@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ In this chapter, we will begin where most people start when encountering the Lig
=== Alice's First Lightning Wallet
Alice is a long time Bitcoin user. We first met Alice in Chapter 1 of _"Mastering Bitcoin"_ footnote:["Mastering Bitcoin 2nd Edition, Chapter 1" Andreas M. Antonopoulos (https://github.com/bitcoinbook/bitcoinbook/blob/develop/ch01.asciidoc).], when she bought a cup of coffee from Bob's cafe using a bitcoin transaction. If you are not yet familiar with how Bitcoin transactions work, please read before moving on.
// TODO: add language to reference bitcoin basics guide
Alice is a long time Bitcoin user. We first met Alice in Chapter 1 of _"Mastering Bitcoin"_ footnote:["Mastering Bitcoin 2nd Edition, Chapter 1" Andreas M. Antonopoulos (https://github.com/bitcoinbook/bitcoinbook/blob/develop/ch01.asciidoc).], when she bought a cup of coffee from Bob's cafe using a bitcoin transaction. If you are not yet familiar with how Bitcoin transactions work or need a refresher, please read Mastering Bitcoin or the summary in <<bitcoin_fundamentals_review>>.
Alice recently learned that Bob's Cafe just started accepting Lightning Network payments! Alice is eager to learn about and experiment with the Lightning Network, she wants to be one of Bob's first Lightning Network customers. In order to do this, first, Alice has to select a Lightning wallet that meets her needs.
@ -112,26 +110,25 @@ Other terms that need explanation in Table <<lnwallet-examples>> in column "Bitc
- Bitcoin Core: implementation of a Bitcoin Node
- btcd: another implementation of Bitcoin Node
In <<lnwallet-examples>> we see some examples of currently popular Lightning node and wallet applications for different types of devices.
In <<lnwallet-examples>> we see some examples of currently popular Lightning node and wallet applications for different types of devices. the list is sorted first by device type and then alphabetically.
// TODO: Add a lot more wallet/node examples, confirm the details for correctness
| c-lightning | Server | Full Node | Bitcoin Core | Self-Custody
| Eclair Server | Server | Full Node | Bitcoin Core/Electrum | Self-Custody
| lnd | Server | Full Node | Bitcoin Core/btcd | Self-Custody
|===
[[testnet-bitcoin]]
@ -176,7 +173,7 @@ image::images/eclair-playstore.png["Eclair wallet in the Google Play Store"]
[TIP]
====
It is possible to experiment and test all Bitcoin-type software with zero risk (except for your own time) by using Testnet bitcoins. You can also download Eclair Testnet wallet to try lightning (on Testnet) by going to the Google Play Store.
It is possible to experiment and test all Bitcoin-type software with zero risk (except for your own time) by using Testnet bitcoins. You can also download Eclair Testnet wallet to try lightning (on Testnet) by going to the Google Play Store.
====
Alice notices a few different elements on this page, that help her ascertain that this is, most likely, the correct "Eclair Mobile" wallet she is looking for. Firstly, the organization "ACINQ" footnote:[ACINQ: Developers of the Eclair Mobile Lightning wallet (https://acinq.co/).] is listed as the developer of this mobile wallet, which Alice knows from her research is the correct developer. Secondly, the wallet has been installed "10,000+" times and has more than 320 positive reviews. It is unlikely this is a rogue app that has snuck into the Play Store. As a third step, she goes to the ACINQ website (https://acinq.co/). She verifies that the webpage is secure by checking that the address begins with HTTPS, or prefixed by a padlock in some browsers. On the website she goes to the Download section or looks for the link to the Google App store. She finds the link and clicks it. She compares that this link brings her to the very same app in the Google App Store. Satisfied by these findings, Alice installs the Eclair app on her mobile device.
@ -438,7 +435,7 @@ Alice selects the option to "scan a payment request" and scans the QR code displ
Alice presses "PAY," and a second later, Bob's tablet shows a successful payment. Alice has completed her first Lightning Network payment! It was fast, inexpensive, and easy. Now she can enjoy her latte which was purchased using bitcoin through a payment system that is fast, cheap and decentralized. From now on, Alice can simply select an item on Bob's tablet screen, scan the QR code with her cell phone, click pay, and will be served a coffee, all within seconds and all without an "on-chain" transaction.
Alice presses "PAY," and a second later, Bob's tablet shows a successful payment. Alice has completed her first Lightning Network payment! It was fast, inexpensive, and easy. Now she can enjoy her latte which was purchased using bitcoin through a payment system that is fast, cheap and decentralized. From now on, Alice can simply select an item on Bob's tablet screen, scan the QR code with her cell phone, click pay, and will be served a coffee, all within seconds and all without an "on-chain" transaction.
Lightning payments are better for Bob too. He's confident that he will be paid for Alice's latte without waiting for an "on-chain" confirmation. In the future, whenever Alice feels like drinking a coffee at Bob's Cafe she can choose to pay with bitcoin on the Bitcoin network or the Lightning network. Which one do you think she will choose?
@ -10,6 +10,19 @@ If you have experience in computer science, cryptography, Bitcoin, and protocol
If you are less experienced, this chapter shall give you a good enough overview so you will have an easier time understanding the formal protocol specifications, known as BOLTs (Basis of Lightning Technology).
In case you are a beginner, this chapter will help you better understand the technical chapters of the book.
If you need a refresher on the fundamentals of Bitcoin, you can find a summary review of the following topics in <<bitcoin_fundamentals_review>>:
* Keys and addresses
* Hash functions
* Digital signatures
* Transaction structure
* Transaction inputs and outputs
* Transaction chaining
* Bitcoin script
* Multsignature addresses and scripts
* Timelocks
* Complex scripts
We'll start with a one sentence definition of what the Lightning Network (LN) is and break it down in the remainder of this chapter.
**The Lightning Network (LN) is a peer-to-peer network of _payment channels_ implemented as smart contracts on the _Bitcoin blockchain_ as well as a communication protocol that defines how participants set up and execute these smart contracts**
The Lightning Network is capable of running above multiple blockchains, but is primarily anchored on Bitcoin. To understand LN, you need a fundamental understanding of Bitcoin and its building blocks.
There are many good resources that you can use to learn more about Bitcoin, including the "companion" book _Mastering Bitcoin 2nd Edition_, written by Andreas M. Antonopoulos, which you can find on GitHub under an open source license. However, you do not need to read a whole other book to be ready for this one!
Andreas M. Antonopoulos
3 years ago