Bitcoin Verde Explorer: CashAddr, SLP, and Memo Support

GitHub Issue #10

Problem Description

Currently Bitcoin Verde's Block Explorer only provides basic support for CashAddr and SLP.
The Bitcoin Verde node itself supports rich support for CashAddr and SLP, which means users without access to the node via RPC have a degraded experience when compared to readily available alternatives.

The Bitcoin Verde node and explorer currently do not have any support for Memo.

End-users and developers rely on block explorers to check the validity of their actions on the blockchain.
The support provided by the current state of the explorer is considered minimal, which deters users from using the explorer to its full potential.

Fully supporting the SLP and Memo actions taken by users would provide viable redundancy for other block explorers, and increases the choice of platform for users and those running their own block explorer.

These additional features enable other developers to easily review what Bitcoin Verde considers valid.
This is especially valuable for OP_RETURN-like applications, since their status is not inherently validated by miners.

Value Proposition

This solution will provide the following benefits:

• attract users to the Bitcoin Verde explorer that prefer the use of the CashAddr format
• attract users to the Bitcoin Verde explorer that use SLP for tokens
• attract users to the Bitcoin Verde explorer that use the Memo protocol for messaging
• allow other developers to easily review the validity of their OP_RETURN-based transactions to cross-validate implementations and consensus
• keep support for the legacy address format while also adding CashAddr support

Solution Overview

Since the Bitcoin Verde node has rich support for SLP and CashAddr, most of the improvements performed will only affect the User Interface of the Bitcoin Verde Explorer.

CashAddr Support

• The explorer will enable a toggle setting to display between Legacy addresses and CashAddr addresses.
• This preference will be remembered by application for each user.
• The user will be able to query for both Legacy and CashAddr addresses.

SLP Support

• The explorer will display a tabulated view for all SLP functions (Genesis, Send, Mint, etc) per transaction.
• The explorer will display an icon associated with the SLP token, similar to simpleledger.info.
• The explorer will continue to display the SLP validity of SLP-like transactions.

Memo Support

• Bitcoin Verde will be extended to parse Memo protocol transactions.
• Memo transactions will be indexed by the node.
• A routine will be implemented to back-port the indexes for nodes that are currently synced.
• RPC calls will be updated to include Memo data, similar to the functionality provided for SLP.
• The explorer API will be updated to include transaction Memo data.
• The explorer will display tabulated Memo data, similar to bitcoin.com.

Solution Milestones

1. CashAddr Support

   The first milestone will consist of all User Interface changes to the explorer to facilitate CashAddr.

2. SLP Support

   The second milestone will consist of all User Interface changes to the explorer to improve existing SLP support.

3. Bitcoin Verde (Node) Memo Support

   The third milestone will consist of all node changes required to support the Memo protocol, including RPC calls.
   This milestone excludes all Memo support for the explorer.

4. Bitcoin Verde (Node) Explorer Support

   The fourth milestone will consist of all explorer changes required to support the Memo protocol.

Estimated Relative Complexity

• Milestone 1 - 8 / 80 (10%)
• Milestone 2 - 16 / 80 (20%)
• Milestone 3 - 40 / 80 (50%)
• Milestone 4 - 16 / 80 (20%)

Budget

This proposal does not have a minimum starting budget.

Completing this proposal will require approximately 80 hours.
At a rate of 0.5 BCH/hr, the total requested budget for this proposal is 40 BCH.

Funding Address

Funding this proposal may be sponsored by sending Bitcoin Cash to the following address:

1MEM6WAbHmDc2yi44HoneBtjc5xoeT9hcy
(bitcoincash:qrw73v53ewavdd4ezr5wd8tn2pyqeyhmxgekjtjr0x)

Authorization Signature:

The signature is signed with our primary donation address which can be found on bitcoinverde.org.

The signature message consists of the double-sha256 of the following format:

Issue-Number | Issue Title | Funding Address | Estimate Hours | Budget BCH

Notes:

1. The pre-image includes the concatenation symbol.

Pre-image:

10|Bitcoin Verde Explorer: CashAddr, SLP, and Memo Support|1MEM6WAbHmDc2yi44HoneBtjc5xoeT9hcy|80|40

Signature:

HHaC5XDFXl7YWtabXH6PCGafq0BTZvq3Xa0yqOIpxwkYBRR4s6uhcXX/G6IrNYQvkqUa62Jhuo7X7HIXNb1IcwA=