README.md

Merkle Tree Library

Package: @btc-vision/rust-merkle-tree

Overview

This project aims to develop a high-performance, secure Merkle tree library in Rust, with seamless integration for both Rust and Node.js applications. The library leverages SHA-256 as its cryptographic hash function and is designed to be secure against known vulnerabilities, ensuring robust state proof validations. Optimized for both performance and security, this library is intended for use in applications that require strong data integrity and validation mechanisms.

Key Features

• SHA-256 Hashing: Utilizes the SHA-256 hashing algorithm to ensure cryptographic security.
• Cross-Platform: Designed for both Rust and Node.js environments, providing bindings for easy integration.
• Secure Against Exploits: Implements protections against known vulnerabilities like hash collisions and tree manipulation.
• Optimized Performance: Significantly improved speed and efficiency compared to existing Merkle tree implementations like merkle-tree-sha256.
• Comprehensive Testing: Includes a suite of tests to ensure the library performs securely and accurately.

Table of Contents

• Project Overview
• Key Features
• Getting Started
• Usage
  • Rust Usage
  • Node.js Usage
• Installation
• References
• Contributing

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Rust: Ensure you have Rust installed. The recommended version is stable 1.56+.
• Node.js: Version 16 or higher is required.
• napi-rs: Used to interface the Rust code with Node.js.

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone git://github.com/btc-vision/rust-merkle-tree.git
   cd rust-merkle-tree

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Build the project:

   For production build:

   npm run build

   For debug build:

   npm run build:debug

4. Run tests:

   npm test

Usage

Node.js Usage

For Node.js integration, the library provides bindings via N-API.

1. Install the package:

   npm install @btc-vision/rust-merkle-tree

2. Example of creating a Merkle tree:

   import { MerkleTree } from '@btc-vision/rust-merkle-tree';
   
   const leaves: Uint8Array[] = [
       Uint8Array.from([100, 97, 116, 97, 49]),
       Uint8Array.from([100, 97, 116, 97, 50]),
       Uint8Array.from([100, 97, 116, 97, 51]),
   ];
   const tree = new MerkleTree(leaves);
   console.log('Merkle Root:', tree.root());

References

• Current Rust Merkle Tree Implementation: rs-merkle
• SHA-256 Merkle Tree for Node.js: merkle-tree-sha256
• N-API for Rust Integration: napi.rs

Check the example/ folder for usage examples and to compare performance with the current merkle-tree-sha256 package.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please adhere to the code of conduct and sign all commits. Open an issue or submit a pull request if you encounter any problems or have suggestions for improving the library.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. For more details, please see the LICENSE file.