CashSQL - P2P Database for BitcoinCash

60 728
Avatar for Sphere10
4 years ago

Sphere 10 Software has recently launched a flipstarter for the CashSQL project - a database integration-broker for Bitcoin Cash.

An MVP of this software can be found here.

It has 9 days to go and has raised about 50% so far. This signals there's some market interest in this product and it is worth pursuing. The purpose of this article is to elaborate on "why this project is relevant" and on "where this project is going".

How is this useful to me?

Some in the Bitcoin Cash community may look at this and wonder "how is this useful to me?" .

The reality is, it is not immediately useful to most users whatsoever. This is because it is not a user-facing product but rather an "industrial product". However, not being useful to you does not mean it has no value to you. For example, a crane may not be useful to you but without one, the domicile in which you dwell may not have been built.

Similarly, if CashSQL can help builders rapidly develop new infrastructure which you may use, that's valuable to you. If that infrastructure grows BCH then it means more developers are in BCH and more activity is occurring in BCH. This means it's worth more, something which benefits you directly.

This is generally true for all sorts of industrial-level investments.

What does this product actually do?

Simply put, this product allows anyone to create a custom relational database out of the BCH blockchain. This database becomes their property which they own and control on their servers. They can use this database in a totally unrestricted (and unmetered) manner. This is useful to many.

This database is "proper" in the sense that it is a "relational database". Think of it like a bunch of spreadsheets that are all inter-connected. For example, it creates a spreadsheet for Blocks, Transactions, Accounts, SLP Accounts, anything. In fact, the product allows users to customize and build their own spreadsheets out of the blockchain data.

This is useful for builders who want to use the blockchain for new applications and protocols other than cash. For example, a company wanting to build a P2P YouTube (like LBRY) on BCH could use CashSQL to prototype their idea and eventually power their systems.

All LBRY does (when it comes to the blockchain part) is embed video content as small tags in OP_DATA instructions within transactions. The actual video data is managed separately, but the consensus of the system is encoded in the chain.

CashSQL can allow a builder to replicate what LBRY does on BCH (plus much more) but without requiring millions in investment and a team of developers to do so. By using CashSQL to maintain a "custom spreadsheet" for videos, comments, etc only a small amount of development would be ever required (for the blockchain-integration aspect).

CashSQL would act as an "integration broker" between this P2P YouTube and the BCH blockchain. This is what integration brokers do and what CashSQL really is, at it's core. This is an extremely valuable tool to many, and it should be open-sourced for the benefit of all.

Why can't they just use BCHN?

If you wanted to do that now, the node software cannot help you much. The reason is that Bitcoin Core (what BCHN is based on) was not built using traditional relational database model. Instead they store all the blockchain data in a far more primitive (but generally faster) type of database called a "Key-Value Database".

Think of it like one gigantic phone book where you look up phone numbers (value) using a name (key). That's it - all the data is stored in this very simple, low-level but fast form. The price for being faster is that it loses the relational structure. In other words, it stops being like "spreadsheets" and remains forever a dull "phone book". As a result, these databases are practically useless for anything other than what the node needs it for.

In fact, the database used by nodes are generally considered private and not to be accessed by anything other than the node itself. So in this sense, there no blockchain database at all just a private storage layer!

CashSQL fills in this gap by exporting BCHN's "phone book" into "spreadsheets" and keeps them synced up in real-time. It does this for other software to use freely. Other software can both read from and write to the blockchain "spreadsheets". It is bi-directional. This means software that wants to write to the chain need only to write to a "spreadsheet" and forget about it. CashSQL takes care of marshaling and broadcasting transactions with funds/data out to the network and then providing notifications back in the database.

This sort of workflow is actually quite challenging and expensive for many companies to build. I've seen some give up half-way through (after seeing how expensive it can get). Many also get the run-around from developers seeking endless time and budgets. In my opinion, this is a big reason why we've not seen an explosion of blockchain apps around public blockchains - it's way too expensive and complex to integrate. That needs to change!

By making blockchain integration easier and cheaper, it can be brought within reach of smaller builders. It allows them to get their ideas out to market quicker and faster and saves them from re-inventing the wheel over and over.

What's the vision for CashSQL?

The road-map for CashSQL is for it to evolve into it's own P2P network. It is not intended to replace a node, and it never will. However, it can become an overlay network with many public access nodes for all to use.

Such a network can facilitate all sorts of P2P apps that integrate into BCH. These apps can be written in Javascript/WASM and even deployed as web apps on browsers. Such apps can maintain consensus, communicate with each other, and make payments using these public access CashSQL nodes maintained around the world.

This is one way that BCH-based services like P2P file storage, P2P chat, P2P message boards, P2P YouTube, etc can emerge.

This is not part of our commitment of delivery in the flipstarter. It is our vision for where this product could go were it to be funded.

Sphere 10 is committed to building out the deliverables enumerated in the flipstarter and open-sourcing it all under the MIT license. If/when it gains traction, the project should start to attain a life of it's own. Future flipstarters may be commissioned to advance the product to meet this vision, if needed.

Thank you for reading and consideration - if you want to help bring some new developer talent into BCH (i.e. myself and other Sphere 10 devs) and if you believe this product can help grow the eco-system, please do support our flipstarter.

More Links:
Official Flipstarter
Reddit post with Q/A

By Herman Schoenfeld
Director
Sphere 10 Software

128
$ 1.33
$ 0.83 from @TheRandomRewarder
$ 0.26 from @georgedonnelly
$ 0.10 from @Omar
+ 5
Avatar for Sphere10
4 years ago

Comments

Hallo Herman, Ich könnte dir anbieten diese Software zum halben Preis fertig zu stellen, da ich in Venezuela wohne und meine Lebenshaltungskosten hier so gering sind, würde ich für die Hälfte des Lohns arbeiten den du für den deutschen Entwickler eingeplant hast.

Ich selbst habe seit 2006 Erfahrung als Freelancer, habe mit 8 Jahren mit der Software Enticklung begonnen und bin auch dreifach durch Sun und Oracle zertifiziert (Diplom Wirtschaftsinformatik sowie Bachelor in Medieninformatik) und habe erfolgreich in vielen Grossprojekten mitgearbeitet und auch eigene Produkte auf die Beine gestellt.

Zuletzt hatte ich in Deutschland einen Vertrag für 78€ pro Stunde bei der TK.

Mein Code zeichnet sich durch hohe Qualität aus, da ich besonders auf Code Quality Assurance spezialisiert bin.

Sonst wüde ich mich auch freuen falls du einen Job anzubieten hast, wie gesagt ich kann dir anbieten zum halben Preis zu arbeiten, da ich besonders gerne für bitcoin projekte arbeite und eben diese geringen Lebenshaltungskosten hier in Venezuela habe.

Schreib mir ne mail falls es dich interessiert und wir telefonieren mal.

trbc@bitcoinmap.cash

$ 0.05
4 years ago

Danke für dein Angebot. Ich spreche oder schreibe kein Deutsch, aber das heißt nicht, dass ich nicht auf Deutsch antworten kann :-).

Während wir in Australien ansässig sind, wo die Gehälter niedriger sind als in Deutschland, werde ich Sie für zukünftige mögliche Arbeiten im Auge behalten.

Haben Sie Erfahrung in der C # -Entwicklung und haben Sie Beispiele für Ihre Arbeit?

$ 0.05
4 years ago

If the work is BCH related I offer my time at 0.1 BCH per hour, if it is unrelated to BCH then I would want to charge at least 0.2 BCH per hour.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

I got a basic education on C# & .NET framework during my studies as Bachelor and from what I remember it is very similar to Java which also works with a VM on which I am three times certified and specialized. So probably it would be very easy for me to jump into C# as it is only a little bit different syntax wise.

A recent example of my work as a self managed project would be http://bitcoinmap.cash/coinector which is also available for Iphone here: http://bitcoinmap.cash/iphone

I also have published the source code of all my projects on http://github.com/therealbitcoinclub so there you could check the code quality and the languages I have experience with. Java, Kotlin, Dart, Flutter, Vuejs

In 2013 I managed a team of 3 developers and we programmed a high performance poker gaming app, server side was Ruby back then and frontend was Android, Iphone & Web.

In general I can learn any syntax of any language very quickly, as I also studied several foreign languages like English, SPanish, Portuguese, Italian, French so my brain is already trained to learn new languages fast.

I have 35 years now on this planet, I got my diploma in business informatics in 2007, after that I graduated as a bachelor in media informatics in 2006 (I skipped a year of the diploma as my results of the bachelor were very good). My father who was a mathematician taught me PASCAL programming at the age of 8 years, at the age of 10 I started websites and at the age of 12 I studied "C++ for dummies" so I really like learning, know how to motivate myself and I started early which has laid a strong foundation of logical thinking.

From what I can say, whoever hired me, wanted to keep hiring me, especially for remote works, as I actually get things done and I actually prefer not having to chat with the colleagues as that often leads to personal judgements. I simply love to program easy maintanable and efficient code. I can also pull out MVPs very fast.

Give it a try and you will see!

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Subscribe me

$ 0.00
4 years ago

I subscribed you can you subscribe me back

$ 0.00
4 years ago

It’s just awesome

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Wow nice article! Good job

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Wow, nice article, and also this is what I call a good job.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Superb

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Its a very good article.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Good job

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Nice article

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Helpful article

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Nice article

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Think of it like one gigantic phone book where you look up phone numbers (value) using a name (key). That's it - all the data is stored in this very simple, low-level but fast form. The price for being faster is that it loses the relational structure. In other words, it stops being like "spreadsheets" and remains forever a dull "phone book". As a result, these databases are practically useless for anything other than what the node needs it for.

In fact, the database used by nodes are generally considered private and not to be accessed by anything other than the node itself. So in this sense, there no blockchain database at all just a private storage layer!

CashSQL fills in this gap and exporting BCHN's "phone book" into "spreadsheets" and keeps them synced up in real-time. It does this for other software to use freely. Other software can both read from and write to the blockchain "spreadsheets". It is bi-directional. This means software that wants to write to the chain need only to write to a "spreadsheet" and forget about it. CashSQL takes care of marshaling and broadcasting transactions with funds/data out to the network and then providing notifications back in the database.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

IT SEEMS A GOOD STRUCTUIRE HERE

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Good job

$ 0.00
4 years ago

If that infrastructure grows BCH then it means more developers are in BCH and more activity is occurring in BCH. This means it's worth more, something which benefits you directly.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Really great, hope it will be sustainable.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Good

$ 0.00
4 years ago

That a very good consideration Sphere, 10 is committed to building out the deliverables enumerated in the flip starter and open-sourcing it all under the MIT license. If this platform is all about BCH

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Good job my dear

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Some in the Bitcoin Cash community may look at this and wonder "how is this useful to me?" .

The reality is, it is not immediately useful to most users whatsoever. This is because it is not a user-facing product but rather an "industrial product". However, not being useful to you does not mean it has no value to you. For example, a crane may not be useful to you but without one, the domicile in which you dwell may not have been built.

Similarly, if CashSQL can help builders rapidly develop new infrastructure which you may use, that's valuable to you. If that infrastructure grows BCH then it means more developers are in BCH and more activity is occurring in BCH. This means it's worth more, something which benefits you directly.

This is generally true for all sorts of industrial-level investments.

What does this product actually do?

Simply put, this product allows anyone to create a custom relational database out of the BCH blockchain. This database becomes their property which they own and control on their servers. They can use this database in a totally unrestricted (and unmetered) manner. This is useful to many.

This database is "proper" in the sense that it is a "relational database". Think of it like a bunch of spreadsheets that are all inter-connected. For example, it creates a spreadsheet for Blocks, Transactions, Accounts, SLP Accounts, anything. In fact, the product allows users to customize and build their own spreadsheets out of the blockchain data.

This is useful for builders who want to use the blockchain for new applications and protocols other than cash. For example, a company wanting to build a P2P YouTube (like LBRY) on BCH could use CashSQL to prototype their idea and eventually power their systems.

All LBRY does (when it comes to the blockchain part) is embed video content as small tags in OP_DATA instructions within transactions. The actual video data is managed separately, but the consensus of the system is encoded in the chain.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Wow very nice article very inpormative to all thnaks.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

nice

$ 0.00
4 years ago

We hope this software will make better p2p.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Very good article favorite this article was like knowing..

$ 0.00
4 years ago

EXCELENTE....

$ 0.00
4 years ago

that s such a good point u tell about crypto Some in the Bitcoin Cash community may look at this and wonder "how is this useful to me?" .

The reality is, it is not immediately useful to most users whatsoever. This is because it is not a user-facing product but rather an "industrial product". However, not being useful to you does not mean it has no value to you. For example, a crane may not be useful to you but without one, the domicile in which you dwell may not have been built. this point also good about benifit bch Similarly, if CashSQL can help builders rapidly develop new infrastructure which you may use, that's valuable to you. If that infrastructure grows BCH then it means more developers are in BCH and more activity is occurring in BCH. This means it's worth more, something which benefits you directly.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

bitcoincash:qpf3rwa5gwsvfmedcftwl8z9g9g0uwnjfyn3sv5qaj

$ 0.00
4 years ago

how nice this article bitcoincash:qpf3rwa5gwsvfmedcftwl8z9g9g0uwnjfyn3sv5qaj

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Nice article love it 🙋🏻‍♂️

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Really nice

$ 0.00
4 years ago

wow i its great

$ 0.00
4 years ago

great ... check my account if you want

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Learning more about BCH can inspire me and also help me understand all about the BCH. Its more encouraging to keep and let it grow and use it someday. Please do continue to educate us.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

What can i say, it's all in there. Please do continue to educate us.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Nice article

$ 0.00
4 years ago

This is cool.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

nice

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Wow, nice article Keep it up

$ 0.00
4 years ago

This is cool. Is it only for BCH or you extend it to other blockchains? Can one connect from excel directly via ODBC or Power BI? Not sure if I needed it now but it seems very helpful tool. Thanks for this detailed post!

$ 0.00
4 years ago

It can be extended for other chains. The flipstarter will support SQL Server, SQLite and MariaDB/MySQL so you could connect from excel via ODBC.

I refer to the reddit Q/A link in article, as well as flipstarter page itself, for more details.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Perfect. Thanks for your reply

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Nice

$ 0.00
User's avatar Alo
4 years ago

it 's good job

$ 0.00
4 years ago

How would you compare CashSQL to https://bitdb.network/ ?

$ 0.00
4 years ago

BitDB creates a "key-value pair database" (like phonebook) which is not in the same universe as a "relational database" (like spreadsheets). Many people do not consider key-value pair databases as "proper databases", but it's debatable. The article talks about their differences.

I would say CashSQL is an integration broker to a relational SQL database whereas BitDB is an indexer to a NoSQL database.

CashSQL is significantly larger in it's scope, functionality and domain of applicability. That's not to denigrate BitDB, but they're different tools for different jobs.

$ 0.00
4 years ago

Its great

$ 0.00
4 years ago

very interesting, thank you for explaining the ideas behind the CashSQL project.
hope your flipstarter succeeds and you get complete funding.

$ 0.00
4 years ago