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Component Relationships

BLVM implements a 6-tier layered architecture where each tier builds upon the previous one.

Dependency Graph

graph LR subgraph "Consensus Stack" C[blvm-consensus
No dependencies] P[blvm-protocol
Depends on consensus] N[blvm-node
Depends on protocol + consensus] C --> P P --> N C --> N end subgraph "Governance Stack" S[blvm-sdk
No dependencies] G[blvm-commons
Depends on SDK] S --> G end style C fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style P fill:#bfb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style N fill:#fbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style S fill:#ffb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style G fill:#fbb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Layer Descriptions

Tier 1: Orange Paper (blvm-spec)

  • Purpose: Mathematical foundation - timeless consensus rules
  • Type: Documentation and specification
  • Governance: Layer 1 (Constitutional - 6-of-7 maintainers, 180 days, see Layer-Tier Model)

Tier 2: Consensus Layer (blvm-consensus)

  • Purpose: Pure mathematical implementation of Orange Paper functions
  • Type: Rust library (pure functions, no side effects)
  • Dependencies: None (foundation layer)
  • Governance: Layer 2 (Constitutional - 6-of-7 maintainers, 180 days, see Layer-Tier Model)
  • Key Functions: CheckTransaction, ConnectBlock, EvalScript, VerifyScript

Tier 3: Protocol Layer (blvm-protocol)

  • Purpose: Protocol abstraction layer for multiple Bitcoin variants
  • Type: Rust library
  • Dependencies: blvm-consensus (exact version)
  • Governance: Layer 3 (Implementation - 4-of-5 maintainers, 90 days, see Layer-Tier Model)
  • Supports: mainnet, testnet, regtest, and additional protocol variants

Tier 4: Node Implementation (blvm-node)

Tier 5: Developer SDK (blvm-sdk)

  • Purpose: Developer toolkit and governance cryptographic primitives
  • Type: Rust library and CLI tools
  • Dependencies: Standalone (no consensus dependencies)
  • Governance: Layer 5 (Extension - 2-of-3 maintainers, 14 days, see Layer-Tier Model)
  • Components: Key generation, signing, verification, multisig operations

Tier 6: Governance Infrastructure (blvm-commons)

  • Purpose: Cryptographic governance enforcement
  • Type: Rust service (GitHub App)
  • Dependencies: blvm-sdk
  • Governance: Layer 5 (Extension - 2-of-3 maintainers, 14 days)
  • Components: GitHub integration, signature verification, status checks

Data Flow

flowchart LR OP[Orange Paper
Mathematical Specs] CONS[blvm-consensus
Pure Functions] PROTO[blvm-protocol
Protocol Abstraction] NODE[blvm-node
Full Node] SDK[blvm-sdk
Governance Primitives] COMMONS[blvm-commons
Enforcement] OP -->|implements| CONS CONS -->|wraps| PROTO PROTO -->|uses| NODE SDK -->|provides| COMMONS NODE -->|validates via| PROTO PROTO -->|validates via| CONS style OP fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:3px style CONS fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style PROTO fill:#bfb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style NODE fill:#fbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style SDK fill:#ffb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style COMMONS fill:#fbb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

How the Stack Works Figure: End-to-end data flow through Reference Node, Consensus Proof, Protocol Engine, modules, and governance.

  1. Orange Paper provides mathematical consensus specifications
  2. blvm-consensus directly implements mathematical functions
  3. blvm-protocol wraps blvm-consensus with protocol-specific parameters
  4. blvm-node uses blvm-protocol and blvm-consensus for validation
  5. blvm-sdk provides governance primitives
  6. blvm-commons uses blvm-sdk for cryptographic operations

Cross-Layer Validation

  • Dependencies between layers are strictly enforced
  • Consensus rule modifications are prevented in application layers
  • Equivalence proofs required between Orange Paper and blvm-consensus
  • Version coordination ensures compatibility across layers

See Also