btcd v0.24 release: Massive Sync Optimizations & Security Fixes

[Olaoluwa Osuntokun]

Hi y'all,

Cross-posting this here as there's a shared user base: btcd recently
released v0.24 which includes several optimization PRs that have been
developed off-and-on for several years now. These optimizations cut down the
sync time from several days, to potentially 6 hours with the right
internet/hardware setup.

I made a mini-thread discussing some of the optimizations here:
https://twitter.com/roasbeef/status/1741287418236649572?t=KgQLwAQgt2-3OuP2WFn-Ng.

The full release notes can be found here:
https://github.com/btcsuite/btcd/releases/tag/v0.24.0.

Aside from syncing improvements:

  * Pruning is now finally supported (yay!). Users can use the `--prune=MiB`
    flag to activate it. You can retroactively prune a node that's already
    synced, or start a new node syncing in a pruned mode. Pruned nodes still
    maintain the neutrino filters, so they can still serve light clients.

  * Start up time is now _much_ faster due to the inclusion of a head header
    skip list index. Start up could at times take a few minutes to load the
    header index, and now it should take just seconds.

Last but not least, this release also contains a number of important
**security fixes**. Those running an lnd backed by btcd should update their
btcd node to the latest release. There've been no breaking RPC changes, so
the update should be painless. A public disclosure of the issues will take
place in approximately one month.

-- Laolu