Eliminating Limit on OP_RETURN Function in Upcoming Bitcoin Core Update
Rewritten Version:
The Bitcoin Core team has announced that the imminent software release will eliminate the 80-byte restriction on OP_RETURN transaction outputs, causing a stir in the crypto world.
People are expressing concerns about this move.
OP_RETURN Lost Its Relevance
In a May 5 GitHub post, Bitcoin developer Gregory Sanders stated, "Bitcoin Core's next release will default to relaying and mining transactions whose OP_RETURN outputs surpass 80 bytes."
Sanders elaborated that the 80-byte limit, initially intended as a gentle hint for sparse use of non-payment proof of publication data, has become outdated.
OP_RETURN is a type of Bitcoin transaction output that permits small data amounts to be inscribed on the blockchain. Unlike regular outputs, they remain unspendable, thus not contributing to unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs).
The developers highlighted that many private mining accelerators disregard the cap, and users often develop workarounds. Rather than halting misuse, they discovered that data is embedded in more intricate ways, like creating fake output public keys or employing spendable scripts to mask data. This makes the network more complex and less efficient.
Sanders also made it clear that lifting the restriction won't compromise Bitcoin's security. Rules such as the 4 million weight unit block limit and other safeguards remain intact. However, the change does offer benefits like a tidier UTXO set and consistent behavior across the network.
They scrutinized three options before making a decision: maintaining the cap, raising it, or completely eradicating it. According to Sanders, the third option received a "broad, yet not unanimous" endorsement.
Community Dispute
This announcement has instigated debate in the crypto community. Bitcoin Knots maintainer Luke Dashjr deemed the removal "utter insanity." On May 5, Bitcoiner Samson Mow said users "are free to refuse upgrading and remain on v0.29.0 or opt for another implementation," referring to Knots.
Detractors also contended that the proposal was put forward without a systematic decision-making process. "There's no consensus on this OP_RETURN issue yet," asserted Marty Bent, managing partner at Ten31 Fund.
On the other hand, Sanders defends the removal of the cap as in line with Bitcoin's ethos of "minimal and transparent rules."
Despite his reassurances, the community is still divided. "This signifies a major change in the trajectory of Bitcoin," warned one GitHub commentator. "This is the gravest mistake Core could commit now," added another.
- The decision by the Bitcoin Core team to eliminate the 80-byte restriction on OP_RETURN transaction outputs in the upcoming software release, a move that has been met with concern, is seen as a shift in the use of crypto technology and blockchain, as it allows for larger data amounts to be inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain, a function previously served by mining crypto like bitcoin.
- The proposed removal of the cap on OP_RETURN outputs has sparked a dispute within the crypto community, with some, like Bitcoin Knots maintainer Luke Dashjr, viewing it as "utter insanity," while others, like Bitcoin developer Gregory Sanders, advocate for it as aligning with the ethos of minimal and transparent rules in Bitcoin technology.
