The Peregrine release is scheduled for launch in the next few weeks. This upgrade is all about enhancing transaction efficiency and user experience. By reducing block times to 16 seconds, transactions on the Casper network will be faster than ever, significantly benefiting our DeFi initiatives and user interactions.

"We've tested at eight seconds and know that Casper is stable at this speed. However, for the time being, we're going to opt for 16 seconds. This decision is made because we don't want to risk the uptime and robustness of the protocol by making such a big leap," explained Medha.

Alongside reduced block times, the introduction of a 99% refund on unspent gas fees is set to be a game-changer, making transactions on Casper more cost-effective and appealing. To take advantage of the new gas fees, a smart contract upgrade will be necessary. We will provide documentation on how to accomplish this.

Later this year, we are set to release the Juliet upgrade. Medha detailed the introduction of a new, more secure networking layer, designed to robustly protect against denial-of-service attacks.

Medha remarked: "The Juliet release introduces a brand new networking layer for our system. Previously, we utilized a bespoke networking layer, but it presented some security challenges, particularly in terms of vulnerability to denial of service (DDoS) attacks. The innovative aspect of the Juliet networking layer is its robust defense mechanism against such attacks. Essentially, any attempt to DDoS a Casper node or the Casper network will result in the attacking node running out of memory.”

“This design not only proves the security of the system but also its efficient and predictable memory usage, making it easier to maintain. We are excited to share this advancement with the wider community by releasing it as an open-source Rust-based networking crate. We are ensuring that this enhancement benefits a wider ecosystem by releasing this as a Rust-based networking crate. We believe the Juliet networking layer will be a significant contribution to the ecosystem and hope to see its broad adoption."

The Condor release, formerly known as 2.0 and now rebranded as the Condor upgrade, is a major and multifaceted update for the Casper Network. It encompasses several significant enhancements and new features designed to increase the network's robustness, security, and usability. Here's a breakdown of what the Condor release entails:

• Zug Consensus Mechanism: A major component of Condor is the Zug consensus mechanism. The new mechanism will provide flexible block times to significantly reduce the overhead and payment to validators for sending finality signatures. This change is expected to make the protocol more robust and secure, while making it more reliable than ever.

• Gas Refunds and No Gas Transactions: A key feature of the Condor upgrade is the introduction of gas refunds and the possibility of no gas transactions. This new feature aims to make transactions on the network more cost-effective and user-friendly.

• Wallet Enhancements: The upgrade includes significant improvements to wallet functionalities, focusing on native token management and transaction fee payment. The goal is to upgrade purchases, making them a first-order object within the system, thereby streamlining and improving the user experience.

• Enhancements to URefs: Condor will introduce major enhancements to unforgeable references, including more security and flexibility features like whitelisting, expiration, and sharing management. These changes are designed to make the references function more intuitively and effectively within the network.

• Unifying Accounts and Contracts: A groundbreaking feature of Condor is the unification of accounts and contracts. This means that everything an account can currently do in the Casper network, such as storing data, managing associated keys, and governance functionalities, will also be possible for contracts. The unification allows contracts to pay for transactions, stake in the network, and even receive multi-signature upgrades for enhanced governance.

• Contract Enhancements: The upgrade will also introduce additional enhancements to contracts like the provision of a factory pattern and an event standard. These enhancements are a direct response to feedback and feature requests from the community and developers building on Casper.

The roadmap is defined by major improvements to technology that will help us enhance network efficiency and user experience as we move forward into 2024 and beyond. We are actively developing a smarter, user-centered, and secure blockchain ecosystem rather than simply laying out future plans. We encourage you to join us, contribute to and enjoy the advantages of these innovative achievements. Your involvement and support are crucial in shaping the future of blockchain technology.

Casper will continuously adapt and innovate as the market and technology landscapes change.  

Visit our roadmap page for more information.

You can access recordings of all past calls in our Discord under the call archive section.