Network Upgrades¶
Network upgrades change the protocol rules for all nodes. Most upgrades are backward-compatible (soft) or require coordinated node upgrades before activation.
Upgrade Process¶
Network upgrades in Kakitu are coordinated through epoch blocks — special blocks signed by the network's genesis account that trigger protocol changes when they reach the required confirmation height.
The upgrade process:
- A new node version is released with support for the new epoch
- Node operators are given a notice period to upgrade (minimum 2 weeks)
- Once sufficient adoption is confirmed, the epoch block is broadcast
- All accounts are upgraded to the new epoch as they process their next block
Epoch History¶
Epoch 1 — Genesis¶
Activated: March 2026 (genesis)
Initial network state. All accounts start at Epoch 1.
- Minimum PoW difficulty: single threshold for all block types
- Block format: state blocks required
Epoch 2 — Differentiated Work¶
Planned
- Send/change blocks:
fffffff800000000(higher difficulty) - Receive/open blocks:
fffffe0000000000(lower difficulty) - Purpose: reduce the cost of receiving while maintaining spam resistance on sends
Upcoming Upgrades¶
See Roadmap for planned protocol changes and their timeline.
Node Operator Responsibilities¶
When a network upgrade is announced:
- Read the release notes for the new node version
- Upgrade your node before the activation date
- Monitor the upgrade via telemetry and confirmation stats
- Report issues to the GitHub repository
Nodes running outdated software after an epoch upgrade may fail to process blocks correctly and will eventually be disconnected by peers.