docs: update readme (#1118)
* docs: update readme Fill in the README with: - setting expectations about Zebra goals; - explanation of the work we've done so far; - suggestions from review comments; - under construction sign. Co-authored-by: Jane Lusby <jlusby42@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: teor <teor@riseup.net> Co-authored-by: teor <teor@riseup.net> Co-authored-by: Jane Lusby <jlusby42@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: Deirdre Connolly <deirdre@zfnd.org> Co-authored-by: Jane Lusby <jlusby42@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: teor <teor@riseup.net> Co-authored-by: Deirdre Connolly <deirdre@zfnd.org>
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README.md
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[![](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/workflows/CI/badge.svg?branch=main)](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/actions?query=workflow%3ACI+branch%3Amain)
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[![codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/ZcashFoundation/zebra/branch/main/graph/badge.svg)](https://codecov.io/gh/ZcashFoundation/zebra)
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![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT%2FApache--2.0-blue.svg)
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🚧 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 🚧
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[Zebra](https://zebra.zfnd.org/) is the Zcash Foundation's independent,
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consensus-compatible implementation of the Zcash protocol, currently under
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development. Please [join us on Discord](https://discord.gg/na6QZNd) if you'd
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like to find out more or get involved!
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Hello! I am Zebra, an ongoing Rust implementation of a Zcash node.
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Unlike `zcashd`, which originated as a Bitcoin Core fork and inherited its
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monolithic architecture, Zebra has a modular, library-first design, with the
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intent that each component can be independently reused outside of the `zebrad`
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fullnode. For instance, the `zebra-network` crate containing the network stack
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can also be used to implement anonymous transaction relay, network crawlers, or
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other functionality, without requiring a full node.
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Zebra is a work in progress. It is developed as a collection of `zebra-*`
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libraries implementing the different components of a Zcash node (networking,
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chain structures, consensus rules, etc), and a `zebrad` binary which uses them.
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Our first goal is to be able to participate in the network and replicate the
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Zcash chain state, and we intend to ship an alpha before the end of 2020 with
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this functionality. In 2021, we intend to add RPC support and wallet
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integration. This phased approach allows us to test the independent
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implementation of the consensus rules before asking users to entrust it with
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their funds.
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Most of our work so far has gone into `zebra-network`, building a new
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networking stack for Zcash, `zebra-chain`, building foundational data
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structures, `zebra-consensus`, implementing consensus rules, and
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`zebra-state`, providing chain state.
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At a high level, the fullnode functionality required by `zebrad` is factored
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into several components:
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[Zebra Website](https://zebra.zfnd.org).
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- [`zebra-chain`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/zebra_chain/index.html), providing
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definitions of core data structures for Zcash, such as blocks, transactions,
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addresses, etc., and related functionality. It also contains the
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implementation of the consensus-critical serialization formats used in Zcash.
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The data structures in `zebra-chain` are defined to enforce [*structural
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validity*](https://zebra.zfnd.org/dev/rfcs/0002-parallel-verification.html#verification-stages) by making invalid states unrepresentable. For instance, the
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`Transaction` enum has variants for each transaction version, and it's
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impossible to construct a transaction with, e.g., spend or output
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descriptions but no binding signature, or, e.g., a version 2 (Sprout)
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transaction with Sapling proofs. Currently, `zebra-chain` is oriented
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towards verifying transactions, but will be extended to support creating them
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in the future.
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[Rendered docs from the `main` branch](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org).
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- [`zebra-network`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/zebra_network/index.html),
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providing an asynchronous, multithreaded implementation of the Zcash network
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protocol inherited from Bitcoin. In contrast to `zcashd`, each peer
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connection has a separate state machine, and the crate translates the
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external network protocol into a stateless, request/response-oriented
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protocol for internal use. The crate provides two interfaces: an
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auto-managed connection pool that load-balances requests over available
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peers, and a `connect_isolated` method that produces a peer connection
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completely isolated from all other node state. This can be used, for
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instance, to safely relay data over Tor, without revealing distinguishing
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information.
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[Join us on Discord](https://discord.gg/na6QZNd).
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- [`zebra-script`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/zebra_script/index.html) provides
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script validation. Currently, this is implemented by linking to the C++
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script verification code from `zcashd`, but in the future we may implement a
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pure-Rust script implementation.
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- [`zebra-consensus`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/zebra_consensus/index.html)
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performs [*semantic validation*](https://zebra.zfnd.org/dev/rfcs/0002-parallel-verification.html#verification-stages) of blocks and transactions: all consensus
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rules that can be checked independently of the chain state, such as
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verification of signatures, proofs, and scripts. Internally, the library
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uses [`tower-batch`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/tower_batch/index.html) to
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perform automatic, transparent batch processing of contemporaneous
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verification requests.
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- [`zebra-state`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/zebra_state/index.html) is
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responsible for storing, updating, and querying the chain state. The state
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service is responsible for [*contextual verification*](https://zebra.zfnd.org/dev/rfcs/0002-parallel-verification.html#verification-stages): all consensus rules
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that check whether a new block is a valid extension of an existing chain,
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such as updating the nullifier set or checking that transaction inputs remain
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unspent.
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- [`zebrad`](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org/zebrad/index.html) contains the full
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node, which connects these components together and implements logic to handle
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inbound requests from peers and the chain sync process.
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- `zebra-rpc` and `zebra-client` will eventually contain the RPC and wallet
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functionality, but as mentioned above, our goal is to implement replication
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of chain state first before asking users to entrust Zebra with their funds.
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All of these components can be reused as independent libraries, and all
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communication between stateful components is handled internally by
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[internal asynchronous RPC abstraction](https://docs.rs/tower/) ("microservices in one process").
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The [Zebra website](https://zebra.zfnd.org/) contains user documentation, such
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as how to run or configure Zebra, set up metrics integrations, etc., as well as
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developer documentation, such as design documents. We also render [API
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documentation](https://doc.zebra.zfnd.org) for the external API of our crates,
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as well as [internal documentation](https://doc-internal.zebra.zfnd.org) for
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private APIs.
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## License
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