LND 0.17.0 Beta Release: Taproot Channels and Faster Syncs

Posted about 1 year ago by LN+

Lightning Labs has ushered in an exciting update with the launch of LND 0.17.0 beta (see release notes). This version is packed with improvements, enhancing the user experience on the Lightning Network. Here’s a succinct overview of what’s new:

Introduction of Simple Taproot Channels

LND becomes the inaugural Lightning protocol to present Taproot channels, facilitating superior on-chain privacy and cost efficiency.
These channels merge the efficiency of Schnorr signatures with Taproot, making on-chain operations more space- and cost-efficient.
In the initial phase, these channels are unadvertised. Public Taproot channels are on the horizon with the development of Gossip 1.75.

Note: This feature is in the experimental phase. While users can use private Taproot channels for sending and receiving payments with hop hints, public payment routing isn't available yet.

Lightning Speeds with Neutrino

Neutrino, a Bitcoin light client tailored for mobile Lightning nodes, now syncs faster than ever.
Syncing nodes is now 400x quicker, thanks to improvements in filter fetching and storage. Filters are batch-fetched in groups of 1,000, slashing sync time.

Revamped Watchtowers

The new update introduces disk persistence for the watchtower client, minimizing memory usage and amplifying reliability.
Pending updates from removed tower sessions are now reallocated to other sessions, ensuring the consistent delivery of updates.

Looking Ahead

Upcoming versions promise more advancements based on Taproot Channels, such as Taproot Asset Channels and the integration of Gossip 1.75.
These developments hint at a brighter future for Bitcoin, merging the best of Taproot – privacy, cost-efficiency, and script versatility – with the Lightning Network.

Lightning Labs expresses immense gratitude towards the 30 external contributors who made this release possible. The community's continued feedback and engagement are pivotal in refining LND's offerings. To delve deeper into the release, check out the comprehensive release notes.

As the Lightning Network continues to evolve with Taproot integration, Bitcoin's prospects gleam brighter. Stay connected with Lightning Labs via LND Slack, Twitter, or by contributing to their PR. Remember, with Taproot channel integration, the future of Bitcoin is positively electric ⚡!