Dev Release 106

Greeting BlockDAG Community,

Let's directly jump into the latest updates of blockchain explorer that we've been working from so long:

1. Enhanced Searching Functionality for UTXO Addresses (Vin and Vout)
We are excited to announce the introduction of an advanced searching feature within the BlockDAG explorer. This feature allows users to perform precise searches for Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) addresses in both the input (Vin) and output (Vout) components of transactions.
 

• UTXO Address Search for Vin: Users can now search for any UTXO address in the Vin (input) section, enabling them to trace which addresses have been used as inputs in previous transactions.
• UTXO Address Search for Vout: The search functionality extends to the Vout (output) section as well, allowing users to identify addresses that have received transaction outputs.

This new capability provides enhanced transparency and traceability within the BlockDAG explorer, empowering users to gain deeper insights into transaction flows and address interactions.
 

2. Creation of API to Retrieve Transactions by Address
In response to growing user demand for more flexible and efficient data retrieval, we have developed a new API that allows users to fetch transactions associated with a specific address. This API is designed to be highly performant, providing quick access to transaction histories.

• API Features:
• Retrieve all transactions where a given address appears in either the Vin or Vout fields.
• Support for pagination to handle large datasets, ensuring optimal performance even when dealing with addresses that have been involved in numerous transactions.
• Optional filtering parameters, including date ranges and transaction types, to refine search results.

This API is a significant addition for developers and users who require programmatic access to transaction data associated with specific addresses.
 

3. Deployment of Completed Tasks to QA Environment
The latest round of development has been successfully deployed to the QA environment for testing and validation. This includes the implementation and refinement of features completed as of yesterday, ensuring they meet our rigorous quality standards.

• Tasks Deployed:
• The new UTXO address search functionality.
• The newly created API for retrieving transactions by address.
• Various bug fixes and performance improvements identified in previous iterations.

Our QA team will now perform extensive testing to identify any issues and verify that all new features operate as expected before they are released to production.
 

4. Optimisation of Sync Service Code
We have undertaken a significant optimization of the sync service code, which is responsible for keeping the BlockDAG explorer up-to-date with the latest transactions and block data.

• Optimisation Highlights:
• Refactoring of code to improve readability and maintainability.
• Enhancements to the sync algorithms to reduce latency and increase efficiency, resulting in faster data synchronization.
• Reduction in resource consumption, which translates to a more scalable and robust service.

These optimizations ensure that the BlockDAG explorer remains responsive and accurate, even as the network grows in size and complexity.
 

5. Faucet History API Implementation on Frontend and Backend
We have implemented a new feature that allows users to view the history of faucet transactions directly through the BlockDAG explorer. This feature includes both backend and frontend enhancements:

• Backend API:
• A robust API has been developed to retrieve the history of faucet transactions, enabling users to see when and how much they received from the faucet.
• The API supports filtering by address and time period, providing flexibility in data retrieval.
• Frontend Integration:
• A new section within the BlockDAG explorer UI now displays faucet transaction history. Users can easily navigate and search through their faucet transactions.
• The UI has been designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring that even non-technical users can easily access and understand their faucet history.

This feature is particularly useful for users participating in test networks or those utilizing faucets for small amounts of cryptocurrency.

Today's changes focuses on enhancing the user experience (UX) and strengthening the app’s security features based on stakeholder feedback. The following updates have been made, with key areas highlighted for testing and feedback.

Key Updates:

UX Improvement in Password Field:

• Feedback: Stakeholders noted that the user experience within the password field required refinement, particularly in terms of ease of use and visual clarity.
• Action Taken: The password input field has been redesigned to improve accessibility and visibility. Updates include:
• Enhanced visibility of password strength indicators.
• Improved user guidance through tooltips and inline suggestions.
• Smoother transitions between password visibility toggling (show/hide password)

Robust Regex Implementation for Password Field:

• Feedback: Concerns were raised regarding the robustness of password validation, which could impact overall security.
• Action Taken: A more comprehensive regex pattern has been implemented to ensure stronger password security. The updated pattern now enforces:
• A minimum of 8 characters, including at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character.
• Prevention of common password patterns and weak combinations.
• Real-time feedback as users type their password, with detailed error messages guiding them towards creating a stronger password.

Error Message Formatting:

• Feedback: Error messages throughout the app were found to be inconsistent and not aligned with the app's overall tone and style.
• Action Taken: All error messages have been standardized across the application to ensure consistency in tone, format, and clarity. This includes:
• Clear, concise language that avoids technical jargon.
• Consistent formatting with proper capitalization, punctuation, and alignment.
• User-friendly suggestions within error messages to guide users towards resolving issues.

UX Improvement for Delete Account Feature:

• Feedback: The Delete Account feature was identified as an area needing UX improvements, particularly to make the process more intuitive and user-friendly.
• Action Taken: The Delete Account feature has been overhauled to enhance user experience:
• A more intuitive and streamlined flow, with clear confirmation steps.
• Added warnings and reminders about the consequences of account deletion.
• Improved visual cues and prompts to ensure users fully understand the action they are taking.

Final Round of Testing by Third-Party Testing Team:

• Objective: To ensure the app meets the highest standards of quality and security, a final round of testing will be conducted by an external third-party testing team.
• Scope: This testing phase will focus on:
• Rigorous UX/UI testing to confirm all recent changes are user-friendly and intuitive.
• Comprehensive security testing to validate the robustness of the new regex implementation and overall app security.
• Full regression testing to ensure that all existing features continue to work as expected without introducing new bugs.

• Issue Resolution: The development team will address any issues or bugs identified during the final testing phase. Particular attention will be given to further refining the user experience and ensuring that all security standards are met.
• App Store Submission: Once the above issues have been resolved and all testing feedback has been addressed, the BlockDAG X1 app will be prepared for submission to the Apple App Store and other relevant app stores for release to the general public.

Conclusion: This release brings significant new features and improvements to the BlockDAG explorer, enhancing its functionality, performance, and user experience. We encourage all users to explore these new features and provide feedback as we continue to develop and refine the platform.