XRP Dev Warns: Upcoming Major XRPL Feature Faces Obstacles

In a tweet, XRP Ledger developer Wietse Wind highlights incoming XRP Ledger feature Batch (XLS-56), which allows multiple transactions to be bundled into a batch that is processed all together.

According to Wind, the Batch amendment comes with a couple of terrific features like the ability to provide atomic swaps with multiple signers involved for different inner transactions inside one Batch, revealing excitement on what could be done with the feature.

The XRP Ledger developer revealed he had been deep in code, playing with the feature, and has now spent a significant amount of time understanding how it works on a signing, hashing and encoding level — hence his deduction.

As fantastic as the Batch feature may be, according to Wind, it might face one roadblock: a lack of understanding, which might cause a setback in support.

Wind noted a complete lack of examples shedding light on the amendment, necessitating the need to search, try or find reverse engineering (test cases) to be able to use it. This is understandable given that it is a new feature currently in devnet, and tutorials, sample code and the like may still have to be created and published, which may not be immediate.

Batch yet to achieve majority

According to xrpscan data, Batch is yet to achieve majority in consensus, currently at 68.57%, with 24 validators voting for and 11 against. This said, the Batch amendment remains away from the required 80% consensus needed to achieve a majority.

According to Wind, Batch might not achieve the required support if it is hard to figure out how to use a significant (relatively complex) part of the Batch amendment, and if there is no tutorial, sample code or easy way to understand how to use it.

“How is it then possible that 24 validators vote on Batch? Because I can guarantee at least 20 of them have no clue how to sign for multiple inner Batch transactions,” Wind stated, adding, “Do better. Test. Ask. Publish. Do not turn the XRPL in a clown ledger, where Yolo voting is the norm.”

Once Batch gains 80% of support from validators, it will enter an activation period and must hold the 80% threshold for a continuous two-week period to pass.