Bitcoin Core version 25.0 has been released, bringing with it a range of new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. One notable change is the allowance of transactions of non-witness size 65 bytes and above by the mempool and relay policy. This modification aims to provide better protection against CVE-2017-12842 and enable smaller transaction sizes for various use cases.
Upgrading To Bitcoin Core 25.0: How-To Guide
For users looking to upgrade, the process is relatively straightforward. If you’re using an older version, simply shut it down and wait until it has completely closed. Then, depending on your operating system, either run the installer (Windows), copy over the /Applications/Bitcoin-Qt directory (macOS), or use bitcoin/bitcoin-qt (Linux).
Bitcoin Core is extensively tested and supported on operating systems such as Linux, macOS 10.15+, and Windows 7 and newer. While it should also work on other Unix-like systems, it is not as frequently tested and, therefore, not recommended for unsupported systems.
Several changes have been made to the P2P and network aspects of Bitcoin Core. As mentioned earlier, transactions of non-witness size 65 bytes and above are now permitted by the mempool and relay policy.
Additionally, new RPCs (Remote Procedure Calls) have been introduced, including the scan blocks RPC, which scans block filters in a given range, and the rescan blockchain RPC, which facilitates fast wallet rescans.
Various RPCs have also been updated. JSON-RPC methods now accept a newly named parameter called “args,” allowing for more conveniently passing parameter values.
The verify chain RPC will now return false if checks can’t be completed at the desired depth and level, and the send raw transaction RPC has a new optional argument, max burn amount, which filters out transactions containing unspendable outputs above a certain value.
Changes have been implemented in the wallet section as well. Wallet-related RPCs now include options to specify the minimum and a maximum number of confirmations for spent UTXOs. Wallet passphrases can now contain null characters, and the address purposes string is limited to “send,” “receive,” and “refund.”
The graphical user interface (GUI) has seen some changes too. The option to “Mask values” is now persistent, and it affects both the “Overview” and “Transaction” views.
Additionally, the REST interface has a new endpoint (/rest/deployment info) for retrieving information about consensus change deployments.
Lastly, the binary verification script has been updated to ensure that binaries are signed by a threshold of trusted keys rather than a single “release key.”
However, the update brings improvements and enhancements to various aspects of the software, further solidifying its role as a leading cryptocurrency implementation. Users are encouraged to upgrade to take advantage of the latest features and improvements in security and performance.
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