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Deterministic tx selection for censorship resistance

Deterministic tx selection for censorship resistance

Original Postby mcelrath

Posted on: January 6, 2025 18:36 UTC

The discussion revolves around the implementation and operational dynamics of Braidpool, focusing on its unique approach to transaction (tx) handling and block template generation within a blockchain framework.

The primary motivation behind the design of Braidpool is to streamline the process of block validation and transmission by leveraging a deterministic block template strategy. This innovative method aims to eliminate the need for transmitting or validating transactions repeatedly, as they would have already been addressed in the Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) parents, thereby significantly enhancing efficiency, especially given the rapid pace at which share-chain blocks might be processed, potentially as swiftly as every 250 milliseconds.

Braidpool's stance on tx acceptance rules reflects a balanced perspective aimed at circumventing the extremes of overly restrictive or permissive policies observed in other systems, such as OCEAN and Knots. It emphasizes a liberal yet prudent approach towards the types of transactions it will support, indicating a willingness to accommodate a wide array of tx types without veering into the domain of facilitating censorship or enabling controversial uses, like preventing donations from one country to another or the inclusion of non-standard data (graffiti, runes, BRC-20 tokens). This philosophy underscores the intent to provide a platform that is both inclusive and adaptable, ensuring that users with specific needs or preferences regarding tx inclusion can either modify the existing codebase to suit their requirements or opt for solo mining as an alternative pathway.

Furthermore, the discussion touches upon the broader implications of these design choices for censorship resistance, tx diversity (including parasitic assets), and the overall governance of Braidpool. By setting its tx acceptance criteria between the conventional Bitcoin P2P rules and the stricter block rules, Braidpool aims to carve out a niche that respects the foundational principles of blockchain technology while also offering flexibility and resistance against misuse. The acknowledgment that certain users may wish to exclude specific transactions indicates a recognition of the diverse ecosystem Braidpool intends to serve, suggesting that the platform's development trajectory will be guided by considerations that balance innovation with ethical and practical constraints.

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