The wait is finally over!

Today Universa is incredibly happy to announce another one from the series of hidden projects that have been developed behind the doors during the last months. It took about 4000 man-hours of hard work to build it, but now it is publicly available on Github: meet U8!

What is it? In short, it is a runtime environment for running the Universa networking systems, be those servers or clients. Ubot servers will be running on U8. Universa nodes – may appear too (and a test implementation is available in the published code already). Some future GUI-enabled smart contracts may run on U8. Parsec-server will be working on it too.

Why is it? We’ve started Universa initially as the Java-focused development, enjoying the performance of Java, its safety, and simplicity for the developers. But the recent (Java 8 and higher) changes in the JDK licensing by the Oracle made it harder to ensure the Java stability in the production for Java users – they either have to always follow the very last major upgrade of JDK (happening about each 6 months), or purchase a commercial license. So we need a runtime environment and the programming language which have the high performance, the language safety and the programmers productivity all at once.

How does it work? Now, when it is done already – it looks so easy and obvious… C++ high-performance backend, containing the low-level (and high-speed) implementations of key and most important Universa-specific parts (such as, but not including, the networking and the cryptography primitives). On top of the C++ backend, works the V8 JavaScript engine (known for running JavaScript sources heavily optimizing them, and for supporting the latest JavaScript standards and syntax sugar). On top of V8, run the Universa-specific and business-logic-containing JavaScript sources. You get the convenience (and the safety) of the latest JavaScript, and the performance of C++. All at once.

Note this is a Work-In-Progress yet, for your early access. It may be a duckling yet – but no more an ugly duckling; and now you can see with your own eyes how its gets the strong wings and takes off.


… But this is not the only or the last one of the projects to surprise you, so stay tuned and wait for even more even surprising news. We’ve faced the problems with the heavily centralized process of Java development – and built U8. We've faced the problems with the heavily centralized processes of regular Internet DNS domains purchasing and owning, as well as of the HTTPS certificate signing by the CAs – and by now you are probably wandering, what does that “Parsec” word means from several paragraphs before?..