Release 3.4.0.0.1

Stacks core developers have released Stacks Core version 3.4.0.0.1.

This release contains bugfixes and improvements to the stacks-node and stacks-signer binaries, ensuring more consistent block production.
This release is compatible with chainstate directories from 3.x.x.x.x.

The version of stacks-signer compatible with this release is 3.4.0.0.1.0, available at: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/signer-3.4.0.0.1.0.

This release includes the following changes:

• Improve block production.
• Fix the 3.4 activation height in sample testnet configs (sample configs were incorrect in the 3.4.0.0.0 release).

Docker images have been published to GitHub Container Registry:

• stacks-core: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/pkgs/container/stacks-core

  docker pull ghcr.io/stacks-network/stacks-core:3.4.0.0.1

• stacks-signer: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/pkgs/container/stacks-signer

  docker pull ghcr.io/stacks-network/stacks-signer:3.4.0.0.1.0

This release is recommended for all Stacks node operators.

Release signer-3.4.0.0.1.0

This release contains bugfixes and improvements to the stacks-node and stacks-signer binaries, ensuring more consistent block production.
This release is compatible with chainstate directories from 3.x.x.x.x.

The version of Stacks Core compatible with this release is 3.4.0.0.1.0, available here: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/3.4.0.0.1.

This release includes the following changes:

• Improve block production.
• Fix the 3.4 activation height in sample testnet configs (sample configs were incorrect in the 3.4.0.0.0 release).

Docker images have been published to GitHub Container Registry:

• stacks-core: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/pkgs/container/stacks-core

  docker pull ghcr.io/stacks-network/stacks-core:3.4.0.0.1

• stacks-signer: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/pkgs/container/stacks-signer

  docker pull ghcr.io/stacks-network/stacks-signer:3.4.0.0.1.0

This release is recommended for all Stacks node operators.

Release 3.4.0.0.0

This release implements the 3.4 Stacks consensus rules which activates at Bitcoin block 943,333.
For more details see the following SIPS:
SIP-039: Clarity 5 and Epoch 3.4
SIP-040: SIP for improved post-conditions
SIP-042: Removal of at-block

This is a required upgrade

• Activation is estimated for April 2, 2026 around 2000 UTC, or Bitcoin block 943,333.
• Upgrading after Bitcoin block 943,333 will require a genesis sync.

This release is compatible with chainstate directories from 3.3.x.x.x.

The version of stacks-signer compatible with this release is 3.4.0.0.0.0, available at: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/signer-3.4.0.0.0.0.

Testnet Config update

In the stacks-node config, ensure this section is added to the bottom of the config file (immediately after the [[burnchain.epochs]] 3.3 section):

[[burnchain.epochs]]
epoch_name = "3.4"
start_height = 159350

Added

• Set the epoch 3.4 activation height to 943,333 per SIP-039 and finalize all settings for epoch 3.4 and Clarity version 5.
• Added post-condition enhancements for epoch 3.4 (SIP-040): Originator post-condition mode (0x03) and NFT MAY SEND condition code (0x12), including serialization support and epoch-gated validation/enforcement.
• Disabled at-block starting from Epoch 3.4 (see SIP-042). New contracts referencing at-block are rejected during static analysis. Existing contracts that invoke it will fail at runtime with an AtBlockUnavailable error.

Changed

• /v3/blocks/simulate/{block_id} and /v3/block/replay no longer emit transaction events for post condition aborted transactions.
• EventDispatcher no longer emits transaction events for post condition aborted transactions.

Fixed

• Fixed signer database migration 19 that could leave the database in corrupted, unrecoverable state.

Release signer-3.4.0.0.0.0

This release implements the 3.4 Stacks consensus rules which activates at Bitcoin block 943,333.
For more details see the following SIPS:
SIP-039: Clarity 5 and Epoch 3.4
SIP-040: SIP for improved post-conditions
SIP-042: Removal of at-block

This is a required upgrade

• Activation is estimated for April 2, 2026 around 2000 UTC, or Bitcoin block 943,333.
• Upgrading after Bitcoin block 943,333 will require a genesis sync.

This release is compatible with chainstate directories from 3.3.x.x.x.

The version of stacks-node compatible with this release is 3.4.0.0.0, available at: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/3.4.0.0.0.

Fixed

• Fixed signer database migration 19 that could leave the database in corrupted, unrecoverable state.

Release 3.4.0.0.0-rc2

Note: This is release candidate 2 for Epoch 3.4

This is a release candidate for Epoch 3.4, which is scheduled to activate on testnet at block 159350, which is roughly 1700 UTC March 26th, 2026.

Requirements

Stacks Signer

The release candidate of the stacks-signer is required for this version, available here: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/signer-3.4.0.0.0.0-rc2.

Config update

In the stacks-node config, ensure this section is added to the bottom of the config file (immediately after the [[burnchain.epochs]] 3.3 section):

[[burnchain.epochs]]
epoch_name = "3.4"
start_height = 159350

API upgrade

For node operators running an API, there is an update that will be required for this release.
https://github.com/hirosystems/stacks-blockchain-api/releases/tag/v8.15.1

Docker Image: https://hub.docker.com/layers/hirosystems/stacks-blockchain-api/8.15.1/images/sha256-070e2d621048a5ce93a87be9a489c6c91b255e4556c192d15294206fad5cdf38

Notes

This release implements the following SIPS:
SIP-039: stacksgov/sips#256
SIP-040: stacksgov/sips#257
SIP-042: stacksgov/sips#262

Release signer-3.4.0.0.0.0-rc2

Note: This is release candidate 2 for Epoch 3.4

This is a release candidate for Epoch 3.4, which is scheduled to activate on testnet at block 159350, which is roughly 1700 UTC March 26th, 2026.

For stacks-node requirements, please see release notes at https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/3.4.0.0.0-rc2

Release 3.4.0.0.0-rc1

Note: This is a release candidate for Epoch 3.4

This is a release candidate for Epoch 3.4, which is scheduled to activate on testnet at block 159350, which is roughly 2100 UTC March 25th, 2026.

Requirements

Stacks Signer

The release candidate of the stacks-signer is required for this version, available here: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/signer-3.4.0.0.0.0-rc1.

Config update

In the stacks-node config, ensure this section is added to the bottom of the config file (immediately after the [[burnchain.epochs]] 3.3 section):

[[burnchain.epochs]]
epoch_name = "3.4"
start_height = 159350

API upgrade

For node operators running an API, there is an update that will be required for this release.
https://github.com/hirosystems/stacks-blockchain-api/releases/tag/v8.15.0

Docker Image: https://hub.docker.com/layers/hirosystems/stacks-blockchain-api/8.15.0/images/sha256-4f680f905bc68de5bcd5cfeede020e7ad7f519719f2c1aeeddc5d5ec20bbdd0f

Notes

This release implements the following SIPS:
SIP-039: stacksgov/sips#256
SIP-040: stacksgov/sips#257
SIP-042: stacksgov/sips#262

Release signer-3.4.0.0.0.0-rc1

Note: This is a release candidate for Epoch 3.4

This is a release candidate for Epoch 3.4, which is scheduled to activate on testnet at block 159350, which is roughly 2100 UTC March 25th, 2026.

For stacks-node requirements, please see release notes at https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/3.4.0.0.0-rc1

Release 3.3.0.0.6

This release contains several bugfixes and improvements to the stacks-node and stacks-signer binaries, ensuring more consistent block production.
This release is compatible with chainstate directories from 3.3.x.x.x.

The version of stacks-signer compatible with this release is 3.3.0.0.6.0, available at: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/signer-3.3.0.0.6.0.

Notes:
Due to the changes in this release, if a node operator is running both stacks-node and stacks-signer binaries, updating either of them will require updating both of them.

Starting from this release, docker images shall be published by default to the ghcr registry using the format ghcr.io/stacks-network/stacks-core:tag. The existing dockerhub repository will remain as a mirror.

Added

• Setup for epoch 3.4 and Clarity version 5. Epoch 3.4 is currently set to activate at Bitcoin height 3,400,000 (very far in the future) until an activation height is selected. Clarity will activate with epoch 3.4.
• Implemented the updated behavior for secp256r1-verify, effective in Clarity 5, in which the message-hash is no longer hashed again. See SIP-035 for details.
• Increased allowed stack depth from 64 to 128, effective in epoch 3.4
• Prepare for epoch 3.4's improved transaction inclusion, allowing transactions with certain errors to be included in blocks which would cause them to be rejected in earlier epochs.
• Added marf_compress as a node configuration parameter to enable MARF compression feature (#6811)
• Effective in epoch 3.4 contract-call?s can accept a constant as the contract to be called

Fixed

• Improved the cost-tracking for from-consensus-buff?, effective in epoch 3.4, so that when an empty buffer is passed, users will see a none result, rather than a confusing runtime error.
• Resolved several cases where a mock-miner would stop mining
• /v2/pox endpoint now returns the pox_ustx_threshold stored in the reward set instead of a live computed value, which incorrectly accounts for STX locked during the prepare phase, after the reward set has been set.
• Signer protocol version negotiation now properly handles downgrades based on majority consensus, not just upgrades
• The sortition DB now tracks canonical Stacks tip by its burn view, allowing it to recover from a chain freeze if the Bitcoin block upon which the ongoing tenure is based is orphened before the last tenure block is processed.

Release signer-3.3.0.0.6.0

This release contains several bugfixes and improvements to the stacks-node and stacks-signer binaries, ensuring more consistent block production.
This release is compatible with chainstate directories from 3.3.x.x.x.

The version of stacks-node compatible with this release is 3.3.0.0.6, available at: https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/releases/tag/3.3.0.0.6.

Notes:
Due to the changes in this release, if a node operator is running both stacks-node and stacks-signer binaries, updating either of them will require updating both of them.

Starting from this release, docker images shall be published by default to the ghcr registry using the format ghcr.io/stacks-network/stacks-signer:tag. The existing dockerhub repository will remain as a mirror.

Added

• Add support for tracking pending block responses for up to 3 unique untracked blocks per signer address. This improves handling of late block proposals by allowing the signer to process previously seen responses for blocks that were not being tracked.
• Added approved_time column to the blocks database table

Changed

• Database schema updated to version 19
• Removed signed_over column from the blocks database table
• Improved signer behaviour to ensure block proposal responses are sent more consistently, even for blocks that have already been globally accepted by the network. This increases reliability and reduces missed responses in edge cases.