This latest release, c-lightning 0.7, is the first key release in 8 months, bringing performance improvements, bug fixes, increased privacy and additional features, as well as enhanced technical information.
Plugin facility is the coolest new feature, which allows developers to improve the software capabilities. The plugins can be coded in any computer language. The developers genuinely hope this will make a significant contribution to this LN implementation’s versatility, extensibility and modifiability.
A week earlier, Blockstream co-founder and CEO Adam Back took part in the Lightning Network-based Lightning Torch program which involved Bitcoin relay between the participants. He then transferred the Torch to Reid Hoffman, former PayPal COO and outspoken advocate of the Blockstream. Bitfury Group, a blockchain technology firm, released a number of new innovations for vendors and programmers in January in an effort to push broader LN adoption.
Information given by a website related to BTC statistics disclosed that the Bitcoin Lightning Network’s capability exceeded $2 million last December. Again in the same month, a crypto firm R&D lab TenX trialled its own cross-blockchain interoperability software to exchange Bitcoin for Ethereum (ETH) ERC20 protocol tokens using the Lightning Network.