Dusk
Roadmap

The most recent iteration of the Dusk Roadmap, unveiled on September 7, 2023, provides an in-depth overview of the progression leading up to the Mainnet launch slated for 2024. For more information regarding the upcoming Incentivized Testnet (ITN), our rigorous auditing process, and the numerous deliverables in the pipeline, please continue scrolling. Dusk follows a meticulous development program where features are grouped into well-defined deliverables, which are interconnected with each other. Although these outline a linear roadmap, it is worth noting that various teams work on different aspects and features simultaneously, regardless of the deliverable they belong to.
  1. illustration

    Citadel (SDK)

    Goal

    Citadel is a privacy-preserving system built on the Dusk Network that revolutionizes digital asset and identity interactions. Our goal is to create a Software Development Kit(SDK) for developers to create a Citadel implementation. This means everyone will be able to use our KYC/AML solution to make their existing KYC procedure more efficient and secure.

    Citadel is Dusk Network’s one-and-done KYC/AML solution that relieves companies of the burden of having to verify, protect, and manage so much data, and reduces the risks of hacks and data leaks by using zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to radically rethink the way we store and verify data and identity. Citadel is a licensing tool and has been developed to meet the KYC/AML needs of institutions and users when it comes to interacting with regulated assets. Other solutions on the market are centralized and cumbersome, and not suitable for a private and decentralized system like Dusk.
  2. illustration

    Piecrust VM 2.0

    Goal

    Piecrust is Dusk’s homemade ZK-friendly virtual machine. It is the first ever virtual machine that allows people to build general purpose, ZK-enabled dApps.

    Piecrust comes with a number of innovative features that sets it apart from other blockchain virtual machines, like the ability to support confidential smart contracts, hyperfast sync-ups and compressed proof descriptions accessible to clients.

    General Event System

    • Event-driven architecture
    • Non-blocking querying
    • Multi-client consumers 

    State Management

    • Memory Snapshots
    • Proof of Page Inclusion
    • Hyperfast Sync-up

    Wallet Add-On

    • Proto Modularization
    • Genesis Contract Add-On
    • Web-Wallet Add-On Extensibility
  3. illustration

    Node

    Goal

    The node is a vital piece of the Dusk network architecture, without which the network would not function. The node is considered done when it is fully implemented, protocol specs are well-defined, and it has APIs available for all relevant data.

    Infrastructure

    •  Adapt Explorer To New API 
    •  Implement Mempool APIs 

    Consensus

    • Stabilization Of Succinct Attestation 
    • Order And Time Management 
    • Slashing - Future Vote Exclusion 
    • Security Assessment 
    • Governance preparation and protocol Upgrade 

    Upgradability 

    • Introduce component handshake 
    • Ensure Low-level Upgradability 

    Network 

    • Allow Two Kadcast Instances
    • Modify Kadcast To Verify Provisioners Through ZK 
    • Support Different Node Roles 
    • Ensure privacy of Provisioners
  4. illustration

    Web Wallet

    Goal

    The Web Wallet is the gateway for people to interact with the Dusk network, it allows users to access and transfer digital assets on the blockchain.

    The compilation of wallet-CLI for the web allows for the same operations done by the wallet-CLI, but with a much slicker and better UX.

    The creation of a library tailored for Dusk, similar to web3.js, will ease the development within the ecosystem. This library simplifies interaction of clients and wallets with the Dusk's blockchain and smart contracts, providing a toolkit akin to what web3.js offers for Ethereum. It abstracts underlying complexity, enabling tasks like transaction creation and smart contract deployment, while ensuring compatibility with Dusk's protocol. This effort promotes innovation and accessibility within Dusk.

    One of the most innovative approaches related to Dusk's Web Wallet is to allow add-ons through Wasm modules. By allowing Wasm modules to function as add-ons, Dusk wallet will enable third party devs to customize their wallets by integrating specific features, extensions, and smart contract functionality, all while maintaining the robust security and interoperability standards that Dusk enables. This approach fosters an ecosystem of shared modules, where developers can contribute and utilize reusable components, driving creativity and collaboration within the blockchain community.

  5. illustration

    Economic Protocol

    Goal

    The Economic Protocol aims to monetize services and smart contracts running within the Dusk ecosystem.

    The Economic Protocol introduces versatile mechanisms for levying transaction and service fees, enabling smart contract developers to strike a balance between profitability and optimal user experience. 

    Dusk, designed for financial institutions, utilizes regulatory licenses to address the challenges of fee-generating contracts in permissionless networks. Implementing this model requires consideration of gas and user cost estimates and any related technical aspects.

    Dusk's Economic Protocol is a prerequisite for a number of foundational components, such as Citadel. 

  6. illustration

    ERC20 Bridge

    Goal

    The ERC20 one-way bridge aims to migrate ERC20 DUSK tokens from Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain to Dusk’s native currency.

    An ERC20 one-way bridge is a specialized mechanism that facilitates the migration of ERC20 DUSK tokens from the Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain networks, to Dusk’s native currency, without the possibility of reversing or sending them back.

    The bridge serves the vital function of converting ERC20 DUSK tokens into Dusk's native currency. Establishing this as a one-way process is paramount to avoid linking the security of the Dusk network to the bridge or its interconnected chains. Essentially, it operates as an irreversible swap.

    To utilize the bridge, users will lock their ERC20 DUSK tokens on the originating chain, and in return, they'll receive an equivalent amount of the native DUSK currency within the Dusk protocol.

Auditing Feedback Cycle

This auditing process is a vital step towards the launch of our Mainnet. We will do extensive internal and external auditing of the protocol. Dusk is primed to be the network for institutional issuance of securities, therefore it is important we can guarantee the needed level of security. 

Once the internal audit has been done, all identified issues are documented and major concerns are addressed. An external auditing party will receive our documentation and finalize the auditing process.

Proper documentation is essential for optimizing (external) audits and reducing the time required for security assessments. The following papers and documentation will be created:

  • Phoenix whitepaper
  • Protocol whitepaper
  • Citadel whitepaper
  • Zedger specifications
  • Tokenomics and Economic Model

Network Testing

Systemic Stress Test

Stress testing is a technique to evaluate the performance, reliability, and stability of our network even under extreme conditions. It will help Dusk identify potential risks, bottlenecks, and failures that could affect the performance of the network. This is a controlled test environment. After our systemic stress test, we will open the network for the next iteration of our ITN, which allows us to test the protocol in an uncontrolled environment.

ITN

The next iteration of our Incentivized Testnet (ITN) will bring a host of improvements, including enhanced speed and stability, a seamless integration with web wallets, and a shift from the Rusk VM to the more efficient Piecrust VM. ITN allows our community to contribute to the testing of our network and gives us valuable feedback on the ease of using Dusk. While specific details regarding participation and rewards are yet to be disclosed, this ITN marks a milestone on the path to the launch of the Mainnet. These developments signify a significant leap forward in Dusk’s journey toward a robust and feature-rich blockchain ecosystem.