zcash-blog/_posts/2016-05-17-new-alpha-releas...

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---
ID: 1580
post_title: 'New Alpha Release: libzcash'
author: Sean Bowe
post_excerpt: ""
layout: post
permalink: >
https://blog.z.cash/new-alpha-release-libzcash/
published: true
post_date: 2016-05-17 00:00:00
---
Today, we deployed a new alpha release of the <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash">Zcash</a> reference implementation, <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/releases/tag/v0.11.2.z3">v0.11.2.z3</a>, to the testnet. The new release includes the following changes <a id="id1" class="footnote-reference" href="#id2">[1]</a>:
<ol class="arabic simple">
<li>We've implemented the Zcash protocol in the form of <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/tree/zc.v0.11.2.latest/src/zcash">libzcash</a>, including a rewrite of our zkSNARK circuit. (<a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/issues/908">#908</a>)</li>
<li>We have a new implementation of our incremental merkle tree with better space efficiency and memory safety. (<a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/issues/889">#889</a>)</li>
<li>We've replaced crypto++'s key-private encryption with NoteEncryption as defined in our protocol specification. (<a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/issues/888">#888</a>)</li>
<li>We've added <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/google/googletest">googletest</a> to our test suite for isolated unit testing of libzcash and other core components in our protocol. (<a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/issues/879">#879</a>)</li>
</ol>
We've been hard at work solidifying a <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zips/blob/master/protocol/protocol.pdf">protocol specification</a> which addresses security and terminology issues in the original Zerocash design, some of which we mentioned in <a class="reference external" href="/fixing-zcash-vulns/">a previous blog post</a>. libzcash is a replacement for the old protocol implementation which brings us closer to realizing this new design.
As with our previous alpha releases, this resets our testnet, invalidating all previous coins and breaking backwards compatibility. To get connected to the new testnet, follow the instructions on the <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/wiki/Public-Alpha-Guide">Public Alpha Guide</a>.
To follow our progress, watch <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/milestones">the github project</a> and <a class="reference external" href="https://forum.z.cash/">join the forum</a>. To get an email announcement when <a class="reference external" href="/sprout-roadmap/">Zcash Sprout</a> is ready, put your email address <a class="reference external" href="https://z.cash/#launch-notification">in here</a>.
<table id="id2" class="docutils footnote" frame="void" rules="none"><colgroup><col class="label" /><col /></colgroup>
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<tr>
<td class="label"><a class="fn-backref" href="#id1">[1]</a></td>
<td>For more specific detail, view our <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/zcash/zcash/issues?q=milestone%3A%22Protocol+2016.0-alpha-3+Implementation%22+is%3Aclosed">Zcash Protocol 2.0</a> github milestone.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>