The Cosmos Hub 2023 Year in Review
2023 has been a big year for the Informal Systems’ Hub team and the Cosmos Hub. As we reflect on the communities’ achievements, it’s evident that our collective efforts have significantly advanced the interchain ecosystem. Here’s a look at the key milestones and developments that marked this year.
Launch of Replicated Security
The Cosmos Hub witnessed a pivotal moment with the introduction of Replicated Security in the v9 upgrade. This feature marked a leap in blockchain security, enabling consumer chains to leverage the robust security framework of the Cosmos Hub. This shared security system allows consumer chains to launch more quickly with a diverse validator set. Additionally, it enables Cosmos Hub validators to validate multiple consumer chains at once and receive a portion of their transaction fees and inflation as staking rewards in return.
Neutron Launch: The First Cosmos Chain on Replicated Security
Neutron marked a major milestone as the first chain to launch within the Cosmos ecosystem using Replicated Security, following extensive testing and community approval via on-chain voting. Successful appchains need security, yet new projects frequently face challenges bootstrapping a diverse set of validators. Neutron enables new projects to deploy as smart contracts within the ATOM Economic Zone, allowing them to utilize Replicated Security, sharing the Cosmos Hub’s security without bootstrapping their own validator set. Hypha, Neutron, CryptoCrew, and others made this possible through their hard work.
Stride’s Launch: A Successful Story
In July 2023, the Cosmos Hub achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of Stride as the Hub’s second Consumer Chain. Here, we saw Stride become the first standalone app chain to transition to Replicated Security, a testament to the versatility and adaptability of the Cosmos Hub. The launch, which was meticulously executed, demonstrated the practical efficacy of the standalone-to-consumer migration protocol in action. This accomplishment signified a major step forward for the Cosmos Hub in expanding its Interchain Security capabilities and showcased the collaborative strength and technical sophistication of the teams involved. This launch was made possible by the brilliant teams at Stride, Hypha, and CryptoCrew.
New Testing Frameworks: Enhancing Development without Compromising Quality
This year, the Informal Systems’ Hub team made significant advances in ensuring quality and robustness. These efforts include the development of CometMock and the use of Model-Based Testing (MBT). Our MBT work includes the development of clear, verifiable specifications in Quint, a purpose-built language developed at Informal Systems that enables software developers to take advantage of powerful formal verification tools. CometMock is a mock implementation of CometBFT (the consensus engine powering the cosmos ecosystem) that allows us to test edge cases in our applications easily and quickly.
Our investments in testing and verification have already proven highly useful and will enable us to develop new features for the Cosmos Hub quickly without compromising on quality. Our collaboration with the Informal Systems’ Quint team enabled this success and expanded on work that the Informal Security team performed as part of security audits. Another shoutout goes to the Starship team at Cosmology for integrating support for CometMock.
Keep an eye on the Informal System blog for a deeper dive into MBT next year.
Integrating the Liquid Staking Module into the Hub
The Cosmos Hub v12 upgrade brought the Liquid Staking Module (LSM) to the Hub, which unlocked new dynamics within the ATOM Economic Zone. This upgrade allows users to directly liquid-stake their already staked ATOM without waiting for the unbonding period. This functionality was launched with partnership from Iqlusion, Stride, and Binary Builders. The LSM introduced a new level of DeFi for the Cosmos Hub by quickly unlocking stATOM for numerous ATOM stakers without compromising yields from staking.
The Cosmos Community Funding Development for 2024
In November, the Cosmos community voted to pass Prop #839, funding both Informal Systems and Hypha for 2024 to be the core development and testing teams stewarding the Cosmos Hub. We have the entire Cosmos community to thank for the vote of confidence, for deep engagement with the Cosmos governance process, and to all the validators and ATOM holders who voted, regardless of which way they voted. To our knowledge, Prop #839 is the first time that a major L1 ecosystem has funded its own development via a decentralized, governance-led process like this. What a major milestone for the Cosmos Hub!
The Importance of Regular Upgrades
A notable accomplishment this year has also been the establishment of a strong cadence for regular upgrades of the Cosmos Hub. Upgrading the Hub is a complex process that requires extensive coordination among validators, development teams, and rigorous testing and planning. Successfully shipping these regular updates is a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement and adaptability. It ensures that the Cosmos Hub remains a cutting-edge platform, ready to meet the evolving needs of its users. We thank the Hypha team and the validator community for regular collaboration on these updates.
Looking Back: It All Adds Up
For ATOM token holders, validators, and consumer chains, all of the developments this year, taken as a whole, contribute to a more robust, secure, and scalable ecosystem. The improvements in governance and security, along with the introduction of LSM, translate into a more interconnected and efficient network, potentially leading to greater adoption and utility.
Looking Ahead: Our Shared Vision for 2024
As we turn the page to 2024, Informal Systems is poised to elevate the Cosmos Hub. Our plans for the coming year extend beyond technical advancement; they’re about creating a more connected, efficient, and user-friendly blockchain universe that resonates with everyone — from ATOM token holders to validators, from consumer chains to our development partners and the broader interchain community.
Our 2024 Roadmap focuses on:
- Expanding Interchain Security: Building on the success of Replicated Security, we’re diving into the development of Partial Set Security and Mesh Security. These aren’t just technical upgrades; it’s about making blockchain operations more cost-effective and flexible, allowing for a greater diversity of consumer chains to join us.
- Gaia Maintenance and Upgrades: We’re committed to keeping the heart of the Cosmos Hub, Gaia, in top shape. Regular updates and strategic improvements mean a more reliable and robust platform, directly translating to a smoother experience for everyone involved.
- Focused Research and Development: We will focus on exploring and implementing innovative features like Atomic IBC and IBC routing. These aren’t just buzzwords but the pathways to a more accessible and powerful blockchain network. In 2024, we’ll enhance this technology to streamline multi-chain interactions further. Imagine a world where complex blockchain processes are simplified, where the barriers between different applications and chains dissolve, creating a seamlessly interconnected ecosystem.
- Enhanced Testnets and Validator Support: We understand that the backbone of any blockchain is its community of validators. That’s why we’re strongly emphasizing advanced testing environments and dedicated support, ensuring the Cosmos Hub runs smoothly and efficiently.
Conclusion: A Future Bright with Innovation
In 2024, the Informal Systems’ Hub team, alongside Hypha’s Hub team, will continue our technical excellence journey and deepen our commitment to making the Cosmos Hub an inclusive, user-friendly, and forward-thinking blockchain ecosystem. We’re not just building technology; we’re shaping a future where the Cosmos Hub is more than a blockchain — it’s a thriving community where everyone finds value, connection, and opportunity.
This article is a repost of the original Informal Systems’ Hub Team: Year-End Recap.
