Bitcoin Lightning Network

in #bitcoin6 years ago

what is Bitcoin Lightning Network ?blockstream-how-sidechains-work-spotlight-01.jpg

The Lightning Network is a "second layer" payment protocol that operates on top of a blockchain (most commonly Bitcoin). It enables instant transactions between participating nodes and has been touted as a solution to the bitcoin scalability problem.

How does the Lightning Network, work?
Lightning has three ingredients:

Payment channels
Hashed-time-locked-contracts (smart contracts)
The Lightning protocol

We enter the Lightning Network by opening a payment channel. This
entry requires an on-chain Bitcoin transaction. Payment channels have
existed since the beginning of Bitcoin.
Payment channels allow two parties to send bitcoin back and forth. The
only limit is the amount of bitcoin in the payment channel.

Think of a payment channel like Paypal. Once you deposit money into
Paypal, you can send that money to anyone else who uses Paypal. But
you can only send up to the amount you deposited in Paypal.

To enter or exit Paypal, you must do a bank transaction. Similarly, to
open or close a payment channel, you must do a Bitcoin transaction.

Hashed time locked contracts (HTLC) are simple smart contracts. They
basically say “payee will immediately get paid (some amount of)
bitcoin, if payee can produce a secret code. If you cannot produce the
secret code within (some number of) blocks, then payor can revoke
payor’s offer and have their bitcoins refunded.”

The Lightning Network uses a series of HTLC’s with the same secret
hash. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary.

Here is a step-by-step of how the HTLC works with four parties: A
(customer) B, C, and D (merchant)

D Merchant creates a secret string (Key)

D hashes the Key, using a hash function such as SHA-256

D shares that Hash with everyone: A, B and C
This Hash is the lock, the Key is the code to unlock the HTLC’s (steps 5-7)

A creates a HTLC with B, with a lock time of 3 days.
B creates a HTLC with C, with a lock time of 2 days.
C creates a HTLC with D, with a lock time of 1 day.

D discloses Key to C, within 1 day, and D gets paid by C.
C discloses Key to B, within 2 days, and C gets paid by B.
B discloses Key to A within 3 days, and B gets paid by A.

f everyone cooperates, all of these transactions occur outside of the
Bitcoin Blockchain. No one needs to publish the transactions, unless
other parties are not cooperating. Ideally, users’ software will keep
track of each step automatically. For example, the software should
keep track of every step above, without the user being aware of every
step.

Everyone gets paid in a mechanical manner. The Lightning Network is
almost atomic in nature, meaning that either everyone gets paid, or
nobody gets paid

Bitcoin Lightning Network Solve Transaction Problem .
When Bitcoin Lightning Network Launch ,
Bitcoin Price Goes to moon

(I am not a financial advisor and always do your own research.)

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