Lisk is at the end of step 1, and just got access to 12 thousand bitcoin...
ROADMAP:
This blog post gives you an overview of the major changes and features; it wont include every granular change or addition. There will be many more changes along the road, so it wouldnt make sense to describe everything within this blog post. This means every bullet point in this roadmap isnt a single, simple feature. Its a milestone which might require several Lisk release cycles (versions) to be achieved.
The bullet points and plans outlined in this post, might change over the coming months and years, as development isnt a fixed process. Ideas evolve over time, and we might even find better solutions in the future.
The given plans are intended to be long-term, and we estimate that they will take at least a few years. Due to the dynamic nature of software development, we dont want to forecast any dates, or deadlines from now. It should also be noted, milestones within a phase might be worked on in parallel, and once we establish development speed through a constant release cycle, we will be in the position to give more accurate timelines.
During the last four phases, we are intending to work on blockchain applications, which were previously announced as Core Apps. We will give further details on these applications later on.
1. (Initial) Mainchain stabilisation
The most important milestone for many users this year is the stabilisation of the mainchain, and the subsequent activation of community forging. With that, we will also enable forging rewards so that delegates are able to finance community projects, and foster a growing ecosystem.
2. Merging Lisk-CLI into the Lisk App SDK
The Lisk-CLI tool in its current form will cease to exist. We will rewrite the application, and merge its functionalities directly into the Lisk App SDK, providing a self-contained development package, and reducing our development effort from two repositories to one. The planned merge and rewrite of Lisk-CLI, will make blockchain application development easier to manage, and also lower the barrier to entry for new developers.
3. (Initial) Lisk App SDK stabilisation
Stabilising our sidechains and making it possible for developers to start working on blockchain applications, is a major step towards achieving one of Lisks core goals. We shall therefore undergo major changes in our Lisk App SDK, making sidechains not only stable, but also reliable.
During this step we will split every sidechain into a single, independent database. As of writing, every installed sidechain has their own tables within the same database as the mainchain, this comes with many disadvantages. Running every sidechain in its own separate database allows developers to achieve high scalability independent of the mainchain. It also makes everyday sidechain administration easier and straight-forward.
Another important task is the implementation of a secured and protected virtual machine for blockchain applications. This way the JavaScript code of the application will run in an encapsulated environment, securing the computer from any harmful application.
Currently, sidechains also need to be verified whenever they are launched. We will implement the same quick-load feature as it exists on the mainchain, and remove the need for constant re-verification, making sidechains easier to administer and deploy.
