Get Started

Run a Ladder Script node or try the engine in your browser

Download

Ghost Core + Ladder Script

Linux x86_64 -- 7.4 MB -- Based on Bitcoin Core v30.1

BLOCK_TYPES=61 UNIT_TESTS=480 FUNC_TESTS=60 PATCH_LINES=197

Bitcoin Core v30.1 with 197 lines of integration code and the 11,318-line Ladder Script library. Connects to the Ghost Labs signet where you can create and spend rung transactions.

Quick Start

Extract and configure:

tar xzf ghost-ladder-signet-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
mkdir -p ~/.bitcoin
cp ladder-signet.conf ~/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
# edit ~/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf and change rpcpassword

Start the node:

./ghostd -daemon
Ghost Core starting

# wait for sync (~30 seconds on fresh node)
./ghost-cli -signet getblockcount
533

Create a wallet:

./ghost-cli -signet createwallet test
./ghost-cli -signet -rpcwallet=test getnewaddress "" legacy
mibryXkbkCBrLMkVZik8UkLKfcjEH3Mstu

Create a Ladder Script transaction:

# parse a descriptor
./ghost-cli -signet parseladder "ladder(sig(@alice))" \
  '{"alice":"0279be667ef9dcbbac55a06295ce870b07029bfcdb2dce28d959f2815b16f81798"}'
{
  "conditions_hex": "01010001010101000000",
  "mlsc_root": "443a7849...",
  "n_rungs": 1
}

# format it back
./ghost-cli -signet formatladder "01010001010101000000"
{
  "descriptor": "ladder(sig(@?))"
}

Signet Configuration

# Ladder Script Signet
signet=1

[signet]
server=1
txindex=1
fallbackfee=0.0001

# Ghost Labs signet challenge
signetchallenge=21036bae004d5cd7bb65742cdbf735bf6f3a384d69f4d52dba84689a3db972848f68ac

# Seed node (Amsterdam)
addnode=85.9.213.194

# Your RPC credentials
rpcuser=ladder
rpcpassword=changeme

Build from Source

Apply the patch to your own Bitcoin Core checkout:

git clone https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin.git
cd bitcoin && git checkout v30.1

# download the rung library
git clone https://github.com/bitcoin-ghost/ghost-labs-ladder-script.git /tmp/ladder
cp -r /tmp/ladder/src/rung src/rung

# apply the integration patch (197 lines across 18 files)
git apply /tmp/ladder/patches/bitcoin-core-v30-ladder-script.patch
git apply /tmp/ladder/patches/validation-block-height.patch

# build
cmake -B build && cmake --build build -j$(nproc)

Tested against Bitcoin Core v30.1. Applying to Knots or other forks that track Core closely should work with minimal or no conflicts.

RPC Commands

# transaction building
createrung         build a ladder witness from JSON
createrungtx       create an unsigned v4 RUNG_TX
signrungtx         sign rung inputs with keys

# descriptor language
parseladder        parse descriptor to conditions hex + MLSC root
formatladder       format conditions hex as descriptor string

# inspection
decoderung         decode a ladder witness from hex
computectvhash     compute BIP-119 CTV template hash

# key generation
generatepqkeypair  generate a post-quantum keypair (FALCON/Dilithium/SPHINCS+)

Links

Bitcoin Ghost -- visual builder with live signet connection

Block Reference -- documentation for all 61 block types

Patch Overview -- what changes and how much code

GitHub -- full repository