Remarks and Future Directions

The current staging compilation process is a brilliant workaround to a seemingly impossible problem. It makes something that initially seemed impractical—running complex programs on Bitcoin—into a workable solution. However, this approach is still in its early stages and faces a few key challenges:

• Fine-Tuning Required: Each step in the layout, optimization, and code generation processes needs careful tuning. Domain experts must continuously refine the layout algorithm and the optimization techniques to ensure they’re as efficient as possible. This is a labor-intensive task that requires deep knowledge of both cryptography and Bitcoin’s architecture.

• Difficulty in Adding New Versions: If we want to implement a new version of BitVM or add more features, the entire compilation process might need to be redesigned from scratch. Since Bitcoin’s scripting language is so limited, even minor updates require significant changes to the layout and optimization stages.

Despite these challenges, staging compilation represents an exciting step forward. By carefully rearranging, compressing, and simplifying programs, BitVM makes it possible to bring programmable functionality to Bitcoin without compromising the system’s integrity. This process shows the power of creative problem-solving in pushing the boundaries of what Bitcoin can achieve.