Merge pull request #125 from ethersphere/staging

Staging

content/_index.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ featured = "posts/swarm-solstice-event-2023-recap.md"
 featured_blog = "foundation"
 featured_secondary_first = "posts/erasure-code-nov.md"
 featured_secondary_first_blog = "foundation"
-featured_secondary_second = "posts/swarm-workshops-dec.md"
+featured_secondary_second = "posts/monthly-development-update-december-2023.md"
 featured_secondary_second_blog = "foundation"
 title = "Swarm home"
 _template = "home"

content/foundation/posts/monthly-development-update-december-2023.md

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+banner = "/uploads/dev-update-dec.png"
+categories = [ "Development updates" ]
+date = 2024-01-05T00:15:00.000Z
+description = "The Research Track successfully concluded Phases 3 and 4 of the storage incentives roadmap, enhancing system security and network decentralisation. Erasure codes are currently in the testnet phase, with plans for a mainnet release."
+references_and_footnotes = [ ]
+title = "Monthly Development Update – December 2023"
+_template = "post"
++++
+
+The December release of **[Bee 1.18.2](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee/releases/tag/v1.18.2)** upgrades the previous version by improving sync intervals for nodes to collect missing chunks and stabilises CPU usage. Additionally, it features various bug fixes, UX improvements, **[enhanced dashboards](https://network.ethswarm.org/)** for better network observability, and a detailed write-up of **[Swarm specifications](https://papers.ethswarm.org/p/swarm-specification/)** to aid in understanding and possible new client development.
+
+The **Research Track** successfully concluded Phases 3 and 4 of the storage incentives roadmap, enhancing system security and network decentralisation. Erasure codes are currently in the testnet phase, with plans for a mainnet release.
+
+The **Fair Data Protocol team** has improved the UI in the Fairdrive Web App and separated the main and the development [login methods](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairdrive-theapp/pull/570). The main app uses Metamask authentication for new users, and the development app retains full functionality. 
+
+**Swarm also has a [new website](https://www.ethswarm.org/)** and there’s a new dedicated subpage for **[Swarm Research Papers](https://papers.ethswarm.org/)**. 
+
+The documentation includes **[a new section on erasure coding](https://docs.ethswarm.org/docs/develop/access-the-swarm/erasure-coding)** and a new guide on [starting a blog on Swarm](https://docs.ethswarm.org/docs/desktop/start-a-blog). In addition, four new blogs are available for reading, including the recap of the [Swarm 2.0 event](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/swarm-2.0-swarm-is-production-ready-time-to-build/).
+
+Don’t forget that the next **Swarm Community Call** is on **25 January at 17:00 CET**. **[Save the date](https://www.addevent.com/event/iH19625610)** and stay on track with all the latest news in Swarm. 
+
+
+## Tracks
+### Bee Track
+* Release [1.18.2](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee/releases/tag/v1.18.2) is out, building upon the previous release:
+    * The sync intervals are re-synced so that nodes can collect any potentially missing chunks from the network.
+    * The initial syncing a node performs to collect missing chunks from peers (historical syncing) is now rate limited to lower and stabilise CPU usage.
+    * Puller historical syncing is now rate-limited to not exceed 500 chunks/second.
+    * Other various bug fixes & UX improvements.
+* Dashboards have been enhanced, providing better network observability regarding data & network availability, and latency.
+
+
+### Research Track
+* Ph3 and Ph4 are released and after some weeks are continuing to perform as expected, which brings about a new level of security and decentralisation to the system. 
+* The [Swarm specifications](https://papers.ethswarm.org/p/swarm-specification/) have been delivered and published which bring us another step closer to being able to independently recreate and understand Swarm.
+* The [erasure codes](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/erasure-coding-supercharges-swarm/) are on the testnet and we will be gearing up for the 2.0 release to mainnet after we get community testing feedback and due process. 
+
+
+### JS Track
+#### [Bee-JS](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee-js/)
+* Released 6.7.0
+    * Adds Utils function for calculating effective capacity
+* [Staged erasure coding support](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee-js/pull/896)
+
+#### [Swarm-CLI](https://github.com/ethersphere/swarm-cli)
+* [Staged erasure coding support](https://github.com/ethersphere/swarm-cli/pull/487)
+
+#### [Bee Dashboard](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee-dashboard)
+* Released [0.25.0](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee-dashboard/releases/tag/v0.25.0)
+    * Improves UX on postage stamp creation screen
+    * Improves UX for stamp dilute and top-up
+
+#### [Swarm Desktop](https://github.com/ethersphere/swarm-desktop)
+* Released [0.36.0](https://github.com/ethersphere/swarm-desktop/releases/tag/v0.36.0)
+    * Updates to Bee 1.18
+    * Updates to Bee Dashboard 0.25.0
+    * Adds Etherjot as a demo application
+
+[Gateway Proxy](https://github.com/ethersphere/gateway-proxy)
+* Released 0.10.0
+    * Adds address remapping (REMAP) feature
+* Released [0.11.0](https://github.com/ethersphere/gateway-proxy/releases/tag/v0.11.0)
+    * Adds CID support to allowlist feature
+
+
+### Ecosystem
+#### Fair Data Protocol
+##### [Fairdrive Web App](https://app.fairdrive.dev.fairdatasociety.org/)
+* UI improvements [such as search bar, in-folder sort & list button](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairdrive-theapp/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aclosed+closed%3A2023-12-01..2023-12-31+)
+* Now the main and development apps have a [different login method](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairdrive-theapp/pull/570). The main app only uses Metamask authentication for newcomers, and the development app has the full functionality.
+* [Other changes and enhancements](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairdrive-theapp/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aclosed+closed%3A2023-12-01..2023-12-31).
+
+##### [fdp-storage](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-storage/)
+* New release with [v0.17.0](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-storage/releases/tag/v0.17.0).
+
+##### [Create account page](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-create-account/)
+* [Added zkEVM](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-create-account/pull/300) as a network option.
+* Other [activities](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-create-account/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aclosed+closed%3A2023-12-01..2023-12-31+).
+
+##### [Fairos-dfs](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairOS-dfs)
+* [Updates and improvements](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairOS-dfs/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aclosed+closed%3A2023-12-01..2023-12-31+).
+* [Release candidates](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fairOS-dfs/releases) are strong, a new version coming soon.
+
+##### [Fdp-contracts](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-contracts)
+* New js library release:[ fdp-contracts-js-lib: v3.10.0](https://github.com/fairDataSociety/fdp-contracts/releases/tag/fdp-contracts-js-lib-v3.10.0)
+
+
+### DevOps
+* Deployed Bee [1.18.2](https://github.com/ethersphere/bee/releases/tag/v1.18.2) to testnet and mainnet.
+* Released multiple versions of [Beekeeper](https://github.com/ethersphere/beekeeper) (latest 0.15.1).
+
+
+### DevRel
+#### General
+* The new ethswarm.org website has been [published](https://www.ethswarm.org/).
+* The new [Swarm Research Papers subpage](https://papers.ethswarm.org/) was published.
+* Swarm [Network Dashboard](https://network.ethswarm.org/), showcasing vital insights into key metrics, was published.
+
+
+#### Docs update
+* [New section](https://docs.ethswarm.org/docs/develop/access-the-swarm/erasure-coding#uploading-with-erasure-coding) on erasure coding has been added to the documentation explaining the key concepts and usage of this newly added feature.
+* The [/bzz](https://docs.ethswarm.org/api/#tag/BZZ) and [/bytes](https://docs.ethswarm.org/api/#tag/Bytes) endpoints in the API reference docs have been updated with the changes related to erasure coding. 
+* A new section on [how to start a blog on Swarm](https://docs.ethswarm.org/docs/desktop/start-a-blog/) has been published.
+
+
+#### Workshops
+* [Decentralise Your Blog: A Guide to Censorship-Resistant Blogging](https://youtu.be/j2i77PuWh_0)
+* How to set up a private Swarm gateway
+
+
+#### Content
+* [Swarm Community Call, 30 November – Recap](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/swarm-community-call-30-november-recap/)
+* [Monthly Development Update – November 2023](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/monthly-development-update-november-2023/)
+* [State of the Network: November](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/state-of-the-network-november/)
+* [Swarm 2.0: Swarm is production ready, time to build](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/swarm-2.0-swarm-is-production-ready-time-to-build/)
+
+
+### People & Culture team:
+* Join the team creating the future of decentralised storage and communication. The Swarm Foundation currently has multiple open positions. We are hiring a [Software Engineer (Go, blockchain)](https://www.ethswarm.org/jobs/Software_Engineer_go_blockchain), [Senior Software Engineer (Go, blockchain](https://www.ethswarm.org/jobs/senior-software-engineer-go)), [QA Engineer (Go, blockchain)](https://www.ethswarm.org/jobs/senior-software-engineer-go) and a [Grant Manager](https://www.ethswarm.org/jobs/grant-manager)
+* Find out more on our career page [https://www.ethswarm.org/jobs](https://www.ethswarm.org/jobs) or simply drop us a message: talent@ethswarm.org!
+
+
+
+### Events:
+##### **Swarm 2.0 - #generate freedom:** the annual winter solstice event
+* The Swarm 2.0 virtual event was held on 21 December, unveiling the production ready network. You can read a recap blog post about the event [here](https://blog.ethswarm.org/foundation/2023/swarm-2.0-swarm-is-production-ready-time-to-build/).
+
+
+### Upcoming events
+##### **Swarm Community Call – 25 January 2024**
+* The first Swarm Community Call of the year is coming up on 25 January – [add to calendar](https://www.addevent.com/event/iH19625610). Join us for our monthly call on Discord to stay fully informed! You may also submit your questions for the AMA segment upfront [here](https://airtable.com/appNS3aNAw7rihPeg/shrBRyrMkXFsJvLS3).