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The UX Vision for the Node Launcher

Website and Node Launcher user interface would be translated to at least every major language using Transifex.

Initialization process

  1. User goes to LightningPowerUsers.com, the macOS App Store (or HomeBrew), the Windows App Store, or their Linux package manager clicks the Download Node Launcher button that is front and center
  2. User performs macOS dmg with installer app or Windows setup.exe / MSI Package install (this part needs to be filled in, there should be a configuration flow with Recommended nudges and Advanced options), installer flow ends with check marked "Open Node Launcher". It should be a single step process for people who just want defaults: a single button "Install now" that installs it immediatelly and "Configure installation" button for advanced users.
  3. An icon appears in their System Tray (top right on macOS, bottom right on Windows), with the a mini Node Launcher logo and an orange status dot. If the user clicks on it, they see a progress bar with "Syncing with the Lightning Network..." What the Node Launcher is doing in the background is using neutrino "SPV" to quickly sync Lightning. A notification is shown to the user requesting him to choose between pruning and non-pruning mode. Pruning is the default, recommended setting. Non-pruning is disbled if the user has less than 300GB of free disk space. A compuer parameter scan is started in parallel to determine the best configuration for dbcache etc. Once the user confirms the setting bitcoind is launched in the background so they can start syncing their full node. When the neutrino sync is done, the status dot becomes blue. When the bitcoind full node sync is done, LND connects to it directly and the status dot becomes green. Both nodes default to using Tor.
  4. User receives a Node Launcher desktop notification to install the Joule browser extension, with a link to https://lightningjoule.com/
  5. User installs Joule, and Joule automatically connects to the local LND node without any manual configuration at all
  6. User receives a Node Launcher desktop notification to deposit BTC in their LND wallet, clicking it pops up a QR code. The notification has orange warning that it's currently unsuitable for large amounts. After clicking more info, the user is informed that they should wait for sync to be finished and to purchase HW wallet for savings. Additionally a checkbox "Unlink bitcoins" is present and checked by default. Wasabi or Joinmarket tool is used in the background to unlink the deposited bitcoins before opening the channels if the checkbox is checekd.
  7. User deposits BTC, channels automatically open
  8. Node Launcher communicates estimated time before channels are open
  9. User can now send satoshis with Joule!

Upgrade process

  1. If the package is installed using a package manager, automatic updates for the package are disabled by default using post-install script in order to prevent consensus attacks.
  2. When a new update is available, the user is informed about it and a window asking confirmation appears. The window contains information about how many developers of the launcher signed that the upgrade is OK and what is the total number of developers needed. If the number is lower than half, the update is ignored. User can explicitly install it from the menu, but is warned about potential consequences. The update window also contains "detailed information" button. The button shows a list of developers that signed the release and the release notes. The top of release notes contains information about whether changes to consensus were made.
  3. If the user confirms the update, the launcher synchronizes with package manager in order to make sure an unmodified package is installed. Then instructs it to download the package, but not install it yet. A minute before expected finish of download all relevant processes are terminated. The package is backed up together with channel data and everything else. The new package is installed and launched. In case of any prolem, the user can restore the package by opening a restore tool present in the backup data.

Using HW wallet

  1. If the user inserts HW wallet, he's instructed to initialize it if it isn't already.
  2. A new "savings" account appears. The user can deposit to it from checking account (with auto-mix by default if the coins were involved in channels at some point or weren't mixed before) or directly (auto-mix by default). A warning is issued if bitcoind isn't synced yet. "Show on Trezor" feature is used by default if the user selects direct deposit without mixing (would be great if we could mix with HW wallets directly , though).
  3. After the user deposits coins, they are mixed if needed and sent to the HW wallet.
  4. The user can move coins from savings account to checking account at any time. Mixing is suggested by default if the coins weren't mixed.

Export to Rpi feature.

The user can simply export his LND instance to a RPi or a similar computer by running the export tool. Bitcoind and lnd data are exported in that case. Everything else is reconfigured to use the RPi fter successful export.

  1. The user selects export tool and is instructed to insert SD card and optionally an external HDD/SSD (for the blockchain in case of non-pruning node).
  2. A recent image of the OS is downloaded and initialization script is added to startup.
  3. Data is copied over. Data includes keys for communicating between the node and the computer.
  4. SD card and HDD is unmounted, the internal nodes are disabled and the user can move the card to RPi and start it.
  5. Once the node starts, it's found automatically by the computer and connected. All wallet frontends are redirected to it. The user can choose to delete old data from his computer (bitcoind with its dir, lnd, with everything except the keys/channels).

Additional apps (plugins) feature

The launcher should allow users to download other plugins and make them work directly with the blockchain and wallets. In case the user use the export feature, the plugins can install their backends on RPi as well and communicate using secured channel.

Some plugins that might be useful: Btcpay server, OpenBazaar, Lighthouse, Bitmessage.

Identity management

The user should be allowed to create new identities that are completely separated from each other. They'd share bitcoind as source of data, but wouldn't interact otherwise. If the user attemptes to move funds between them, mixing is mandatory. (It should be detected that the user entered the address of one identity into "send" field of another.)

In case the user exported their node, family members and other devices should be able to reuse it if he grants them access. They can either share funds (family budget), or separate them.