3.1 KiB
3.1 KiB
External Protocol Integration (Connext, Raiden, Statechannels.org)
This document describes how external payment-channel and state-channel protocols complement the in-repo PaymentChannelManager and GenericStateChannelManager.
When to use what
| Use case | In this repo | External option |
|---|---|---|
| Same-chain, direct A↔B payments | PaymentChannelManager | — |
| Same-chain payments + attested state (stateHash) | GenericStateChannelManager | — |
| Cross-chain or routed payments | — | Connext |
| Payment channel network (many nodes, path finding) | — | Raiden |
| Full state channel framework (arbitrary state machines) | — | Statechannels.org |
| Chain-138 visibility on Mainnet | Transaction Mirror + MainnetTether (unchanged) | — |
Connext (cross-chain and routed payments)
- Site / docs: Connext · Docs
- Capabilities: Multi-chain transfers, xcalls, liquidity pools, virtual/routed payments.
- When to use: Cross-chain transfers, or when you want routed liquidity instead of direct A↔B channels.
- Integration: Use the Connext SDK in the frontend or a backend; link from the Channels UI (“Pay via Connext” / “Cross-chain transfer”). Does not replace PaymentChannelManager; use both as needed.
Raiden (payment channel network)
- Site / docs: Raiden Network · Developer docs
- Capabilities: Payment channel network on Ethereum, path finding, multi-hop transfers.
- When to use: Same-chain payments when you need a network of channels (many participants, routing) rather than single A↔B channels.
- Integration: Link from docs/UI for users who need channel networks; our PaymentChannelManager remains for simple direct channels.
Statechannels.org (general state channels)
- Site / docs: Statechannels.org · Docs
- Capabilities: General state channel framework: arbitrary state, state transition rules, dispute resolution.
- When to use: Applications that need full state channels (e.g. turn-based games, complex conditional flows), not just payment balances.
- Integration: Document and link from the Channels UI (“State channels (advanced)”) so users can use Statechannels.org for general state; our contracts cover payment channels and optional generic state (stateHash) settlement.
Summary
- This repo: Payment channels (PaymentChannelManager) and optional generic state channels (GenericStateChannelManager with stateHash).
- Connext: Cross-chain and routed payments; link from the app.
- Raiden: Same-chain payment channel network; link for users who need routing.
- Statechannels.org: Full state channel framework; link for users who need arbitrary state machines.
All three external options are optional; our contracts are sufficient for direct payment channels and for stateHash-committed settlement on Mainnet and Chain-138.