Bacalhau v1.6.0 Release Notes

We are excited to announce the release of Bacalhau v1.6.0, introducing a new communication architecture that significantly improves the reliability and resilience of distributed compute networks.

Key Features and Improvements

New Bacalhau Messaging Protocol (BMP)

At the heart of this release is the new messaging protocol, a complete redesign of node communication that brings significant improvements to network reliability:

Key Benefits

• Self-Healing Network: Compute nodes and orchestrators automatically reconnect and sync after network interruptions
• Offline-First Operation: Compute nodes can start and operate even when disconnected from the orchestrator
• Automatic State Recovery: When nodes reconnect, they automatically share all missed job execution information and results
• Zero Data Loss: Ensures no job execution data or results are lost during network disruptions
• Seamless Recovery: Network interruptions are handled transparently without requiring manual intervention

Technical Improvements

• Reliable Message Delivery: Ordered, at-least-once message delivery between nodes
• Automatic Recovery: Built-in failure detection and recovery mechanisms
• Connection Health Monitoring: Proactive health checks and connection management
• Event-Based Architecture: Decoupled event processing from message delivery
• Efficient Checkpointing: Maintains system state for reliable recovery
• Backward Compatibility: Maintains compatibility with v1.5 orchestrators

Enhanced Web UI Experience

• Direct Result Downloads: Download job results directly from the interface
• Simplified Configuration: Automatic request routing eliminates manual IP configuration
• Improved Architecture: Streamlined backend setup while maintaining security

Operational Improvements

• Reverse Proxy Support: Added capability to run orchestrator behind a reverse proxy
• Agent Configuration: New bacalhau agent config command to inspect agent configuration
• TLS Support: Added TLS encryption support for NATS communication
• Better Logging: Implemented more human-readable logging patterns

Upgrade Notes and Backward Compatibility

Bacalhau v1.6.0 maintains backward compatibility while introducing the new BMP:

• Compute nodes maintain compatibility with v1.5 orchestrators, and vice versa
• Support for re-handshake from legacy clients

We're excited for you to experience the enhanced reliability and resilience provided by the BMP in Bacalhau v1.6.0. This release represents a significant architectural advancement in making distributed computing more robust and dependable.