Introduction
Ordinals are a relatively new concept in the crypto space, gaining popularity in less than a year. Despite being a young project, it has experienced rapid growth and now allows for entire websites to be placed on Bitcoin.
Recap on Ordinals
In simple terms, Ordinals is a dual-layer project consisting of Ordinals (base layer) and inscriptions (top layer). Ordinals represent data stored within one Satoshi (Sat), which is a fraction of Bitcoin. Inscriptions are used to add data to a Sat, making it unique and turning it into an NFT (Non-Fungible Token).
Three simple steps to get your #bitcoin ready to collect Ordinals
Ordinals Explained Ep. 4 makes it easy
Presented by @MEonBTC and @BitcoinMagEDU
— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) December 1, 2023
Websites on Bitcoin with Ordinals
Ordinals has always aimed to enable websites on Bitcoin. Currently, various types of data can be inscribed on a Sat, including text, audio, and video. The next step is to allow websites to be inscribed as well.
The Problem and Solution
The challenge lies in the permanence of inscriptions. Once an inscription is applied to a Sat, it cannot be changed. This permanence gives value to NFTs. However, it also prevents websites from being inscribed on Sats.
We’ve long talked about the value of being able to inscribe something onto Bitcoin permanently. Not just art, but other mediums like text and even websites.
But unlike standard websites, inscriptions can’t be changed once they have been published.
Until now
— Trust Machines (@trustmachinesco) November 30, 2023
A solution has been discovered to address this problem. The latest Ordinals update introduces recursive endpoints (/r/children and /r/sat) that allow parent inscriptions to view or pull data from child inscriptions and even view inscriptions from other Sats.
Examples of Amending Inscriptions
Two examples illustrate how inscriptions on Sats can be amended. In the first example, a parent inscription of a stick figure with a white background has a child inscription of the color orange. This changes the background color of the original picture to orange.
Somebody just inscribed a child under their rug me to change the background color! pic.twitter.com/Vfla53USs6
— Eloc (@Elocremarc) November 26, 2023
In the second example, an entire blog is inscribed onto a Sat, with a script that scans for child inscriptions and displays them when clicked. This creates an ever-changing Sat that showcases the latest blog posts.
2⃣ Hidden within Inscription 43779238 is a full-on blog
In this code from @SanjFomojis is a script that scans for child inscriptions, and serves up each one with each click.
And new inscribed children (thus, additional blog posts) can be added at a later date! pic.twitter.com/Dzp1LKmCgL
— Trust Machines (@trustmachinesco) November 30, 2023
Conclusion
Websites on Bitcoin are now a reality with Ordinals. The ability to inscribe dynamic art and updated blogs on Sats showcases the potential of Ordinals. With the latest update, Ordinals opens up endless possibilities for the future.
Hot Take: The Future of Ordinals and Websites on Bitcoin
Ordinals has revolutionized the crypto space by allowing entire websites to be placed on Bitcoin. This breakthrough offers new opportunities for content creators and businesses to leverage the permanence and uniqueness of inscriptions. With the introduction of recursive endpoints, the ability to amend inscriptions and create dynamic websites on Sats becomes a reality. The growth and potential of Ordinals are remarkable, considering it is still in its early stages. As more people embrace this technology, we can expect further advancements and innovative use cases in the future.
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