BEEF

The Background Evaluation Extended Format (BEEF) is a binary format designed for sending transactions across the Bitcoin SV (BSV) network. This document aims to demystify BEEF, outlining its structure, purpose, and the compelling advantages it offers to the BSV ecosystem.

Introduction to BEEF

At its core, BEEF is a protocol that encapsulates not just transactions but also their ancestry and the necessary Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) proofs. Its design is optimized for efficiency, minimizing bandwidth usage (especially when inputs have common ancestors) while maintaining the requisite data for full independent validation.

The impetus for BEEF's development arises from the need to streamline the transaction verification process without compromising on security or decentralization. Traditional SPV methods like BRC-8, while effective, have not seen widespread adoption, and BEEF aims to address this gap by providing a more uniquetous and standardized solution, aligned with the key industry stakeholders.

The Structure of BEEF

BEEF employs a binary stream, identified by a unique version number, to package transactions together with their Merkle proofs (BUMPs) and ancestor transactions. This bundling allows for a comprehensive verification process, starting from the most ancient transactions to the newest.

Key components of the BEEF format include:

• Version Number: A specific sequence that identifies the data as BEEF, allowing for future versions and improvements.

• BUMPs: BSV Unified Merkle Paths that prove the inclusion of transactions within the blockchain.

• Transactions: The actual transaction data, alongside indicators of their connection to BUMPs.

The data is arranged in a specific order to facilitate streaming validation. This means that as soon as the initial bytes (containing Merkle Paths) are received, the verification process can commence, making the validation efficient and fast.

Advantages of BEEF

Efficiency in Bandwidth Use

By condensing transactions, their ancestors, and SPV proofs into a single binary format, BEEF significantly reduces the amount of data transmitted across the network. This efficiency is crucial for scaling the BSV blockchain, making it feasible to process large volumes of transactions quickly. Thsese efficiencies compound when many inputs point back to a single common ancestor.

Enhanced Security and Trust

BEEF's structure ensures that every transaction can be independently verified, down to its roots in the blockchain. This process not only strengthens security but also enhances trust among network participants. Users can confidently validate transactions without relying on external sources for SPV data. By defining clear rules for validation, we ensure a lack of ambiguity among transacting parties.

Streamlining the Verification Process

The ordered structure of BEEF, coupled with its binary format, streamlines the verification process. Validators can begin verifying transaction ancestry as soon as they receive the data, without waiting for the entire payload. This immediate validation is particularly beneficial in complex transaction chains, where traditional methods might struggle with efficiency.

Future-Proofing

With its versioned format, BEEF is designed for future improvements and iterations. As the BSV ecosystem evolves, BEEF can adapt, incorporating new features or optimizations without disrupting the underlying principles that make it effective.

Conclusion

The Background Evaluation Extended Format represents a significant advancement in the BSV ecosystem. By combining transactions with their ancestral data and SPV proofs in a compact, binary format, BEEF addresses key challenges in transaction verification and validation. By aligning across the ecosystem, BEEF maximizes interoperability among wallets and network services. It offers a scalable, secure, and efficient mechanism for ensuring the integrity of transactions across the blockchain. You can check out an example of how to verify BEEF transactions with the TypeScript SDK here.