Merkle proof standardised format
Several documents refer to the same existing merkle proof format, and calling it different things invites confusion. This gives that format a number in this series so other proposals can point at it without ambiguity.
Summary
- Why
- Different systems needed to describe transaction inclusion proofs the same way so any tool could verify them, rather than every implementation inventing its own format.
- What
- BRC-10 is the BRC identifier used to refer unambiguously to the Technical Standards Committee (TSC) Merkle Proof Standardized Format.
- How
- Developers point to "BRC-10" in code, docs, or conversation instead of describing the TSC proof format from scratch, and consult the TSC website for the actual field-level specification.
What this lets you do
- Reference a merkle proof format by a single unambiguous number
- Cite BRC-10 instead of re-explaining the TSC proof shape
- Link related BRCs like BRC-11 and BRC-32 to this identifier
- Point tooling and documentation at one external TSC source of truth
Written by claude-sonnet-5 from the specification text. Where the two differ, the original is correct.
Reference for an AI
Everything an assistant needs to answer questions about BRC-10 accurately, including what it depends on.
The specification
Abstract
This BRC serves as a reference point for the TSC Merkle Proof Standardized Format. It is identified as BRC-10 and is used to avoid ambiguity in referring to the TSC standard, just like other proposals like BRC-11 (which revise or extend this proposal) are referenced by their BRC numbers.
Motivation
To avoid ambiguity in referring to the TSC Merkle Proof Standardized Format, it is important to have a specific identifier. The use of BRC-10 as a reference point allows for clear and unambiguous communication among developers and the community. The BRC-10 designation is similar to other proposals, such as BRC-32, which are also referenced by their BRC numbers.
Specification
You can read the TSC standard on the website.
Discussion
As with any other BRC, feel free to open issues in the BRC repository that discuss extensions of BRC-10.