Welcome to Arch Network
A Bitcoin-native computation environment that enhances Bitcoin's capabilities through specialized virtual machine operations
This documentation is actively maintained. If you find any issues or have suggestions for improvements, please visit our GitHub repository.
What is Arch Network?
Arch Network is a computation environment that enhances Bitcoin's capabilities by enabling complex operations on Bitcoin UTXOs through its specialized virtual machine. Unlike Layer 2 solutions, Arch Network provides a native computation layer that works directly with Bitcoin's security model.
Choose Your Path 👋
🚀 Deploy First
Get your first smart contract running on Arch Network as quickly as possible
🏗️ Run a Validator
Set up and run your own validator node on the Arch Network
Network Options
🔧 Regtest
Local development environment with instant block confirmation. Perfect for development and testing.
🧪 Testnet
Test network with real Bitcoin testnet integration. For testing in a live environment.
Key Features
Bitcoin-Native
Direct integration with Bitcoin through UTXO management
Computation Environment
Execute complex programs within the Arch VM
Program Development
Write programs in Rust to interact with Bitcoin UTXOs
Security
Leverages Bitcoin's proven security guarantees through multi-signature validation
Developer Tools
Complete development environment with CLI tools and explorer
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
- Node.js v19+ (installation guide)
- Rust (latest stable)
- Docker for local development
- Basic understanding of Bitcoin Integration
Core Architecture
How Arch Works
Arch Network consists of three main components:
-
Network Layer
- Network Architecture
- Bootnode: Network discovery and peer management
- Leader Node: Transaction coordination
- Validator Nodes: Program execution
- Network Architecture
-
Bitcoin Integration
- UTXO Management
- Transaction tracking
- State anchoring
- Ownership validation
- RPC Integration
- Bitcoin node communication
- Transaction submission
- Network synchronization
- UTXO Management
-
Computation Layer
- Programs
- Transaction Processing
- Message validation
- State updates
- UTXO management
🛠 Reference Documentation
API Reference
RPC API Reference and Transaction Processing
Program Examples
Oracle Program and Fungible Token examples
System Program
Account Creation and Program Deployment
Need Help?
Join Discord
Get support from the community
Architecture Overview
Read the Architecture Overview
Example Programs
View Example Programs
API Reference
Check the API Reference
💡 Pro Tip: Use the search function (press 's' or '/' on your keyboard) to quickly find what you're looking for in the documentation.