What Is X11, How X11 Works, Advantages And Disadvantages

This Article gives an Overview of X11, How X11 Works, Characteristics, Purpose, Advantages And Disadvantages.

What Is X11

X11 is a Proof of Work (PoW) cryptographic hashing algorithm used primarily in blockchain and cryptocurrency mining. It was developed by Evan Duffield, the creator of Dash (originally Darkcoin) in 2014, to provide a more secure and energy-efficient alternative to Bitcoin’s SHA-256 algorithm.

Key Characteristics and Purpose

Unlike Scrypt and SHA-256 (used by Bitcoin), X11 has multiple hash functions. Rather, its proof-of-work mechanism is a chained hashing technique that leverages a series of eleven scientific hashing algorithms.

The following were the main objectives and justifications for creating X11:

ASIC Resistance: X11’s original goal was to make the development of Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) far more challenging and costly. This would allow cryptocurrencies to develop before mining centralization. Mining on CPUs and GPUs was made more accessible to maintain decentralization.

Enhanced Security: X11 seeks to improve security by chaining several different hash methods together. Theoretically, the algorithm’s total security would be preserved if one of the 10 hash functions were stolen, making it more difficult to develop collision attacks or reverse-engineer the hashing procedure. The use of many rounds of sequential hashing greatly improved security against hackers.

Fair Processing Distribution: In order to achieve a coin distribution that is comparable to that of the original Bitcoin, the chained hashing technique makes sure that processing distribution is equitable.

Energy Efficiency: In contrast to mining other algorithms like Scrypt, miners frequently note that their hardware operated cooler and used less power when using X11, which was created with CPU/GPU mining energy efficiency in mind. For instance, power consumption can be lowered by 40–50% when using AMD graphics cards.

How X11 Works

The 11 distinct hash functions it employs, applied in a certain, sequential order, are what give it the moniker “X11”. The output hash of one method is used as the input to the subsequent algorithm in the sequence when a value (such block header data) is supplied. This process continues until all 11 algorithms have been employed.

X11 makes use of the following 11 hash functions:

• BLAKE
• BMW (Blue Midnight Wish)
• Groestl
• JH
• Keccak (which later formed the basis for SHA-3)
• Skein
• Luffa
• CubeHash
• SHAvite-3
• SIMD
• Echo

Note that all 11 functions were approved as first-round and second-round contenders in the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SHA-3 competition. Keccak won to become SHA-3, a potentially more secure standard than SHA-256.

This network of 11 hash algorithms mines nonces and block headers. Next, the network’s difficulty objective is compared to the final output hash. If the output hash is less than or equal to the target, the block is considered legitimate.

Evolution of ASIC Resistance

Although X11’s original purpose of discouraging ASICs was mainly achieved, dedicated ASIC miners that can mine the X11 algorithm have subsequently been created. Because specialized gear now accounts for a sizable amount of the network hashrate and controls mining for X11 currencies, X11 is no longer regarded as completely ASIC-resistant. Bitmain Antminer D3, Innosilicon A5, and Baikal BK-X are a few examples of X11 ASIC miners that are now available.

Mining Performance and Profitability

When mining using a home rig, X11’s energy efficiency made it popular with the mining community. It provides a respectable amount of earnings and strong mining performance on both GPUs and CPUs. An AMD Radeon 6930 graphics card, for example, generates 1800 Kh/s on X11, about three times faster than the Scrypt algorithm. CPU mining uses far less electricity, even if it may not provide the best performance (e.g., AMD 6-8 core or Intel i5/i7). Although there are mining farms for X11 as well, GPU mining is still lucrative.

Supported Cryptocurrencies

The development of the Dash cryptocurrency, for which the X11 algorithm was especially designed, is closely linked to it. Dash currently employs a hybrid consensus approach that combines a Proof of Stake-like mechanism driven by Masternodes with X11 PoW. X11 was also used by a large number of other altcoins, such as Hatch, Pura, SmartCoin, CannabisCoin, Influxcoin, and Sibcoin.

Advantages and Disadvantages

X11 Advantages

Enhanced Security: Compared to single-hash algorithms like SHA-256, the employment of 11 hash functions offers a greater level of protection against hackers and frauds, making it more cryptographically robust.

Initial ASIC Resistance: In its early days, it encouraged more decentralized mining by giving CPU and GPU mining more time until ASICs became common.

Energy Efficiency: In its early days, it was generally more energy-efficient and operated cooler for CPU/GPU mining.

Simplicity in Programming: Because X11 makes use of pre-existing security functions, its programming is less complicated than that of developing a new hash function.

Reconfigurability: Variants like X13 or X17 can be created by adding more functions or rearranging the algorithm to use different hash functions.

X11 Disadvantages

No Longer ASIC-Resistant: Centralization of mining power has resulted from the development of ASICs that can mine X11 despite its original design.

Complexity for Modification: It can be difficult for developers to alter or optimize the algorithm for certain enhancements because of the high number of chained hash functions.

Limited Major Adoption: In contrast to SHA-256 or Ethash, X11 has not been widely adopted by large cryptocurrencies, despite being well-known with Dash.

Still Consumes Energy: X11 (and PoW in general) still uses a lot of energy in comparison to Proof of Stake solutions.

Vulnerabilities: Despite its robustness, X11 has had a few minor security problems. For example, Dash had a nonce handling vulnerability in 2014, but the community swiftly fixed it. Although the cascading design mitigates this, there is still a theoretical risk if a component hash function were seriously corrupted.

Variations

Other algorithms, such X13, X15, X16, and X17, that employ a different, higher number of hash functions were developed as a result of the successful introduction of the chained hashing notion by X11.

X11 is essentially comparable to a multi-stage, extremely secure lock on a treasure chest. A collection of eleven distinct, sequential keys is required in place of a single complex key (a single hashing method). Each key unlocks a distinct internal mechanism, and the output of turning one key is essential for inserting the next. This design ensures that many different types of locksmiths (miners) have a fairer chance of opening the chest in the first place by making it extremely difficult for someone to mass-produce a single “master key” (ASIC) that can swiftly open all the locks.