bitcoin-dev

Updated BIP for OP_CAT

Updated BIP for OP_CAT

Original Postby Ali Sherief

Posted on: April 22, 2024 16:09 UTC

Ethan Heilman has introduced an update to the OP_CAT BIP proposal, which has sparked interest and suggestions for further enhancement.

Within the proposal, a point of discussion centers around the capability of OP_CAT scripts to support tree signatures involving up to a thousand public keys. However, there's feedback suggesting that including the theoretical limit of this feature might provide more clarity and utility to users. This detail, crucial for understanding the full potential of OP_CAT scripts in facilitating complex signature schemes, is currently only accessible through an external reference to Blockstream's website. The concern here is that relying on external links, which may become unavailable over time, could obscure important information.

Further discourse on the topic suggests that tree signatures, given their practical applications, possess the potential to evolve beyond an intriguing concept into a fully realized Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP). This progression would signify a transition from being a novel idea capable of gaining attention on platforms like Stacker News to becoming an integral part of Bitcoin's technical framework.

In response to these discussions, updates to the OP_CAT BIP proposal have been implemented. These include the addition of a rationale section aimed at providing deeper insights into the proposal's intent and benefits, an expanded section on backwards compatibility to address potential concerns related to integrating with existing systems, and an updated reference implementation. The updated proposal can be accessed through a pull request made to the bitcoin/bips repository (link) and as BINANA BIN-2024-0001 (link). These modifications aim to enhance the comprehensiveness and accessibility of the proposal, ensuring that it is well-understood and evaluated by the broader community.