## Update

These last two weeks I worked on:

- integrating the spec test vectors to our repo, and running them in the CI (skipping unimplemented handlers) [#32](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/32)
- adding a runner for `ssz_static` tests [#40](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/40)
- using Rust macros to reduce boilerplate in our SSZ NIF (Elixir/Erlang's version of FFI) [#39](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/39)
- extending the NIF to enable encoding/decoding more SSZ containers [#44](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/44) [#45](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/45) [#47](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/47)
- documenting the process to follow when adding a new container [#49](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/49)
- opening issues for external contributors [#75](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/issues/75) (some of those were already completed! :rocket:)
- adding bindings for *gossipsub* from *go-libp2p-pubsub* [#79](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/79)
- adding a usage example for the bindings, finding peers, connecting to them, subscribing to a subnet, and receiving gossip [#84](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/84)
- some general repo improvements [#41](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/41) [#77](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/77) [#80](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/80) [#95](https://github.com/lambdaclass/lambda_ethereum_consensus/pull/95)

Some SSZ containers are missing, but with what's implemented right now, we can start work on the networking part of the node. The *gossipsub* bindings enable us to connect to the network mesh, and receive updates on the most recently proposed blocks; while the base *libp2p* bindings already enable us to request a range of blocks to a peer.

## Next steps

This week I plan on starting work on the networking part of the node, with a focus on:

- finding peers through a bootnode
- establishing connections with peers, up to a target amount
- enabling some common req/resp protocol IDs (status, metadata)
- listening on selected topics
- requesting a range of block from peers