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docs+README: add mainnet safety guidelines
This commit updates the README to mention mainnet usage in `v0.3.0-alpha` and introduces a new Taproot Assets Operational Safety Guidelines document.
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| # Taproot Assets Operational Safety Guidelines | ||
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| As of version `v0.3.0-alpha`, Taproot Assets can be used on Bitcoin's `mainnet` | ||
| network. Meaning, in any version after `v0.3.0` there won't be any breaking | ||
| changes and any assets minted with that version should be forward compatible. | ||
| But signaling readiness for `mainnet` does NOT mean that there won't be any bugs | ||
| or that all planned safety and backup measures are fully in place yet. | ||
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| **That means, special care must be taken to avoid loss of funds (both assets | ||
| and BTC)!** | ||
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| ## How to avoid loss of funds (short version, tl;dr) | ||
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| In short, there is no recovery mechanism yet that allows easy asset recovery | ||
| using only the `lnd` seed. If `tapd`'s database is lost or corrupted, | ||
| access to all assets minted or received by that `tapd` **is lost**. | ||
| Additionally, custody the BTC used to carry/anchor the assets would also be | ||
| lost. | ||
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| **To avoid loss of funds:** | ||
| 1. **make sure the `/home/<user>/.tapd` directory is backed up regularly.** | ||
| If `tapd` is configured to use Postgres as the database backend, backups this | ||
| database is sufficient to preserve access to funds. | ||
| 2. `lnd`'s seed phrase has been securely backed up, as all `tapd` assets private | ||
| keys are derived from it. | ||
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| ## How to avoid loss of funds (extended version) | ||
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| Because the Taproot Assets Protocol is an overlay or off-chain protocol, all | ||
| data relevant to asset mints, transfers or burns are not stored in the Bitcoin | ||
| blockchain itself. Meaning, if access to that data is lost, then the assets | ||
| cannot be recovered by just using a wallet seed. | ||
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| So-called Universes (public asset and proof databases) will help with storing | ||
| and later retrieving that crucial off-chain data, but the mechanisms to query | ||
| all required data by just using `lnd`'s seed are not yet implemented. See | ||
| [#426](https://github.com/lightninglabs/taproot-assets/issues/426) for more | ||
| information. | ||
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| ### What data do I need to back up | ||
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| The following items should be backed up whenever sends or receives occur in tapd | ||
| (e.g. hourly or even more frequently depending on the number of | ||
| users/transactions of a system): | ||
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| * **If the default SQLite database is used:** Then all data is in the files | ||
| in the location `<tapddir>/data/<network>/tapd.db*` (usually `tapd.db`, | ||
| `tapd.db-wal` and `tapd.db-shm`), where `tapddir` is the following by default, | ||
| depending on your operating system: | ||
| * Linux/Unix: `~/.tapd` | ||
| * MacOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Tapd` | ||
| * Windows: `~/AppData/Roaming/Tapd` | ||
| * Umbrel: `${APP_DATA_DIR}/data/.tapd` | ||
| * Or, if either the `--tapddir` or `--datadir` flags or config options are | ||
| * set, then the file should be located there. | ||
| * **If a Postgres database is used**: Creating a backup of the database | ||
| configured as `--postgres.dbname` flag or config option is sufficient. | ||
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| Optionally, instances of the proof files in `<tapddir>/data/<network>/proofs` | ||
| can be backed up as well, but those are also all contained in the SQLite or | ||
| Postgres database and are only on the filesystem for faster access. | ||
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| ### Where are the private keys for assets stored? | ||
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| The `tapd` database does not store any private key material. It exclusively uses | ||
| `lnd`'s wallet to derive keys for assets and their BTC anchoring transactions. | ||
| The `tapd` database only stores the public key and derivation information in | ||
| its database. | ||
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| The following cryptographic keys are derived from `lnd`'s wallet: | ||
| * `internal_key`: The internal keys for BTC-level anchoring transaction outputs | ||
| that carry asset commitments. | ||
| * `script_key`: The raw key for asset ownership keys, by default used as | ||
| BIP-0086 keys in the asset output. | ||
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| ### Is it safe to restore from an outdated database backup? | ||
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| Yes. Since there is no penalty mechanism involved as in Lightning, there is no | ||
| additional risk when restoring an outdated database backup. | ||
| But of course, if the database backup is out of date, it might not contain the | ||
| latest assets and access to those could still be lost. | ||
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| ### Is it safe to open the `tapd` RPC port to the internet? | ||
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| There is normally no need to open the `tapd` RPC port (10029 by default) to the | ||
| internet. If the tapd instance is running a public Universe server, then that | ||
| port is required to be exposed. By default, all RPC methods (except for some | ||
| non-sensitive Universe related calls) are protected by macaroon credentials. | ||
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| There are three flags/config options that should be evaluated though: | ||
| * `--allow-public-uni-proof-courier`: If set, then access to the Universe-based | ||
| proof courier methods is allowed _without_ the normal macaroon requirement. | ||
| Meaning, any other `tapd` clients can use this `tapd` instance to transmit | ||
| transfer proofs from sender to receiver without needing any sort of | ||
| permission credential. | ||
| * `--allow-public-stats`: If set, then access to Universe statistics RPC calls | ||
| are allowed without the macaroon requirement. This can be useful to | ||
| directly pull statistics over the REST interface into any website. | ||
| * `--universe.public-access`: If set, then proofs can be inserted and synced by | ||
| other nodes. Note that `--universe.public-access` controls whether remote | ||
| proofs should be allowed in general, while `--allow-public-uni-proof-courier` | ||
| controls whether an authentication token is required. | ||
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| ## Important note for Umbrel/Lightning Terminal users | ||
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| **DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE** uninstall (or re-install) the "Lightning | ||
| Terminal" app without first making a manual backup of all local `tapd` data, | ||
| if you are using Taproot Assets as part of the "Lightning Terminal" app with | ||
| Umbrel -- or any comparable node-in-a-box solution. Uninstalling Umbrel apps | ||
| deletes application data. This Taproot Assets application data encumbers | ||
| Taproot Assets **AND** bitcoin funds. Receiving and sending `tapd` assets | ||
| updates the daemon's funds-custody material. Merely having the `lnd` seed phrase | ||
| is **NOT** enough to restore assets minted or received. | ||
| **WITHOUT BACKUP BEFORE DELETION, FUNDS ARE DESTROYED**. |