Release v0.8.8
Arch Network v0.8.8 (2026-08-29)
Compare: v0.8.7...v0.8.8
Date range: 2026-08-28 → 2026-08-29
Stats: 33 files changed, 5339 insertions(+), 531 deletions(-)
Top impact areas: bitcoin-internal (12), db_utils (5), testing_suite (4), db_core (3), roast (2), validator (1), sdk (1), local_validator (1), e2e-tests (1), common (1), Cargo.toml (1), Cargo.lock (1)
Highlights
Database performance received significant optimization with read amplification reductions across commit, prune, sweep, and rollback paths. This change impacts db_core, db_utils, and the bitcoin-internal sync subsystems, improving overall throughput and latency for state transition operations.
Testing infrastructure was hardened with fixes to the e2e test suite and regtest environment configuration. Regtest now mirrors mainnet confirmation semantics, reducing test flakiness and improving CI reliability.
The rollback subsystem received critical correctness fixes addressing duplicate-delivery guard logic, cycle detection, and related test suites. New documentation was added to the validator subsystem explaining rollback behavior.
Added
- New read_amplification_tests.rs module in bitcoin-internal/src/sync for database read pattern testing
- Rollback.md documentation added to validator subsystem
- Proptest regression tracking for transaction_tree_tests
- Enhanced test support utilities in bitcoin-internal/src/sync/test_support.rs
Changed
- Database read operations optimized across commit, prune, sweep, and rollback code paths in db_core and db_utils
- Regtest confirmation semantics updated to mirror mainnet behavior in bitcoin-internal and e2e-tests
- Graph builder and sync initialization refactored in bitcoin-internal for improved rollback handling
- Cycle detection logic updated in bitcoin-internal/src/sync/graph.rs
- ROAST coordinator response and signer request handling modified
- Version bumped to 0.8.8 in common/src/version.rs and Cargo manifests
Fixed
- E2e test suite flakiness resolved through improved confirmation semantics and synchronization
- Rollback duplicate-delivery guard corrected to prevent incorrect state transitions
- Cycle detection in bitcoin-internal sync logic fixed for edge cases
- Rollback inversion test correctness issues resolved in db_utils
- Transaction tree property test failures addressed
Performance and Observability
- Database read amplification significantly reduced on commit, prune, sweep, and rollback operations
- New read amplification test suite added to track and prevent regression in database access patterns
- Property-based tests expanded for transaction tree and rollback scenarios
RPC and API Changes
No breaking RPC or API changes in this release. SDK async UTXO helper updated for improved internal error handling.
Breaking Changes
None known.
Migration Guidance
No migration action required for node operators or SDK consumers. This release contains performance improvements and bug fixes that are backward compatible with v0.8.7.
Documentation
- Added Rollback.md to validator subsystem explaining rollback mechanics and correctness guarantees
- Enhanced inline documentation in bitcoin-internal sync and graph modules
Contributors (v0.8.7 → v0.8.8)
Amine ElQaraoui