Pi Network has released Node version 0.6.2 as its Mainnet blockchain moves through a Protocol v26 upgrade, bringing the latest changes to the software used by Node operators.
In a post on X, Pi Network said Node v0.6.2 includes updates to SoloHost, Node connectivity and the Pi Desktop user experience. The release comes as Mainnet operators work through the separate Protocol v26 migration.
Pi’s Node documentation currently states that the Mainnet blockchain protocol is under upgrade and that every Mainnet Node must move to v26 within the published timeframe.
Node v0.6.2 adds SoloHost and connectivity updates
The latest Node software release is version 0.6.2.
Pi Network said the update includes improvements to SoloHost, Node connectivity and the desktop experience. These changes relate to how users run and manage the Node software rather than representing a new blockchain protocol by themselves.
Pi also said it had completed a distributed computing test through the SoloHost app.
The test is separate from the basic role of Nodes in supporting the Pi blockchain and relates to Pi’s testing of additional computing functions that can run through its Node infrastructure.
Pi did not provide detailed performance figures from the test in its post.
What Protocol v26 changes
Protocol v26 is the current Mainnet blockchain upgrade, and Pi Network has described it as a major protocol change ahead of the planned Protocol v27 upgrade.
According to Pi Network, v26 focuses on four areas: contract safety, state management, interoperability and cryptographic capabilities.
Pi Network said all Mainnet Node operators were required to complete the Protocol v26 upgrade by August 11 to remain connected to the network.
The project’s Node page also provides the upgrade instructions and deadline information for operators.
What Pi Nodes do
Pi Nodes run on desktop computers and form part of the infrastructure used to support the blockchain.
Unlike Bitcoin, Pi does not use proof-of-work mining. It uses the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP), in which participating nodes reach agreement through relationships known as quorum slices.
Pi says these relationships are connected to the trust graph created from users’ security circles.
The Node software has three participation levels: Computer App, Node and SuperNode.
The Computer App provides desktop access to functions associated with Pi’s mobile application. A Node runs the blockchain component and can verify blockchain activity and submit transactions for recording.
SuperNodes have a larger role in consensus. According to Pi’s documentation, they help reach consensus, write transactions to the ledger and keep other network participants updated with the latest blockchain state.
Pi’s original testnet had a centralized layer
Pi’s older Node documentation provides additional background on how the network was initially tested.
During the early Testnet, the blockchain component included a centralized layer controlled by the Pi Core Team. Pi said this allowed developers to test different network configurations and modify the implementation of SCP more quickly.
The system could be used to simulate changes in Node participation, network connectivity and other conditions before testing the network with real participant activity.
Pi said the centralized layer was intended to be removed after its testing purpose was completed.
However, the documentation explicitly warns that it describes the initial Testnet release and may not reflect Pi Network’s current implementation. It therefore should not be treated as a technical description of today’s Mainnet architecture.
Running a node requires more than the desktop app
Operating the blockchain component of Pi Node requires additional computer and network resources beyond simply using the desktop Pi application.
Pi’s original Testnet criteria considered uptime, internet stability, processor and memory capacity, router port access, previous community contributions, and security-circle information. Participants selected to operate Nodes or SuperNodes were also required to complete KYC.
Pi noted that these requirements could change as more performance data was collected.
The original Testnet documentation also said Node operators would not receive mining rewards during the initial testing period. Pi said it would first assess network performance before deciding whether a reward mechanism was needed.
These requirements and incentive details applied to the early Testnet and should not be treated as the current Mainnet economics.
Protocol development continues
The move to Protocol v26 puts the focus back on Pi’s current Mainnet infrastructure after several earlier upgrades.
Protocol 23 and Protocol 25 each required Mainnet Node operators to update their software, while v26 represents the network’s latest protocol change.
Pi’s older documentation provides context for the project’s original approach to Nodes and consensus, but the project itself cautions that parts of that material may have changed since the Testnet phase.
For Mainnet Node operators, the immediate task is therefore straightforward: follow Pi Network’s current Protocol v26 instructions and complete the required software upgrade within the published timeframe.
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