Mina Protocol is on the cusp of introducing a major upgrade to its mainnet. This upgrade promises to revolutionize the Mina ecosystem by introducing powerful ZK (Zero-Knowledge) smart contracts, paving the way for increased community engagement and a slew of innovative products built upon the Mina blockchain.
A major upgrade is coming to Mina soon 👀
TLDR — it’s bringing powerful ZK smart contracts to mainnet which will substantially increase community activity and products built using Mina.
Here is everything you need to know ↓
Key Features of the Upgrade:
➡️ Easier zkApp…— Mina Protocol 🪶 (@MinaProtocol) September 8, 2023
The core features of this imminent upgrade are set to propel Mina Protocol to new heights in the blockchain space. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect:
Easier zkApp Programmability with o1js: Previously known as “SnarkyJS,” o1js is a TypeScript library that empowers developers to write ZK smart contracts with greater ease and efficiency. This enhancement aims to make zkApp development a more accessible endeavor for a wider range of developers.
Enhanced Security and Efficiency with Kimchi: The introduction of Kimchi represents a new proof system that is poised to fortify the security and efficiency of Mina’s smart contracts. This development is vital for ensuring the safety and reliability of the ecosystem.
Removal of Supercharged Rewards: While supercharged rewards provided a temporary incentive for staking adoption during the early stages of mainnet, they will now be phased out as the network matures. This strategic move is part of Mina’s ongoing effort to maintain a balanced and sustainable ecosystem.
Importantly, these features were not dictated from the top down but were instead proposed and voted on by the vibrant and engaged Mina community, showcasing the decentralized nature of the project.
The road to this momentous upgrade has been marked by rigorous testing and preparation. Mina Protocol’s testnet, aptly named “Testworld Mission 2.0,” has been divided into four key stages:
- zkApp End-to-End (E2E) Testing: This phase rigorously examined the zkApp functionality, ensuring that it meets the high standards of security and functionality expected from Mina Protocol.
- External Security Auditing: Independent security audits were conducted to identify and rectify any potential vulnerabilities in the protocol.
- Protocol & Performance Testing: Rigorous testing of the protocol’s performance capabilities was carried out, ensuring that it can meet the demands of a growing user base.
- Preparation for the Upcoming Upgrade: The final stage of the testnet is dedicated to fine-tuning and making preparations for the impending mainnet upgrade.
As of now, the first two stages of Testworld Mission 2.0 have been successfully completed, instilling confidence in the Mina community that the upgrade is on track for a seamless deployment.
Mina Protocol’s journey towards this major upgrade has seen significant strides. The team at O(1) Labs, the driving force behind Mina, has been tirelessly working on various aspects of the project, including adapting the recursive layer Pickles to Kimchi for greater universality, implementing zkApp transaction logic, and supporting changes to complementary modules as a consequence of zkApps. Additionally, the o1js frontend is now equipped to support zkApps and bindings to the protocol and proof system layers.
For those interested in diving deeper into the latest developments and ecosystem work, a comprehensive overview is available in the recent “Road to Mina’s Upgrade Community Event” video, which provides valuable insights and highlights the progress made thus far.
As the upgrade’s deployment approaches, the Mina community is gearing up for a collective effort. Numerous contributors, including node operators, developers, community creators, and users, are actively engaged in the incentivized testnet, upgrade preparations, and post-upgrade tasks. The success of this momentous upgrade is contingent upon the active participation of the entire Mina community.
Mina Protocol is often described as a “succinct blockchain.” It is purpose-built to minimize computational requirements, ensuring the efficient execution of decentralized applications (DApps). Notably, Mina boasts the distinction of being the world’s lightest blockchain, maintaining a constant size despite increased usage, all while upholding high standards of security and decentralization. The project was rebranded from Coda Protocol to Mina in October 2020, reflecting its evolving focus and vision.
Read more:
- Mina Protocol Launches Incentivized Testnet: Testworld Mission 2.0
- Mina Protocol Reveals Roadmap To Enhance Blockchain Capabilities