The ecosystem of blockchains, Cosmos network has announced the future of blockchain technology with the release of CometBFT v0.38. This release introduces the much-anticipated second part of ABCI++, offering developers powerful tools to enhance interchain applications.
The decentralized network, Cosmos, powered by BFT consensus algorithms, announced this via a Twitter thread:
ABCI++, which stands for Application Blockchain Interface Plus Plus, is a critical component in blockchain development, providing a standardized interface for communication between blockchain engines and applications. CometBFT v0.37 previously introduced the first part of ABCI++, which featured methods like PrepareProposal and ProcessProposal, enabling application developers to streamline their workflows and enhance the latency of interchain applications.
With the release of CometBFT v0.38, the second part of ABCI++ is now available, expanding the capabilities of blockchain application developers even further. This release introduces two new methods: ExtendVote and VerifyVoteExtension.
The ExtendVote method allows applications to append data, known as “vote extensions,” to precommit votes submitted by validators. These extensions are made accessible to the proposers of the next block, opening up new possibilities for custom data handling within the consensus process.
Additionally, ABCI 2.0 consolidates three separate methods, BeginBlock, DeliverTx, and EndBlock, into a single method called FinalizeBlock. This simplifies the interface and provides a more unified approach to processing transactions and blocks.
Recently, it was uncovered that Cosmos and dYdX v4 were set to revolutionize the DeFi derivatives landscape, with dYdX’s trading volume rivaling major DeFi DEXs and even challenging centralized exchanges (CEXs).
The CometBFT team at Informal Inc. has been hard at work for over two years to bring this milestone to fruition, and their dedication is evident in the advanced capabilities introduced with CometBFT v0.38. Informal Systems has played a vital role in developing technology that supports blockchains in the Cosmos ecosystem, including in relation to the Cosmos Hub. This release empowers blockchain developers to exercise advanced control over the replication engine, boosting performance, and unlocking new use cases within the interchain ecosystem.
