v24.08.1 -- Steel Backed-up Channels

This hotfix release fixes few crash issues and some other bugs.

Fixed

• No longer crash if a plugin dies during lightningd startup.
• Fixed crash when starting channeld for older channel with no local alias.
• Will not crash for older pre-tlv peers where send_tlvs is NULL.
• Compilation will fail gracefully if jq is missing or an outdated version is detected.
• cln-plugin: Change default log level filter back to INFO.
• Fixed intermittant bug where hsmd (particularly, but also lightningd) could use 100% CPU.
• Made description optional in Wait(any)invoiceResponse to handle BOLT12.
• Removed bogus "BROKEN plugin-topology: DEPRECATED API USED: listchannels.include_private" message.

24.08 - Steel Backed-up Channels

We are pleased to announce the 24.08 release of Core Lightning, named by @Lagrang3. For a list of all changes, please see the changelog.

Highlights for Users

• pay now checks for sufficient spendable capacity before computing a route and returns a clear error message if there isn't enough capacity.
• offers can now self-fetch and self-pay BOLT12 offers and invoices.
• offers automatically adds a blinded path from a peer if we have no public channels, and supports setting a blinded path for invoicerequest if we're an unannounced node.
• renepay now prunes the network by disabling undesired channels, un-reserves routes after use, and introduces a new exclude option for channels & nodes to be excluded from routing.
• Whitespace at the end of (most) options will not complain anymore.
• I/O optimizations to significantly speed up larger nodes.

Highlights for the Network

• pay can now pay to bolt12 invoices if entry to blinded hop is specified as a short_channel_id.
• We can now open unannounced channels with LND nodes again.
• Onion messages are now supported by default and can be forwarded using short_channel_id.
• We now request all gossip from the first peer and immediately send updated gossip to current peers instead of waiting for reconnections.
• Recurring offers had incompatible changes, it will not work against older versions.

Highlights for Developers

• New experimental plugin askrene accesses min-cost-flow route calculations.
• pay plugin now includes enhanced logging and improved error codes, and emits channel_hint_updated notifications to share inferred balances across payments.
• New reckless-rpc plugin allows to issue commands to reckless over rpc.
• Plugin manager reckless now supports installing Rust plugins, accepts JSON array input and, provides JSON output with the -j/--json option flag.
• bookkeeper now listens for two new custom events: utxo_deposit and utxo_spend.

Since 24.05, we've had 378 commits by 21 authors in 85 days!

A special thanks to the eight first time contributors:

• michael1011
• Epic Curious
• Tommy Volk
• Pavol Rusnak
• Max Rantil
• Jose Storopoli
• Joseph Goulden
• jackstar12

~ @endothermicdev, @cdecker, @nepet, @ShahanaFarooqui, @niftynei and @rustyrussell

v24.08rc3

Release Candidate 3 for v24.08.

v24.08rc2

Release candidate 2 for v24.08.

v24.08rc1

Release candidate 1 for v24.08

24.05 - The Infinitely Divisible Satoshi

We are pleased to announce the v24.05 release of Core Lightning, code named "The Infinitely Divisible Satoshi" - named by CLN contributor @daywalker90. For a full list of the changes, please see the changelog

Highlights for Users

• New rune restrictions can now be applied to invoices with the pinv restriction!
• Documentation is more thorough and up-to-date as much of it is now generated from the schemas.
• Stability fixes to gossip and anchor channel spends.
• Increased file descriptor limits for large nodes.
• Pruned node operation is better supported by bcli with more robust block fetching.

Highlights for Developers

• A plethora of grpc methods have been backfilled!
• Pay can now pay part of an invoice with the partial_msat parameter. Get someone else to pay the remainder!
• Check can now be used to validate setconfig settings and values. It can also check for approval by the hsmd of keysend payments.

Highlights for the Network

• Offers will now make an outgoing connection if necessary to reply to an invoice request.
• Offer invoices now correctly use the node_id and the final cltv delta in blinded paths.

Since the 24.02 release, there have been 380 commits in 109 days by 21 authors!

A special thanks to three first time contributors!
@Se7eNz
@snoppy
@bstin

~ @endothermicdev, @cdecker, @nepet, @ShahanaFarooqui, @niftynei and @rustyrussell

v24.05rc2

release candidate 2 for v24.05

v24.05rc1

release candidate for v24.05

24.02.2 - 2024-04-06: "uint needs signature"

This point release addresses a [small incompatibility][#7174] in the gossip protocol.

v24.02.1 -- uint needs signature

A few minor fixes, and an improvements in the cost function of the routing algortithm.

Changed

• Plugins: pay route algorithm doesn't bias against our own "expensive" channels any more. (#7127)
• pay: Prevent repeating the preapproveinvoice check (#7121)

Fixed

• Plugins: pay would occasionally crash on routing. (#7127)
• Plugins: pay route algorithm fixed and refined to balance fees and capacity far better. (#7127)
• renepay: bugfix situation with htlcmax=htlcmin