Difference between revisions of "VOUT"
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==Unspent Transaction Outputs== | ==Unspent Transaction Outputs== | ||
| − | If an outpoint has not been spent, it is referred to as an Unspent Transaction Output or [[UTXO]] and can be used in the creation of a new transaction. Once an outpoint has been used as an input to a [[Bitcoin Transactions|transaction]] that has been validated by the mining network it is considered spent and can no longer be used in a new transaction (see [[Double-spending]]). | + | If an outpoint has not been spent, it is referred to as an Unspent Transaction Output or [[UTXO]] and can be used in the creation of a new transaction by a user that is able to satisfy the spending conditions defined by the output script. Once an outpoint has been used as an input to a [[Bitcoin Transactions|transaction]] that has been validated by the mining network it is considered spent and can no longer be used in a new transaction (see [[Double-spending]]). |
==Zero value outputs== | ==Zero value outputs== | ||
| − | Outputs that do not contain a value in [[Satoshis]] are often used to hold scripts that carry large data items or tokens. Provably unspendable zero-value [[False Return]] outputs | + | Outputs that do not contain a value in [[Satoshis]] are often used to hold scripts that carry large data items or tokens. Provably unspendable zero-value [[False Return]] outputs have been predominantly used as a means to attach data to bitcoin transactions. False return transaction outputs are not stored in the UTXO set derived by miners. It should be noted that this is not the only mechanism for data storage, it is just the one that was easiest to use prior to the Genesis protocol restoration. |
Non-[[False Return|false return]] zero value outputs are still valid UTXOs and can be used as inputs in a transaction, with locking conditions being applied as normal. | Non-[[False Return|false return]] zero value outputs are still valid UTXOs and can be used as inputs in a transaction, with locking conditions being applied as normal. | ||
Revision as of 19:51, 16 February 2020
"vout" has two interpretations in a transaction.
When it appears in an input of a transaction, it is an index of 4 bytes. It is concatenated with a transaction ID (TxID || vout) to form an outpoint that is used to uniquely identify a particular output of a transaction. As the index is a 4 byte number, this gives users the effective ability to include a maximum of 232 outputs in a Bitcoin transaction.
When it is not part of the input, it refers to a vector of outputs of the transactions. That is, "vout" is the set of all outputs of the transaction, where each output contains output value (the amount of BSV) and scriptPubKey (a script that locks the output value). Note that the order within the set matters.
Unspent Transaction Outputs
If an outpoint has not been spent, it is referred to as an Unspent Transaction Output or UTXO and can be used in the creation of a new transaction by a user that is able to satisfy the spending conditions defined by the output script. Once an outpoint has been used as an input to a transaction that has been validated by the mining network it is considered spent and can no longer be used in a new transaction (see Double-spending).
Zero value outputs
Outputs that do not contain a value in Satoshis are often used to hold scripts that carry large data items or tokens. Provably unspendable zero-value False Return outputs have been predominantly used as a means to attach data to bitcoin transactions. False return transaction outputs are not stored in the UTXO set derived by miners. It should be noted that this is not the only mechanism for data storage, it is just the one that was easiest to use prior to the Genesis protocol restoration.
Non-false return zero value outputs are still valid UTXOs and can be used as inputs in a transaction, with locking conditions being applied as normal.