Ethereum JS Ecosystem Updates
Ethereum JS Ecosystem Updates: A Comprehensive Look at the Latest Developments
The Ethereum JavaScript ecosystem has been abuzz with activity in recent months, with several exciting projects and updates making waves in the community. From the development of a JavaScript light client to the revamp of Web3.js, there's a lot to explore in this comprehensive update.
EWASM: A New Era for Ethereum
Ewasm, short for Ethereum WebAssembly, is a project aimed at researching and replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with WebAssembly. The goal is to create a more efficient and scalable platform for Ethereum, with a focus on client-side execution. The ewasm team has been working on several key components, including the kernel layer, which handles IPC and manages the state, and the core VM.
One of the major tasks for the ewasm project is to build an ewasm test network, which will enable hands-on work with ewasm for a wider audience and provide a flexible platform for experimentation. The test network will also enable the development of full and light clients, which will be a crucial step in bringing ewasm to the mainnet.
Networking: Bridging the Gap between Ethereum and the Browser
Ethereum's networking implementation in JavaScript is a crucial aspect of the ecosystem, allowing for the development of full and light Ethereum nodes. The libp2p networking stack, developed by IPFS, provides a transport-agnostic networking layer that can be used in environments without access to TCP/UDP, such as the browser.
The Metamask team is working on implementing a browser-compatible Ethereum light client using a secondary network, bridged by hybrid nodes. This will enable users to interact with the Ethereum network directly from their browser, without the need for a separate node or wallet.
IPLD: A Generic System for Hash-Linked Data
IPLD, short for InterPlanetary Linked Data, is a generic system for describing and distributing hash-linked data. Ethereum's blockchain and on-chain state can be understood as a graph of hash-linked data, making IPLD a natural fit for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Kumavis has implemented IPLD resolvers for the Ethereum data formats, enabling the creation of minimal Ethereum clients that focus on the consensus protocol and state transition mechanism. This approach has several advantages, including the ability to use IPLD in environments without access to TCP/UDP.
Web3.js 1.0: A Major Refactor
Web3.js is one of the most popular Ethereum libraries, and the upcoming 1.0 release is a major refactor of the codebase. The new version will have several convenience features, including confirmation and receipt event on transactions, a nice subscription API, and checksum checks on address inputs.
However, the new version will also have several breaking changes, including the removal of synchronous calls and the introduction of promises and "PromiseEvents". A migration guide will be provided to help developers transition their apps to the new version.
Ethjs: A Lightweight JS Utility for Ethereum
Ethjs is a new, highly optimized, and lightweight JavaScript utility for Ethereum, geared towards working with the JSON RPC. The current ongoing activity includes adding ABI methods for decoding logs, fixing a small decoding bug, and merging a new schema for personal recover and sign.
Ethjs is also looking for help making ethjs-filter stateless (infura ready) and bug fixing in ethjs-contract. The upcoming ethjs version 0.2.7 release will include several new features and improvements.
TestRPC: A New Release and a New Name
TestRPC is a popular tool for testing Ethereum smart contracts, and the upcoming 4.0.0 release will include several new features, including database persistence, clean up of how data is stored in memory, and bundling for the browser. The TestRPC will also be moving to the Truffle GitHub organization.
The TestRPC needs a new name that exudes everything it can do, and the community is encouraged to suggest ideas. Any feedback on this move is appreciated.
Community: Join the Ethereum JS Community
The Ethereum JS community is an exciting and wonderful thing to be a part of. There are many great projects happening, and the community is always looking for new members. The weekly Friday meetings at 3:00 EST / 10:00 PST / 18:00 UTC are a great place to start, and the Gitter channel is always active.
The community is also organizing an upcoming hackathon, and anyone interested is encouraged to join. Let's work together to build an amazing Ethereum JS ecosystem!
In conclusion, the Ethereum JS ecosystem has been abuzz with activity in recent months, with several exciting projects and updates making waves in the community. From the development of a JavaScript light client to the revamp of Web3.js, there's a lot to explore in this comprehensive update. The community is always looking for new members, and anyone interested is encouraged to join. Let's work together to build an amazing Ethereum JS ecosystem!
Source: https://blog.ethereum.org/en/2017/03/21/ethereum-js-ecosystem-updates
