XRP Ledger Ecosystem Faces Tension as XRPL Labs Questions Ripple’s Smart Contract Strategy

• XRPL Labs Director Wietse Wind expressed mixed feelings about Ripple’s recent embrace of Layer-1 smart contracts on XRP Ledger, highlighting the challenges faced during the four-year development.
• Wind urged Ripple to support the existing Hooks technology on the XRP Ledger mainnet rather than exploring alternative solutions.

While the broader crypto community has been enthusiastic about the new developments coming to the XRP Ledger, XRPL Labs Director Wietse Wind reflected on the four-year journey of developing Hooks, a Layer-1 smart contract solution already available for the XRP Ledger mainnet.

In his latest post on the X platform, Winds walks his followers through challenges such as limited support, skepticism, and political hurdles. However, he also emphasizes the determination behind transforming Hooks from a mere concept to a fully operational technology.

The XRPL Labs director also shared his mixed feelings regarding the recent embrace of L1 smart contracts, a shift that comes after several years of pushing through and hard work by the XRPL Labs. Wind also shared his disappointment in learning about Ripple’s change of stance via indirect channels instead of direct communication, especially given Ripple CTO David Schwartz’s earlier statements at XRP Ledger Apex, where the mainnet was described as a “fixed function ledger” unsuitable for smart contracts.

XRPL Labs Director Disappointed Over Exploring Hooks Alternative

Furthermore, the XRPL Labs director raised concerns over Ripple’s suggestion to explore alternate technologies or other iterations of Hooks without involving the original developers. He called for Ripple to make a clear choice: either embrace and support the proven Hooks technology on the mainnet or risk alienating the developers and fragmenting the ecosystem.

As Ripple plans for some key developments ahead, Wind has urged the blockchain firm to show its commitment to community-driven innovation by leveraging existing advancements like Hooks. He further argued that the future of smart contracts on the XRP Ledger depends on Ripple’s willingness to respect and integrate the contribution of the broader ecosystem.

https://t.co/hPXQaJzOeN

— WietseWind (🪝🛠 Xaman @XRPLLabs) (@WietseWind) September 3, 2024

Here’s What Ripple Smart Contracts Will Bring

Ripple is enhancing the XRP Ledger’s programmability by integrating smart contracts into the mainnet and broader ecosystem. This initiative will allow developers to harness the XRP Ledger’s expanded capabilities, driving innovation and growth across the platform.

Ripple is implementing a two-fold strategy to enhance programmability. First, it will introduce smart contracts to the XRP Ledger mainnet, alongside the upcoming XRPL EVM Sidechain. These developments are designed to work together, thereby creating a robust and versatile ecosystem capable of supporting a wide range of applications, reported Crypto News Flash.

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