Bithoven: A Formally Verified, Imperative Smart Contract Language for Bitcoin

This move is designed to facilitate ease of use for developers while adhering to the stringent safety requirements critical for Bitcoin Script operations. The primary objective here is to enable the creation of code that is both safe and optimized without compromising on the familiar control structures developers are accustomed to. Bithoven employs an LR(1) parser and static analysis techniques to ensure type safety and address common security vulnerabilities, such as unauthorized spending without a signature. Its compiler is crafted to efficiently manage stack operations and optimize opcodes to support various Bitcoin address formats, including legacy, segwit, and taproot. A notable focus has been placed on preventing undefined behavior through formal definition of the language's semantics and validation of its safety, which is extensively documented in a paper available on arXiv.

Bithoven’s approach to handling conditional paths, such as those found in HTLC scenarios, illustrates the language's capability to guide the compiler through explicit stack input definitions and conditional logic, enforcing transaction rules like timelocks and signature verifications. The design philosophy advocates for a clean stack post-operation, aligning closely with Bitcoin Script's operational principles but striving for increased accessibility and expression. Resources to support Bithoven’s growth and community engagement include a GitHub repository, Web IDE, official documentation, and a formal verification paper, inviting feedback and collaboration from developers.

The discussion extends into examining the potential of using a specific compiler as an alternative for implementing STARK proofs and transaction introspection with OP_CAT, combined with Schnorr tricks. This exploration indicates a curiosity about leveraging the compiler's capabilities for cryptographic operations and smart contract functionalities, suggesting a broader dialogue within the programming and cryptocurrency communities on finding efficient, secure, and less disruptive methods for these complex techniques.

The development of Bithoven v0.0.1 emphasizes mainnet safety and strict adherence to SegWit/Taproot protocols, currently sidelining experimental opcodes like OP_CAT. Plans are underway to make syntax more intuitive, especially for handling Merkle paths, by redefining the + operator to serve dual purposes based on the context, thus simplifying verification processes. While Schnorr Introspection remains unimplemented, there's openness to exploring it, indicating a collaborative effort towards refining the compiler's experimental branch based on real-world use cases.

A pivotal question arises regarding the simplification of covenant formalization and its impact on introspection capabilities within systems. This concern underscores the challenge of balancing simplification with the necessity of comprehensive introspection for verification and analysis. Additionally, a collaborative potential is highlighted between Bithoven’s work and a project focused on formalizing state-bound assets on Bitcoin through the 'W' protocol, pointing to Bithoven’s critical role in addressing challenges related to introspection and MAST-binding covenants.

Lastly, Bithoven does not restrict access to witness data, providing more flexibility than Simplicity, albeit with certain limitations on manual stack management due to its strong emphasis on static analysis for safety. Despite these restrictions, there's a proposal for a simplified introspection implementation, demonstrating Bithoven's deliberate design choice to balance expressiveness with analyzability, even if it limits some covenant-style use cases. This strategic positioning reflects a nuanced understanding of the trade-offs involved in developing a smart contract language that prioritizes safety and efficiency.