Thanks for the clarification. I knew that when I posted the quote, but somehow I managed to mangle it when I wrote the next line. Thanks for the clarification!

I think Calvin is a contributor, but not a maintainer of `btcd`. AFAIK, Roasbeef is the maintainer. Looking at the history, I also see a merge commit from https://github.com/yyforyongyu. Given Lightning Labs’ dependence on `btcd` for LND, I assume that they are keeping write-privileges for the master branch in-house.

Glad to hear that he got an LTS grant!

Murch

🤩 Calvin!

Excellent news.

🫵🏼🎄✖️⭕

standardcrypto

Calvin is among the leading contributors to 

, an alternative node software written in the 

 programming language. Parts of btcd are reused by other Bitcoin software, including the 

 Lightning implementation, which is built with btcd's code libraries. People who use that software are relying on Calvin's work, often without knowing it.

In my ignorance, I didn't know that Calvin Kim maintained 

 is one of the more popular alternative implementations, I imagine that working on it over the years hasn't been a very exciting job.

, a node software built around a cryptographic accumulator called 

. A node has to maintain a record of every 

 in existence so it can tell valid spends from invalid or double-spent ones, and that record tends to grow over time. Utreexo shrinks that record dramatically by replacing it with a compact cryptographic summary, small enough to verify the whole chain on something as modest as 

. This lowers the cost and effort of verifying Bitcoin for yourself, keeping barriers low for people who want to run their own node. Calvin wrote the technical specifications (

) that define how it works so that other developers can build compatible software.

bitcoin

> Calvin is among the leading contributors to [btcd](https://github.com/btcsuite/btcd), an alternative node software written in the [Go](https://go.dev/) programming language. Parts of btcd are reused by other Bitcoin software, including the [lnd](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd) Lightning implementation, which is built with btcd's code libraries. People who use that software are relying on Calvin's work, often without knowing it.

In my ignorance, I didn't know that Calvin Kim maintained `btcd` in addition to `utreexo`. Eve though `btcd` is one of the more popular alternative implementations, I imagine that working on it over the years hasn't been a very exciting job.

> He is the lead developer of [utreexod](https://opensats.org/projects/utreexod), a node software built around a cryptographic accumulator called [Utreexo](https://opensats.org/topics/utreexo). A node has to maintain a record of every [unspent coin](https://opensats.org/topics/utxo) in existence so it can tell valid spends from invalid or double-spent ones, and that record tends to grow over time. Utreexo shrinks that record dramatically by replacing it with a compact cryptographic summary, small enough to verify the whole chain on something as modest as [a cheap, low-power computer](https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-zero-2-w/). This lowers the cost and effort of verifying Bitcoin for yourself, keeping barriers low for people who want to run their own node. Calvin wrote the technical specifications ([BIPs 181, 182, and 183](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/pull/1923)) that define how it works so that other developers can build compatible software.