The much-anticipated Bee 2.2.0 upgrade has successfully gone live!
This update brings game-changing features and enhancements that will transform how developers and node operators interact with Swarm. Let’s break down what these changes mean, even if you’re not a tech expert.
What’s the Big Deal About Bee 2.2.0?
In a nutshell, Bee 2.2.0 makes Swarm more powerful and user-friendly.
- For Developers: Imagine you’re a content creator. Now you can decide exactly who gets to see your work—down to individual pieces. Want to offer exclusive content to subscribers? No problem. This level of control is possible thanks to a new feature called Access Control Trie (ACT). For developers, we have an extensive post explaining the underlying tech here and also discuss the new opportunities it opens for business models here.
- For Business owners: With the introduction of the Access Control Trie (ACT) in Bee 2.2.0, business owners now have unprecedented control over who can access their content on Swarm. This feature unlocks exciting new opportunities for new business models. For instance, content creators can offer exclusive content to their subscribers or provide tiered access based on different membership levels. ACT enables businesses to monetize their content more effectively and build stronger relationships with their audiences. You can read more about it here.
- For Node Operators: Node operators are the backbone of Swarm, ensuring its smooth operation. This upgrade allows them to relocate to less congested network regions, increasing their chances of earning rewards from the reward pool. Additionally, node operators gain greater flexibility in managing their stake (a type of deposit needed to participate in the network).
The Tech Behind the Upgrades
- Access Control Trie (ACT): This system acts as a highly secure lock for your content. Unlike other solutions, ACT empowers you to create and manage discrete access keys for specific wallet addresses.
- Neighborhood Hopping: Picture the Swarm network as a bustling city. If one neighborhood gets too crowded, node operators can now move to a quieter one. After syncing with their new neighbors, they help to create a more robust network in general and get rewarded to do so.
- Partially Withdrawable Stake: This gives node operators more control over their stake, letting them withdraw some of it while still keeping the network secure.
- Optimized Peer Connections: Think of this as streamlining the network. Nodes now connect to an optimal number of peers, with stronger and more stable connections, making the entire infrastructure run smoother.
Important Reminder
If you’re a Swarm user, make sure you’re using Bee version 2.2.0 or newer. This ensures you get all the benefits of this major upgrade.
The Future of Swarm
Bee 2.2.0 is a major step forward for Swarm. It empowers developers to create new and exciting applications while improving the experience for node operators. The Swarm network is becoming stronger and more capable, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
