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- The IOTA Foundation is intensively working on the IOTA 2.0 node software, making significant strides towards true decentralization.
- The GoShimmer MVP release is likely scrapped to focus entirely on iota-core node software implementation.
The IOTA community is buzzing with excitement as the IOTA Foundation accelerates its work on the IOTA 2.0 node software. The primary focus is to usher in a new era of decentralization, a fundamental characteristic of blockchain networks.
Until now, IOTA’s operational base layer relied on Hornet, a node software that facilitated transactions through a centralized coordinator, which is now seen as a potential centralization risk. This spawned the inception of GoShimmer, a node software prototype designed to demonstrate the possibility of Coordicide – the process of disabling the coordinator. However, GoShimmer lacked several vital functionalities as compared to Hornet, primarily not supporting NFTs, L2 solutions, or native tokens due to the absence of the Stardust Virtual Machine.
As a testament to the advancements in the development of GoShimmer, the IOTA Foundation made a strategic decision to put the GoShimmer MVP release on hold and, instead, fully focus on developing iota-core, the new production-ready node software. Aiming to swiftly achieve a decentralized network, the iota-core implementation became a priority, despite potential debates about testing GoShimmer thoroughly before moving to iota-core.
While the GoShimmer MVP cancellation stirred a debate, the majority in the community supported the decision, acknowledging the expedited progress towards a fully decentralized network through the iota-core implementation.
But what is iota-core? It’s set to be the first-ever fully decentralized node software protocol for the mainnet, replacing Hornet and running the Shimmer network. Future plans also include powering the entire IOTA network. As of now, the iota-core implementation is a raw yet functional node software that continuously undergoes tooling and testing.
Simultaneously, efforts are underway to implement Mempool, an adjustment towards in-memory processing of node protocol parts, expected to significantly boost performance. The incorporation of Accounts and Mana on the UTXO level is another focal point of development, a move likely to manage network congestion and implement scarcity.
As the development progresses, the team is defining the core API structure around iota-core and adding the existing functionalities. Work is also ongoing to align Stardust-VM, Mempool, hornet ledger state, and the ConflictDAG.
Testing remains a crucial part of development, ensuring the successful implementation of each module. While testing might seem mundane, it is a pivotal step in the development process.
These updates reflect the tremendous effort the IOTA Foundation is investing into true decentralization. And while the path is strewn with technical complexities and strategic decisions, the journey towards a decentralized IOTA network continues, one node at a time.
