0095 renovation of ordinals More detailed version https://www.xiyu.im/article/Bitcoin%20Core%20vs.%20BDK 1. Background Bitcoin Core vs. BDK Bitcoin Core： The reference implementation client for Bitcoin is a full node software that contains complete blockchain data. It interacts with external programs through RPC API (Remote Procedure Call Interface), but this interface is considered by many developers (such as Casey) to be complex in design, inefficient, and requires high hardware resources to run Bitcoin Core. BDK（Bitcoin Development Kit）： A lightweight Bitcoin development library focused on building wallet functionality. It does not require running full nodes like Bitcoin Core, but can interact with the Bitcoin network in a more flexible way (such as connecting to external nodes). The advantages of BDK lie in its fast speed, low resource consumption, and ease of integration. 2. Core changes of transformation Casey's team is switching the ord wallet from relying on Bitcoin Core to using BDK. This means that the wallet will no longer need to run a complete Bitcoin Core node, but can process transactions and data in a lighter way. 'Gut redesign' indicates that this is a work of refactoring from the bottom, which may involve a significant amount of code rewriting. 2.1. New features: Casey mentioned that he hopes the ord wallet can run as an "agent" and sign transactions according to the user specified "policy". This implies that the wallet will have some degree of automation or programmability. For example, users may set rules such as "automatically sign when a transaction with an Ordinary inscription reaches a certain price" or "only sign transactions that meet specific conditions". This requires the wallet to have independent logical processing capabilities, and BDK's flexibility supports this implementation. 2.2 Technical benefits Speed improvement: After removing the full node dependency of Bitcoin Core, the wallet's operational efficiency will be higher. Flexibility: Users do not need to run Bitcoin Core locally and can use the wallet by connecting to remote nodes, reducing hardware requirements. Simplify development: avoid using RPC API (Casey roast about its "a mess"), and reduce the complexity of development and maintenance. 3. Potential impact and community significance The impact on the Ordinals ecosystem Since its launch in 2022, Ordinals has sparked heated discussions in the Bitcoin community. It has expanded the functionality of Bitcoin (from a simple currency to a digital asset carrier), but has also been criticized by some traditionalists for increasing the burden of blockchain. The upgrade of the ord wallet may make the use of Ordinals more efficient and widespread. For example, proxy functionality may support more complex transaction automation, driving the application of Ordinals in collectibles, art, or decentralized applications. This technological update is a major upgrade for the Ord wallet: shifting from the bulky Bitcoin Core to the lightweight and efficient BDK, which not only optimizes performance but also lays the foundation for introducing automated and strategic transaction signing functions in the future. This renovation is seen by Casey as a 'huge breakthrough' that may drive further development of the Ordinals ecosystem.