Stellar Network Relaunch and the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP)
In November 2015, the Stellar Development Foundation launched an upgraded version of the Stellar network, moving away from its original codebase to a new consensus mechanism known as the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP)
12. This relaunch was driven by the need for a more secure, scalable, and reliable foundation for global financial infrastructure
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Background and the Move from Ripple
At its initial launch, Stellar was based on the Ripple protocol
1. However, the network experienced a fork after the Stellar Development Foundation made several changes to critical consensus code
1. Following this event, Stellar co-founder Joyce Kim attributed the issue to a flaw in the Ripple protocol, a claim that was contested by Ripple Labs
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To address these underlying issues, the foundation decided to create an entirely new consensus algorithm and codebase
1. The whitepaper and code for this new system were released in April 2015, leading to the live upgrade of the network in November 2015
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Reasons for the Relaunch
The transition to the SCP and the new "Stellar Core" software was intended to provide several technical and operational improvements:
- Enhanced Safety and Security: The primary motivation for the SCP was to provide a proven consensus algorithm that ensures the network will not fork 23. It was designed with specific safety properties to maintain network integrity even in decentralized environments 2.
- Prevention of Double Spending: A robust consensus mechanism is critical to preventing users from double-spending currency or manipulating the protocol’s accounting history, both of which are essential for a sustainable financial network 4.
- Codebase Efficiency: The new Stellar Core codebase was significantly more elegant, measuring less than half the size of the previous version 2. This reduction allowed the software to run faster, use less memory, and store data more simply 2.
- Scalability and Modularity: The upgraded network was designed to be more modular, moving complexity to the "edges" of the system to improve scalability 3. It also adopted a standard SQL database for data storage, making it easier for developers to interact with the network using common tools 3.
- Accessibility: By creating a faster and less resource-intensive codebase, the foundation aimed to allow developers worldwide to run Stellar nodes on machines with varying levels of processing power and internet connectivity 2.
Real-World Objectives
The relaunch supported Stellar's core mission of providing financial infrastructure for the developing world
14. At the time of the upgrade, several organizations were already planning to use the network, such as the Praekelt Foundation for integrating savings into messaging apps in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Oradian for connecting microfinance institutions in Nigeria
1. The new protocol was designed to work seamlessly with existing financial systems while focusing on a better user experience
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