Spectrum Network Roadmap 2024
Reflecting on a bustling 2023, our team is geared up for an even more dynamic year in 2024. In this article, we’re excited to unveil our ambitious plans for the Cardano and Ergo communities. A heartfelt thank you to all our supporters who share our belief in a decentralized and interconnected future.
Our focal point is the development of the Spectrum Network, a cutting-edge Layer 1 blockchain designed to address the interoperability problem. Spectrum Network empowers developers to build cross-chain applications, seamlessly leveraging the assets of interconnected blockchains. Secured by staking the SPF cross-chain token, the network’s consensus mechanism ensures robustness and reliability. Once launched on the mainnet, users can effortlessly send their SPF to the Spectrum Network, utilizing it as a native currency.
Within this article, you’ll discover our comprehensive development roadmap for 2024 and our overarching goals as an ecosystem.
2023 achievements
The year 2023 was a dedicated journey into the realm of research and strategic planning as we delved deep into understanding the intricate components of the Spectrum Network essential for realizing our ambitious cross-chain goals. Our relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation has propelled us through a series of significant milestones, each marking a crucial step forward in our mission.
We embarked on a comprehensive exploration, meticulously dissecting the intricate architecture of the Spectrum Network to discern the necessary elements for seamless integration across multiple chains. This involved extensive analysis, collaborative brainstorming, and the application of cutting-edge technologies to ensure the robustness and scalability of our network.
Let’s remember all of the work that has been done until this point.
☑️ Spectrum Network White Paper
In 2023, we wrapped up exploring Spectrum Network concepts, leading to the release of our detailed white paper. Delighted to share our vision, you can access it here. This document encapsulates our groundbreaking ideas, offering an in-depth look into Spectrum Network’s architecture and principles. Dive into the details that underpin our innovative blockchain ecosystem.
☑️ Networking Layer Implementation
We seamlessly integrated a robust networking layer, elevating communication within our blockchain. This marks a pivotal stride, establishing efficient data exchange among Spectrum Network nodes. Through careful design, we crafted protocols for peer-to-peer communication, node discovery, and data synchronization. The result is a sophisticated networking layer surpassing standards for performance, scalability, and resilience.
☑️ Peer Discovery Protocol Implementation
The Peer Discovery Protocol is key for nodes to effortlessly connect within Spectrum Network. Careful design and execution seamlessly integrated an efficient, secure mechanism for peer-to-peer connections, reinforcing network resilience. Having surpassed this milestone, we enhanced scalability and reliability while fostering cohesive communication among nodes, creating a decentralized and harmonious environment. Achieved through collaborative efforts, this milestone is pivotal to our vision.
☑️ Diffusion Protocol Implementation
The Diffusion Protocol facilitates seamless data propagation and synchronization among Spectrum Network nodes. Meticulously designed for efficiency, security, and scalability, it strengthens network foundations and sets the stage for a dynamic, interconnected, decentralized environment. Enhancing our network’s ability to disseminate data, the Diffusion Protocol fosters a cohesive, synchronized ecosystem.
☑️ Scalable Signature Aggregation Protocol Research and Implementation
The Scalable Signature Aggregation Protocol optimizes the verification process within Spectrum Network. Through rigorous research and meticulous implementation, we’ve reduced computational overhead while maintaining the highest security standards. Achieving this milestone fortified Spectrum Network foundations, laying the groundwork for a scalable, robust decentralized infrastructure.
☑️ On-Chain Lottery Implementation
We introduced a cutting-edge lottery-based mechanism, inspired by proven protocols like Ouroboros Praos and Algorand. Leveraging Elliptic Curve Verifiable Random Functions (ECVRF), it ensures a fair, transparent process for assigning roles within the consensus group. This On-Chain Lottery Implementation is crucial for the consensus layer, fostering fairness, security, and adaptability in Spectrum Network.
☑️ Transaction Ledger Implementation
The Transaction Ledger is the bedrock of our network, securely recording all transactions. This milestone reinforces blockchain integrity, providing a reliable, transparent ledger. Completed successfully, it fortifies Spectrum Network foundations, enhancing security, accountability, and the overall user experience.
☑️ Transfers of Assets from and out of Ergo Blockchain to Spectrum
We’ve successfully developed the Ergo Vault, a smart contract designed to function as a layer 1 asset storage solution during the bridging of assets to the Spectrum Network. Our team has executed seamless deposit and withdrawal transactions between Ergo and the Spectrum Network, showcasing the robustness of this pivotal component. This achievement marks a significant milestone, laying a solid foundation for replicating the same functionality on Cardano once Plutus V3, with BLS support, is released.
☑️ CLI interface for the Spectrum Network reference node
We care about the user experience. And we think it’s important to provide professional tools with a smooth interface. Without further ado, we just attach this screenshot from the command line terminal.
This terminal user interface is for Spectrum node operators to see all of the necessary data and metrics on one screen while executing cross-chain operations. Smooth and simple. Enjoy.
☑️ Initiate the separation of Spectrum Labs products
Our Lab is home to many cool open-source products that showcase our dedication to innovation. So far, they’ve all been part of the big Spectrum Finance family. But, we faced a challenge — telling the unique story of each product under this one umbrella brand. It led to some confusion because our products are pretty advanced, and explaining them needs a bit of effort.
Dealing with cutting-edge tech is not just about making cool things; it’s also about helping our community understand them. To make things clearer, we decided to simplify. Now, each major product — Spectrum Network, DEX on Cardano, and DEX on Ergo — gets its own name and brand. But don’t worry, they’re still under the care of Spectrum Labs.
Why this change? We believe it’s going to make things much easier. By giving each product its own identity, we hope to clear up confusion and help everyone get what we’re all about. This isn’t just for the folks who’ve been with us; it’s also for new friends joining in. We’re excited about this new branding adventure, and we’re sticking to our values of being transparent, innovative, and working towards a shared vision. We think this change will not only show our dedication but also spark more growth and community involvement in all our groundbreaking products.
Development Roadmap 2024
In the pursuit of Spectrum Network development, we have strategically organized our roadmap into three distinct phases, each playing a pivotal role in ensuring a robust and secure launch. The first two segments are imperative prerequisites for the testnet release, while the final stage is indispensable for the launch of the mainnet.
- Core Components Development: This initial phase focuses on the comprehensive development of all core components essential to the functionality and integrity of the network.
- Stress Testing: Following the completion of core components, we will embark on an intensive stress testing phase. This crucial step involves subjecting the network to various demanding scenarios to identify and rectify potential bugs, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
- Security Audit: The culminating phase involves a thorough security audit of the reference client. This meticulous examination aims to fortify the network against vulnerabilities, providing an additional layer of assurance and reliability before the mainnet launch.
By adhering to this structured approach, we aim to methodically address the intricacies of Spectrum Network development, ensuring that each phase is diligently completed before progressing to the next. This meticulous strategy not only enhances the overall quality of our network but also reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering a secure and reliable blockchain ecosystem for our community.
Core Components
Integral to the initiation of the Spectrum Network testnet are the core components, fundamental pieces of code that must be meticulously implemented.
Milestone 1. Cardano Vault
Vaults are crucial components for transferring assets from a Layer 1 blockchain to the Spectrum Network. The vault for Ergo has already been implemented successfully, with a test transaction performed. To implement the same vault for Cardano, BLS support in Plutus is necessary. Input Output, the company behind Cardano, aims to include it in the Plutus V3 release. Relevant code has already been merged into the main Plutus repository. Once the new version of Plutus is released, we will commence the implementation of the vault, mirroring what we have on Ergo.
Milestone 2. Default protocol design and implementation
The Default protocol manages epoch changes on the on-chain vault level when local committees fail to reach a consensus. This serves as an automated emergency system, ensuring the proper protocol functions even in edge-case events. Local committees, representing consensus layers for each connected chain, work to verify the correctness of the vault’s state. In this milestone, a new section should be added to the whitepaper, and the code should be pushed to the open-source Spectrum Network repository.
Milestone 3. Upgradability protocol design and implementation
The upgradability protocol is necessary for handling hard and soft forks on the active network. Forks represent a deviation from the existing blockchain, potentially creating a new branch with different rules. This protocol is a critical component to ensure the security and smooth functioning of the network.
Milestone 4. Computational model design and VM solution
This milestone involves decision-making on virtual machines and selecting the best solution that meets all developers’ needs. A virtual machine acts as an engine for smart contract execution. Instead of implementing the virtual machine ourselves, which could take years, we will adopt one of the best open-source solutions that have already undergone battle testing. Several options need testing and evaluation against specific criteria.
Milestone 5. Support programmable transactions
The final milestone is to integrate all components and enable the writing of smart contracts on top of the network. Writing smart contracts will empower developers to build natively cross-chain applications such as DEXes, lending, and borrowing protocols, and more.
Stress Test
After developing and reviewing all core components, we will initiate the stress testing process. This step is essential to ensure the network behaves as expected under high loads and potential edge cases that may arise during launch or throughout the network’s production life. Our goal is to guarantee network security even under extreme conditions.
Milestone 1. Infrastructure for testing
This milestone involves setting up an infrastructure comprising dozens of servers and server management software. The purpose is to keep these servers operational during testing. These machines will be used to deploy dozens and hundreds of test Spectrum nodes, simulating network operations under different conditions.
Milestone 2. Software for testing
To commence network testing, two key elements are necessary. Firstly, we need to develop custom software for automating reference node deployment. This software accelerates the testing process, allowing us to conduct tests more efficiently than manual node deployment. Secondly, a custom tool with a user interface and underlying functions is required to manage all nodes and monitor their performance. This telemetry tool tracks the status of deployed nodes and enables us to simulate various network conditions, including real-life edge cases.
Milestone 3. Network integration testing
This milestone involves combining the outcomes of the previous two milestones and conducting integration tests of the network based on pre-planned scenarios.
The testing results will be published in the Spectrum Network GitHub repo, and a comprehensive report will be shared with auditors to assist in identifying potential edge cases.
Security Audit
This section outlines the work regarding the security audit, with the full audit report expected as an output of this part of the plan execution. Below is a detailed plan for those interested:
Milestone 1. Schnorr-based threshold signature protocol
The Schnorr-based threshold signature protocol facilitates secure collaboration among a group of individuals in digitally signing a message without revealing their individual secret keys. For our implementation, the Ergo committee collectively employs this protocol to sign messages, ensuring a secure and confidential transfer of assets. The audit for this milestone will focus on reviewing the code implementation, cryptographic algorithms, and potential vulnerabilities in the Schnorr-based threshold signature protocol.
Milestone 2. BLS-based threshold signature protocol
Similar to the Schnorr-based protocol, the BLS-based threshold signature protocol plays a crucial role in securing the transfer of funds, specifically for the Cardano side of the system. The audit for this milestone will thoroughly examine the implementation, integration with the Cardano ecosystem, and potential security risks associated with the BLS-based threshold signature protocol.
Milestone 3. Transactional logic of the ledger
This milestone involves a comprehensive audit of the transactional logic within the ledger. The audit will scrutinize the codebase responsible for processing and validating transactions, ensuring that it adheres to established security best practices. Potential vulnerabilities, error handling, and transaction verification processes will be thoroughly reviewed to guarantee the robustness and security of the ledger’s transactional logic.
Milestone 4. Consensus protocol
The audit for the consensus protocol milestone will delve into the core mechanism that ensures agreement on the state of the ledger among network participants. This includes a detailed examination of the consensus algorithm, validation processes, and network communication protocols. The goal is to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities, ensuring the resilience and security of the network’s consensus protocol.
Milestone 5. Smart Contracts standard library
The standard library audit for smart contracts involves a meticulous review of all primitives and APIs used for writing smart contracts. This includes scrutinizing contract execution logic, input validation, and interaction with external dependencies. The audit aims to identify any potential vulnerabilities or security loopholes in the standard library, ensuring that smart contracts executed on the network are secure and operate as intended.
Non-tech goals
Merely developing a new technology is insufficient for its adoption and practical use in real-world scenarios. Therefore, alongside the development roadmap, it is crucial to delineate business development and marketing goals for the upcoming year.
We categorize these goals into the following four directions:
Goal 1. Minor branding update.
Promoting three products (2 DEXes and the Spectrum Network) under a single brand proved challenging. Consequently, we have decided to separate them. We identified that the complexity of the brand negatively impacted the perception of Spectrum Network as a product, with many users viewing it solely as a DEX. To rectify this, early next year, we will establish distinct brands for both Spectrum DEXes, reducing confusion and elevating Spectrum Network to the forefront of the Spectrum brand. This strategic move is essential for effectively marketing Spectrum Network and attracting targeted audiences, including developers and validators.
Goal 2. Update mediums and content creation.
Mediums are the channels through which end users comprehend the project and its value. Maintaining up-to-date mediums such as the website and documentation web-book is crucial to delivering the latest updates and knowledge to users. Acknowledging a lack of investment in this area last year, we plan to allocate more resources to enhance technology awareness and educate people. Our approach includes increasing the production of tweets and articles that explain the various components of the technology in simple language. Additionally, we will conduct a comprehensive overhaul of the website and documentation site to facilitate easy navigation and ensure both general users and technically advanced individuals quickly grasp the value provided by Spectrum Network.
Goal 3. Infrastructure for validators and developers.
As the network’s development cycle nears completion, a primary focus is attracting developers and validators. To establish the necessary infrastructure, we intend to create more tutorials, documentation, and guides covering the setup of network reference nodes and examples of writing smart contracts on Spectrum.
Conclusion
As we embark on the promising journey that is 2024, building on the vibrancy of 2023, we are thrilled to unveil our ambitious plans for the Cardano and Ergo communities. A sincere thank you to our supporters who stand by our vision of an interconnected decentralized future.
Our focal point remains the development of the Spectrum Network — a cutting-edge Layer 1 blockchain designed to tackle interoperability challenges head-on. This roadmap outlines our commitment to empowering developers, facilitating cross-chain applications, and establishing SPF as a native currency upon mainnet launch.
In 2024, our execution plan is crystal clear. We’ll progress through crucial milestones — from completing core components and robust stress tests to meticulous security audits. Beyond technology, our non-tech goals aim to refine branding, enhance communication channels, and provide invaluable support to developers and validators.
Thank you for being an integral part of the Spectrum Network community. Together, we look forward to executing this roadmap, pushing boundaries, and achieving milestones that will shape a decentralized future. The journey ahead promises innovation, collaboration, and the realization of our shared vision. Here’s to a transformative 2024 — our roadmap is set, and we are ready to make it a reality!
