1) RPC changes, 2) command-line option updates, and 3) Bitcoin backports.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Changes

DashCore v22.0 introduces new RPC commands, and may deprecate or remove RPC commands. For additional details on these, please refer to the release notes.

Command-line Options

A number of command-line option changes were made. For additional details on these, please refer to the release notes.

Bitcoin Backports

We have backported over one hundred items from Bitcoin v22.0-v24.0 which are included in DashCore v22.0. In addition, select items have been backported from Bitcoin v25.0 and v26.0.

What is Dash?

Dash is a global payments network with its own cryptocurrency offering businesses and individuals instant payments for less than a cent per transaction. We aim to provide users with a better way to pay and get paid. Dash Core Group is rolling out a series of upgrades to our system dubbed “Evolution” to make Dash the most user-friendly blockchain-based payment and Web3 application platform in the world.

Author: thephez