Deep Dive
1. Testing Infrastructure Overhaul (20 June 2025)
Overview: This update refined the scripts and Docker configurations in the soon-integration-test repository. It makes it easier for developers to set up a local test network, run automated tests, and ensure the SOON Stack works correctly before deployment.
The commit primarily involves updates to the ubuntu-test.sh script and Docker Compose files. These changes automate the installation of dependencies, building of binaries, and orchestration of a local network comprising an L1, a SOON node, and a proposer. This is a backend improvement aimed at developer experience and code reliability.
What this means: This is neutral for SOON because it represents routine maintenance rather than a user-facing feature. It makes life easier for developers building on SOON, which could lead to more robust applications in the long term, but it doesn't directly change the network's performance or security for end-users.
(GitHub)
2. Decoupled SVM Testnet Launch (8 November 2024)
Overview: This was a major milestone where SOON launched its live testnet featuring a Decoupled Solana Virtual Machine (SVM). This architecture separates transaction processing from consensus, which is a foundational change from a simple fork.
The Decoupled SVM enables native fraud proofs (enhancing security), reduces data availability costs by eliminating unnecessary vote transactions, and allows for horizontal scaling. The testnet initially demonstrated 30,000 TPS with a 50ms block time, serving as a proof-of-concept for high-performance SVM rollups on Ethereum.
What this means: This was bullish for SOON because it demonstrated tangible technical progress toward its core value proposition: bringing Solana's speed to other blockchains. It provided a working environment for developers to build high-speed applications with improved security and lower potential costs for users.
(Soon SVM)
Conclusion
SOON's development trajectory shows a focus on foundational infrastructure, with its last public code update seven months ago refining developer tools and its last major milestone being the successful testnet launch of its novel Decoupled SVM architecture. How will the project's pace of public code commits evolve as it approaches its mainnet goals?