Glossary

Term	Definition
Account Model	A blockchain architecture where balances are stored in accounts, as opposed to the UTXO model. Botanix uses an account model similar to Ethereum, enabling more flexible smart contract interactions.
Bitcoin Main Chain	The original Bitcoin blockchain (Layer 1)
Botanix	An EVM-compatible Layer 2 chain built on Bitcoin that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications while using Bitcoin as the native currency.
Botanix Bridge	The user interface and infrastructure that enables the transfer of Bitcoin between the Bitcoin main chain and Botanix through a secure two-way peg mechanism.
Burn	The process of permanently removing tokens from circulation. In the context of withdrawals, Bitcoin tokens are burned on Botanix before releasing the equivalent amount from the multisig wallet on the Bitcoin main chain.
Epoch Block	A specific block on Botanix that occurs approximately every 10 minutes, aligning with Bitcoin's block time. Withdrawals are processed during epoch blocks.
EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine)	A runtime environment that executes smart contracts on Ethereum-compatible blockchains. Botanix implements a full EVM to enable smart contract functionality on Bitcoin.
Federation	The current security model where 16 decentralized members collectively control the multisig wallets that secure all Bitcoin deposited into the bridge.
Federation Sidechain	The current implementation model of Botanix that uses a federated approach to secure bridged assets before transitioning to the full Spiderchain.
FROST (Flexible Round-Optimized Schnorr Threshold Signatures)	An advanced cryptographic signature scheme that allows multiple parties to collectively generate signatures while maintaining privacy and efficiency.
Gateway Address	A unique Bitcoin address generated for each user that encodes their Botanix destination address. Users send Bitcoin to this address to initiate deposits.
Layer 2 (L2)	A secondary protocol built on top of a base blockchain (Layer 1) that provides additional functionality while inheriting the security of the underlying chain.
Merkle Proof	A cryptographic proof that verifies a transaction is included in a specific block without requiring the entire block data.
Mint	The process of creating new tokens. In the context of deposits, Bitcoin tokens are minted on Botanix after verifying the corresponding Bitcoin deposit on the main chain.
Minting Contract	A smart contract on Botanix that handles the minting and burning of Bitcoin tokens during bridge operations.
Multisig (Multi-signature)	A security mechanism that requires multiple signatures to authorize a transaction, preventing any single party from unilaterally controlling funds.
Orchestrator Nodes	Validator nodes in the full Spiderchain implementation that will be responsible for network consensus and managing multisig wallets.
Peg-in	The process of depositing Bitcoin from the Bitcoin main chain to Botanix. Also known as a deposit.
Peg-out	The process of withdrawing Bitcoin from Botanix back to the Bitcoin main chain. Also known as a withdrawal.
Pegin Proof	A cryptographic proof that verifies a Bitcoin deposit transaction, including transaction details, block headers, and Merkle inclusion proof.
Schnorr Signatures	A digital signature scheme that provides efficiency and privacy benefits over traditional ECDSA signatures, used in Bitcoin's taproot upgrade.
SideCar Server	A helper service that simplifies bridge operations by handling gateway address generation, proof construction, and transaction management.
Spiderchain	The future implementation of Botanix that will use a decentralized network of multisig wallets secured by a randomized set of participants.
Synthetic BTC	Bitcoin tokens that exist on Botanix, backed 1:1 by real Bitcoin held in federation multisig wallets.
Taproot	Bitcoin's upgrade that enables more complex smart contracts while improving privacy and efficiency. The bridge uses taproot addresses for deposits.
Threshold Signature	A cryptographic scheme where a minimum number of participants (threshold) from a larger group must collaborate to create a valid signature.
Two-way Peg	A mechanism that allows assets to move bidirectionally between two different blockchains while maintaining their value.
UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output)	Bitcoin's transaction model where each transaction consumes previous outputs and creates new ones, as opposed to the account-based model.