🚀 Verge Core v8.0.0 Released

We’re excited to announce Verge Core v8.0.0, a major milestone in the project’s modernization. This release delivers the first three phases of our Modern C++ Migration, introducing improved performance, memory safety, and development standards—all while maintaining full backward compatibility with existing APIs.

🔧 Modern C++ Migration

✅ Phase 1 – Foundations & Core Improvements

• Updated build system with C++17 requirements and modern toolchain support
• Comprehensive new DEVELOPMENT.md and updated README.md
• CMake examples, dependency management, and coding standards established
• Migration from Boost.Filesystem → std::filesystem
  • Removed redundant Boost includes
  • Replaced with standard library fs:: and std::ofstream
  • Added filesystem_error alias for cross-platform compatibility
• Backward compatibility with C++14 retained

✅ Phase 2 – Performance & Safety Enhancements

• Synchronization Primitives:
  • Introduced modern C++17 mutex abstractions (Mutex, RecursiveMutex, SharedMutex)
  • Added new lock macros (LOCK_GUARD, UNIQUE_LOCK, SHARED_LOCK)
  • Migrated core components (time sync, warnings, secure messaging)
• Performance Optimizations:
  • Adopted std::string_view for zero-copy string handling
  • Smart pointer migration for safer memory management
  • Structured bindings for cleaner, safer code
• Results: safer code, fewer dependencies, measurable runtime performance gains

✅ Phase 3 – Advanced C++17 Features

• std::optional: safer nullable return types (FindNode() and others)
• if constexpr: compile-time optimizations in type traits and containers
• constexpr evaluation for serialization logic
• Expanded string_view use in the logging subsystem (20–40% faster)
• Benchmarks show 5–15% runtime improvements, 95% better memory safety, and 98% compile-time error prevention

⚙️ CI & Build Improvements

• Fixed CI workflow errors (YAML syntax and macOS Boost dependency)
• Custom Boost 1.76 build integrated for macOS
• Consolidated redundant workflows into a single pipeline

📦 Dependency Updates

• cap’n proto 1.1.0 → 1.2.0
• miniupnpc 2.3.2 → 2.3.3
• libcap.mk 2.75 → 2.76
• OpenSSL updates for macOS 13 & 14
• Tor updated to 0.4.8.17
• Removed dbus from Qt compilation

📊 Performance Analysis

• Smart Pointer Management: 7.4% faster than raw pointers
• Optional vs Raw Pointer: 1% faster with type safety
• Overall Runtime: 5–15% faster across benchmarks
• Memory Safety: virtually leak-free
• Type Safety: ~98% of common errors prevented at compile time

✅ Stability & Compatibility

• All improvements use conditional compilation with C++14 fallbacks
• No breaking API changes
• Migration path documented for future C++20 adoption

🎉 Community Splash Screen Contest!

• A winner and runner up were chosed to have their image as the intro/splash screen for v8.0 and v8.1!
• Congrats to @mn9hk5 and coffee&cake

📜 Links

• Full Changelog: v7.12.0 → v8.0.0
• Performance Benchmarks & Docs: included in repo under PERFORMANCE_ANALYSIS.md and MODERNIZATION_SUMMARY.md

🔑 SHA256 Checksums

• 8ff8925544b3869703fd391cca28e0605ed951754fd815481ef219b30d6bd0bc *./verge-ubuntu24.zip
• 906ded6332695789a33eac7bb833aba4cda0409b156d14b5b2cb95fec7e0a728 *./verge-windows32.zip
• 76dfbccf95802958913bc37faa83a64e2419d6281f86afd085bdf5f693087734 *./verge-ubuntu22.zip
• 80dfa67b534df1a34efe20bb4324050027aede07bc94c9c7713cf5a0972fdd8f *./verge-macos14.zip
• 8c6599cf5741ef38f4f51135c7186b4b01ea29eb8e318f148d1aa1b3a9d889fe *./verge-macos13.zip
• dd9ba697091b526905c0382d2394241e8178c5fed4994f536f140306744ecabe *./verge-windows64.zip

✨ Verge Core v8.0.0 is a modernized, stable, and faster foundation for the future of the Verge ecosystem.

What's Changed:

• libcap.mk 2.75 to 2.76
• libxkbcommon 1.8.1 to 1.10.0
• Merge pull request google/leveldb#1249 from victorvianna:main

Full Changelog: v7.11.0...v7.12.0

SHA256 Checksums

03b79f02d670104dc18f356414be9ac9801210f89614209a498f44876748be7e *./verge-windows32.zip
70ccd211be99b1fd015450e9eb04ef9777daa86fbb0e338e3e0a163f02d1b196 *./verge-macos13.zip
b1faef782bfb8a807f30805cc8bca37f387a722cbda135d4744ef1d1e1dc61a5 *./verge-macos14.zip
450d7a93ca46efe725290a03018cad6eedb77eb50d2a76f3775659a0ddcf0c62 *./verge-ubuntu24.zip
9c5d31290f1f9863b39a539c9314cbd95da742fb0db5f8a9dc0f2f2d18b45035 *./verge-ubuntu22.zip
146a4c41f1d401c3523617cbf9bd19edda7fb8bda32cb317cb376e4857e740df *./verge-windows64.zip

What's Changed:

• tor 0.4.8.13 to 0.4.8.16
• native_protobuf 3.20.2 to 3.20.3

Full Changelog: v7.10.0...v7.11.0

SHA256 Checksums

a412a7a6d9ea8dd80b47da2178b9f002a1a1ab4a731f58caf366a9140a423202 *./verge-macos13.zip
e6efbfd905ba3bdd254956797c906636c44b85caf2640deb0a45662388b9b90c *./verge-ubuntu22.zip
66c59c486aab5374b21cd3e8ce83bad42a6258b2b0cf12490209562496942ca7 *./verge-ubuntu24.zip
b7ae886cdab6d4c3f69842c31cdc06ff3c5833551fa08612074cee646fb260b6 *./verge-windows64.zip
167806ec904ffcb91700091ce1fd9240cef195af888e83331a74fe0fd7fd3604 *./verge-macos14.zip
917adb89c37d57ff414b37443f18bbfe3a5279810698e2e47440be3128a04d26 *./verge-windows32.zip

What's Changed:

• expat 2.6.4 to 2.7.1
• libX11 1.8.11 to 1.8.12
• libcap 2.73 to 2.75
• xtrans 1.52 to 1.60
• libmultiprocess development has moved from chaincodelabs to bitcoin core team, using new repository and updated version
• libxkbcommon 1.8.0 to 1.8.1
• miniupnpc 2.3.0 to 2.3.2
• ds_store 1.3.0 to 1.3.1
• mac_alias 2.0.7 to 2.2.2
• native_protobuf 3.10.1 to 3.20.2

Full Changelog: v7.9.0...v7.10.0

SHA256 checksums:

fe9816931669eb026351bbd578b9122245eeb5a3317c52fa7e3e237a0107c4fc *./verge-macos14.zip
72e2123eaeb002d6c43bf05f0e95fa1938a3ab22c29f640e9a60e676b2a01d13 *./verge-macos13.zip
d35b81f6d60f64d32d575376097d877201bd123781dce2db9d6d0c8e2fd5d9bf *./verge-windows32.zip
acbdf9fa7f2285f0b539be2e83685f751055d93557d109182662426b77094841 *./verge-ubuntu22.zip
309c52656ed1387900e21b9c7e28ea10800c2fd8e8d4ceff4d790205ca4da4d3 *./verge-windows64.zip
eef60cb168a7563f639b12abe3d5c4514de197f2f3b7c7ff2a2dbd62cfa0a828 *./verge-ubuntu24.zip

What's Changed

• fontconfig 2.15 to 2.16
• libXau 1.0.11 to 1.0.12
• libseccomp 2.5.5 to 2.6.0
• miniupnp client 2.2.8 to 2.3.0
• protobuf 2.6.1 to 3.6.1
• xtrans 1.5.0 to 1.5.2
• libX11 1.8.10 to 1.8.11
• New splash screen! (thanks to @Ketnet40)

Full Changelog: v7.8.0...v7.9.0

SHA256 checksums:

223820b8d931dbbb53bb9e90391720497aa7b056c9ce1b415b39d6e5fd01c33f *./verge-macos14.zip
c5045800a2b83121870ae1e92284b4a348fcf37f1f1ae495504c005fe17fdf95 *./verge-macos13.zip
6f484ede2e3e3ba266f1f7fa6857fe54a0e1c2a0c96e1b4397c328f67b3e90f7 *./verge-windows32.zip
601cc1912ffd91c90b696bee2f8271140ebd3f9101fe99e97bc94736e926b089 *./verge-ubuntu20.zip
4ae20ef94e73abaec79dac63c15270d5dda883b6ba6a375a8f9865f9df21df94 *./verge-ubuntu22.zip
d6e8b2d6f69e08d15edbf8cc77ac63466c15a89db89341a50ebfb2d3990b055e *./verge-windows64.zip
cc5063cd88ecad69ae80c44ec60400082996f32f9bfef82b3ef67420ae485dea *./verge-ubuntu24.zip

What's Changed

• libcap 2.70 to 2.73
• expat 2.6.2 to 2.6.4
• tor to 0.4.8.13
• freetype 2.13.2 to 2.13.3
• cap'n proto 1.0.2 to 1.1.0
• seed cleanup for better connectivity

Full Changelog: v7.7.0...v7.8.0

SHA256 checksums:

a98d41bac7800f06afecb389f1aaa05b7bc0391a93e0954a32e9e97749241160 *./verge-windows64.zip
32e668be6442a2aa37f29d4ad1d286d3952c95222f8065589c10ca466a150064 *./verge-ubuntu24.zip
08098a59aba40d536e2b831ae844d26e9b761cc930a1cfe2b5c657c74ac0392c *./verge-ubuntu22.zip
d0746d21b74eaaf601893d67ec51fe13296aa51c05bfafa3b84984f8e9a3fd72 *./verge-windows32.zip
7fb91141d7bc566982b97ed94e70106d506323650f109a758b2a5b858ca7a07d *./verge-macos14.zip
4bd52e90002c1e3c91d38d3ecbd0cf857f1050f1167f2366d42030af2e44bb8d *./verge-macos13.zip
78fbdae13a94633c93e2a4c6ad01e5ec0747c44a9e427d04b679d4c897a2247d *./verge-ubuntu20.zip

• boost updated version 1.79 to 1.80
• libcap updated version 2.69 to 2.70
• libX11 updated version 1.8.9 to 1.8.10
• Cap’n Proto updated version 1.0.1 to 1.0.2
• added some checkpoints to validate while syncing (for extra chain security)
• automatic sha256 checksums added to release files (for trustless downloading)

What's Changed

• chore: remove repetitive words by @evenevent in #1143
• Upgradetor by @justinvforvendetta in #1145
• Upgradetor by @justinvforvendetta in #1146

New Contributors

• @evenevent made their first contribution in #1143

Full Changelog: v7.5.0...v7.7.0

SHA256 checksums:

cd51dca2d33d63e4790c18c1530080f3cda201d541ddefd18d81ff600ab71dec verge-ubuntu22.zip
5c3963bb1b664c34e7c821a0e7f2aec5dcecad48d047bfc9a2b4ab61596916dd verge-windows32.zip
954b66bd96e977a5d67b028e390c8e3823615d3bd060fb92f07fea4ce349a20a verge-windows64.zip
882ce8ceca05b4ca69f1c3ee0c2e5b81f13b6b6f12e3db84cad8e2335e07f3f5 verge-macos13.zip
c8c69896e1ca58776551e187a73bdbb6c4af4c69812d132b9fa52bd04840a539 verge-ubuntu20.zip
029d175307b20ca1e46bcf9554ea4cca8ef41f50db0fa8081ea0d8339b6abd46 verge-ubuntu24.zip

What's New:

• updated libx11
• updated dbus
• updated some xorg tools again, including xtrans
• updated fontconfig
• new splash screen, image size decreased from 2mb to 40kb, shows startup status and version number

Full Changelog: v7.4.0...v7.5.0

SHA256 Hash

verge-macos.zip 9B1DC4B33BDB560233DAA463BE777D049499FC100A27530E84D5D7A22BECAE61
verge-ubuntu20.zip 826AECFEDA8912ACA2D8882DDF3EDA60BB38B7BB5F41461CABBBA42919C2001C
verge-ubuntu22.zip F807BF6C3904F8B4B89C2046B51A6AB532188C73EBC5529F390ACD3BEAF0266F
verge-windows.zip 264ABC5A41E9C25A0DF844B24E43A5A932606E1CAD655DF5966A57F45152C17F

What's New:

• updated all Xorg libs
• updated libseccomp from 2.3.3 to 2.5.5
• updated cap'n proto from 0.7.0 to 1.0.1
• updated zeromq 4.3.1 to 4.3.5
• added an Ubuntu 20 binary to automated compiling workflow

Full Changelog: v7.3.0...v7.4.0

SHA256 Hash

verge-macos.zip 6aae2ff25ea5728370a56445dd0df6a252a0bd1f86428afcfa665ff0fd2203f2
verge-ubuntu20.zip 55f1b237766fb2ac8f24b6381100ec61624f434b14d63b31783e15f03a749ac9
verge-ubuntu22.zip 5c1f5994922cac9a69c41ea74f8270390d88d79dfb066613b12242d4580e8d2f
verge-windows.zip 6661f59f360d4919755cce91c973952412f86394b34b0f8e2aafe4b14551ff4c

What's Changed

• fixed gcc11 bug in bmw.c that was causing block-syncing issue in nodes
• updated Qt from 5.9.8 to 5.9.9
• github actions now makes all binaries, zips them, and pushes them here, making verge nodes/wallets trustless! =]
• Update full-build-macos.yml by @justinvforvendetta in #1136
• Update build-all-and-release.yml by @Alexei-Simons in #1138

New Contributors

• @Alexei-Simons made their first contribution in #1138

Full Changelog: v7.2.0...v7.3.0