One of the best parts about running Breez is the diverse group of people I get to meet and work with. We have partners from Jamaicathe United States of America, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, EstoniaAnd who knows where else. We have users in Finland, Wales, Namibia, IndiaAnd almost everywhere else. The people behind Breeze are spread across three continents and come from a wide range of national and ethnic backgrounds.
Agreeing on a communication platform (Telegram? Slack? Zoom? Discord?) sometimes requires a little coordination. But what never needs to be coordinated is language We use it to communicate. It's always English automatically. For many of us, English is our second (or third or fourth) language, and parts of it are confusing, but it doesn't matter. Every initial contact is in English, all channels are automatically in English, and all general communications (like this blog) are in English. There is not even a contender for second place.
There is basically no way to change this agreement. No one can simply decide that we will all start speaking Mandarin, Esperanto, or Inuktitut. Whether due to convenience, actual utility, historical imposition, or absolute numbers, the English language is locked. But it works, so why mess with it?
This example illustrates some points. First, the interface between individual nodes in a network—be they people, nations, or communities—has the form of a language. Secondly, there must be a common language. In fact, language boundaries are network boundaries. In other words, the distribution of language Defines the network. Finally, common languages are very sticky. Once everyone adapts to a common language, it becomes essentially closed.
Now let's get to the truth about the present that will irrevocably shape the future: Lightning is emerging as the lingua franca of the Bitcoin economy.
A common language between subnetworks
We have talked before About various last mile technologies. They are like local secondary routes that connect users to the high-throughput Lightning Network and, eventually, to the Bitcoin mainnet. They all basically work by grouping users and their transactions into subnetworks.
For example, Astronomy And liquid Transferring incoming bitcoins to their own mechanisms (So you get dressed And L-BTC, respectively) which users can then send to each other according to their respective protocols without the need for further cross-chain transactions. Instead, feed Members effectively pool their bitcoins and trade debt securities among themselves, with transactions and financial status overseen by a consortium of trusted custodians. with CashewsPeople exchange electronic cash tokens and trust the issuer.
Each type of subnet can use its own language. How nodes communicate with each other in these subnetworks is their function. What's interesting is that these subnets Communicate with each other via lightning, even if we're just talking about, say, two different Cashu mints or when Fedi interacts with Ark. Lightning is the lingua franca of all emerging and thriving Bitcoin-based subnets.
Going back to the English analogy, it doesn't matter to me what language you speak at home or in the supermarket. You can speak in any obscure dialect you want with others who understand it. But if you want to talk to me or anyone else on Telegram or Slack, English is really the only option. No one could change that even if they wanted to, and no one seems to want to. Just like lightning.
Lightning is the lingua franca of emerging subnets. It's the language of Bitcoin.
Why is Lightning the perfect language for Bitcoin?
a common Language is not necessary better language. It just has to work and be widely accepted. Just as the Bitcoin main chain has certain advantages (such as immutability, openness, borderlessness, etc.) that recommend it for certain uses, Lightning is the best choice for a common language between subnets for at least three reasons.
Lightning is Bitcoin, and Bitcoin is the trustless bearer asset
The first and perhaps most important reason why Lightning is the best common language is just that Bitcoin is used. Simply put, subnets may not trust each other, and they have no reason to. But since Bitcoin, therefore, Lightning avoids trustSubnets can interact without trust. Bitcoin is the only viable bearer asset, and Lightning is the language of Bitcoin, so Lightning is the best lingua franca for subnets to interact with each other.
Furthermore, Lightning, like Bitcoin, also avoids leverage. The entire business model of fractional reserve banks is based on a hole in their balance sheets. By contrast, every session on Lightning is counted at every moment. The balance sheet showing all positions will always be on the grid balanced. No gap, no overlap. Lightning resists imbalances caused by arrogance, incompetence, and villainy, a necessary trait in an environment devoid of trust.
Lightning is inherently transactional and interoperable
Second, Lightning is a transaction protocol designed to facilitate streaming. For normal payments, there is no memory pool and no delay until the next block is mined. Payments take secondsIf so. And transactions – money in motion – are what makes Lightning valuable. literally. Fixed satellites on the network generate no revenue. For liquidity to grow on Lightning, it must flow. Common language would not be used much if it rewarded silence. It should enhance communication, and that's exactly what Lightning does.
Furthermore, Lightning technology is detailed In the bolt specifications catalog Inherently interoperable. It is designed to enable multiple implementations of Lightning nodes with different designs, swaps, and programming languages. However, all these nodes can interact over a common network because they all support the same bolts. Interoperability by design makes it easy for other technologies to add Lightning as another interface.
Lightning has a critical mass
Finally, a common language needs a large community of speakers. Try to say “Skipped rice“In a nursing home, or even a nursing home in Cambodia. Perhaps the biggest advantage of the English language is simply its popularity: More people speak English Than any other language on the planet. And even though only a quarter of the population of many countries speaks English, you can still find an English speaker at the next table in almost every bar and restaurant on the planet. Try that with Catalan.
Lightning has already achieved critical mass. It is already clear how the Cashu subnet and the Fedimint subnet will communicate with each other: Lightning. This is the way they were designed, so switching the common language between the networks would require rebuilding most of their parts. Like English, whatever language the subnets use internally, Lightning is the language they use to talk to each other, and it's already closed.
Duration of lightning
Actual lightning – that type of storm cloud – is a short-lived phenomenon. Flashing momentarily and fading out is everything. But the accelerator network — the interface between any number of nodes, subnets, and the Bitcoin main chain — isn't going anywhere. Common languages tend to This situation held for centuries.
Bitcoin is the best currency in the world. Lightning is the lingua franca of the Bitcoin world, and it is here to stay. For those of us who are already established in Lightning, this is very good news. Locking in Lightning means that our first-mover advantage will be very valuable indeed.
But it's also good news for those who are getting into Lightning now or thinking about doing so. It removes uncertainty about which technology to support and invest in. Lightning isn't going anywhere but up, so it's not the wrong time to start. Yesterday is better than todayToday is better than tomorrow, but tomorrow is also good.
The best time to get into Lightning is now. It always has been.
This is a guest post by Roy Shenfield. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.