September 2024 - Nexa Monthly Newsletter

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Nexa Monthly Newsletter - September 2024

A Month of Progress and Milestones for Nexa

Welcome to the September edition of the Nexa monthly newsletter! We’ve seen exciting developments, key upgrades and strategic decisions that position Nexa for an incredible future. Let’s explore the highlights from groundbreaking technical advancements to the successful completion of community challenges and the formalization of Nexa’s long-term focus.

BUIP209, 210, and 211 Successfully Passed!

September’s headline is the successful passage of the key Bitcoin Unlimited Improvement Proposal (BUIP) that will shape the long-term mission and focus of the organization. This decision reflects a huge commitment to developing and marketing Nexa.

BUIP209: Formally proposed by B.U. President Andrew Clifford, BUIP209 secures Bitcoin Unlimited’s long-term focus on Nexa until 2033. As the Nexa ecosystem continues to grow, this decision reaffirms that B.U.’s development and marketing efforts will concentrate entirely on Nexa.

BUIP210: Re-elects Peter R as the Secretary of Bitcoin Unlimited for another two-year term. Peter will continue leading Bitcoin Unlimited’s efforts, ensuring proper management of funds and supporting research in FPGA and ASIC hardware for scalability.

BUIP211: Extends the publication grant for the Ledger Journal, supporting critical academic research on blockchain and cryptocurrency over the next three years.

These proposals highlight B.U.’s dedication to advancing Nexa while ensuring strong leadership and knowledge-sharing within the blockchain space.

:link: Read the full details of BUIP209, 210, and 211

Major Upgrade: Read-Only Transaction Inputs

September also brought a significant technical upgrade to the Nexa blockchain with Read-Only Transaction Inputs. This feature represents a major leap forward, especially for smart contract scalability and decentralized application (dApp) development.

With read-only inputs, transactions can access UTXO data without consuming it. This breakthrough allows multiple users to interact with the same piece of data simultaneously, opening up new possibilities for efficient contract design, parallel access, and streamlined dApp development.

Key benefits of read-only inputs:

  • Parallel Access: Multiple transactions can now read the same UTXO simultaneously without waiting for previous transactions to clear. This eliminates the need for a “queue” where transactions would otherwise have to line up to access the same state data.
  • Efficiency in Smart Contracts: Developers can design more efficient contracts that allow for data to be accessed without unnecessary duplication or destruction of state.
  • Proof of Ownership: Users can prove ownership of assets (such as tokens or Nexa) without consuming the UTXO. By importing a UTXO as read-only and signing it, they can provide proof of ownership efficiently without needing to regenerate the state each time.

:link: Learn more about read-only transaction inputs

ScriptQuest Developer Challenge – Winners Announced!

The conclusion of our ScriptQuest developer challenge saw participants creating innovative use cases using NexScript, showcasing the power of Nexa smart contracts. After much anticipation, we are excited to announce the winners!

  • 1st Place ($3,000 USD worth of $NEXA): leaiv3007 for the Group Purchase Smart Contract
  • 2nd Place ($2,000 USD worth of $NEXA): Gepek for the Gepek Smart Contract
  • 3rd Place ($1,000 USD worth of $NEXA): AwesomeNexa for the TimetoCashout Contract and ImGettingHold for the NexaPixelWall Web Game

Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who participated! Your creativity is driving innovation in the Nexa ecosystem.

:link: Full ScriptQuest results

Wally Wallet Android 3.3.3 Update Released

This month also saw the release of the Wally Wallet Android 3.3.3 update, bringing essential fixes and performance improvements:

  • Fixed navigation bar issues caused by recent Android API changes.
  • Resolved performance issues for users with large wallets or slower devices.

Make sure to update your Wally Wallet to enjoy these improvements and a smoother user experience.

:link: Download the latest Wally Wallet update

Understanding NexScript Smart Contracts: The Template Model

For developers and smart contract enthusiasts our new article breaks down the NexScript Smart Contract Template Model. Unlike Ethereum-style contracts - Nexa’s UTXO-based architecture ties smart contracts directly to coins (UTXOs), offering a unique way to build and interact with decentralized apps.

In this article, we explore how the Template Model separates contract logic from parameters, improving:

  • Security through the use of template hashes.
  • Flexibility by enabling more complex contract designs, such as time-locked contracts.
  • Reusability of templates across various use cases.

:link: Read the full article on NexScript smart contracts

Meet the Nexa Team at AusCryptoCon

Reminder for our Australian community! Nexa will be sponsoring AusCryptoCon 2024 this November in Sydney! Join 10,000 other crypto enthusiasts for a weekend filled with learning, networking and fun. You’ll have the chance to meet the Nexa team, learn about our latest developments and explore the future of blockchain innovation.

:tickets: Use code “NEXA” for a discount on tickets: :link: Get your tickets here

Weekly Nexa News Highlights

Here’s the key developments each week during September:

Week 36: Key Developments and Opportunities

  • NexScript 1.0.2 Released: Updates include integration with the testnet explorer and bug fixes, improving the development experience for Nexa users.
  • New Versions of libnexa-js and nexacore-lib: Important updates for address serialization, helping developers build more secure applications.
  • Nexa’s Impact on Telecom: Discover how Nexa’s scalable transaction processing could disrupt the telecom industry.\
  • How to Query Nexa Rostrum API Using Postman: A step-by-step tutorial to help developers interact with the Nexa blockchain efficiently.
  • Blockchain Data Visualization with Python: A new tutorial walks developers through visualizing Nexa blockchain timeseries data using Python.

:link: Read more on Week 36

Week 37: ScriptQuest Concludes

  • ScriptQuest Ends: Our developer challenge has concluded with winners announced!

:link: Read more on Week 37

Week 38: ScriptQuest Winners and Wally Wallet Update

  • ScriptQuest Winners Announced: Congratulations to our winners for their innovative NexScript use cases!
  • Wally Wallet Update: The Android version 3.3.3 is out, bringing critical fixes for app performance and navigation bar issues.
  • NexScript Smart Contracts: A new article on how the template model improves security and flexibility for developers.

:link: Read more on Week 38

Week 39: Major Upgrade and BUIP Voting

  • Read-Only Transaction Inputs: This significant upgrade makes smart contracts more efficient and scalable by allowing multiple users to interact with the same UTXO data.
  • BUIP Voting Results: BUIP209, 210, and 211 have all passed, cementing Nexa’s long-term focus and ensuring continued research and academic support.

:link: Read more on Week 39

Thank You for Your Support!

As we close September, we want to express our gratitude to the Nexa community for your continued engagement. With BUIPs 209, 210, and 211 now shaping Nexa’s future, we are excited about the journey ahead and can’t wait to see how the ecosystem evolves over the next decade. We are opening a new chapter and will work harder than ever to make Nexa one of the top blockchains in the space. Make sure to stick with us!