lightning-dev

SCIDADDRESS - a new address format?

Original Postby Andrea Raspitzu

Posted on: December 27, 2023 10:48 UTC

Andrea has introduced a concept for a new address format designed to enhance user experience in sending and receiving payments among Lightning Network wallets.

Termed SCIDADDRESS, this proposal is not aimed at becoming a new BOLT or an official part of the specifications, but rather serves as an innovative approach seeking feedback from developers and wallet implementors.

The essence of SCIDADDRESS lies in its use of a directed short channel ID in conjunction with a channel_announcement to facilitate the discovery of a recipient's node-id, which then allows for the initiation of a keysend payment to the recipient. This system promises to be a significant improvement in usability, particularly for mobile wallet applications, owing to its reusability and succinctness that make it easy to remember and communicate verbally. One of the notable advantages of this method is that it eliminates the need to operate a web server or rely on third-party services.

For those interested in a more detailed understanding of the SCIDADDRESS and its potential benefits, Andrea has provided a comprehensive description along with a frequently asked questions section, available at the provided link: https://gist.github.com/araspitzu/415876f8bffd90a9d7d6b46a41b8914c. The development and refinement of this new address format are envisioned to streamline the user interface of mobile wallets and similar platforms by simplifying the transaction process.