Release v0.1.0

vendor/github.com/btcsuite/btcutil/hdkeychain/doc.go

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+// Copyright (c) 2014 The btcsuite developers
+// Use of this source code is governed by an ISC
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+/*
+Package hdkeychain provides an API for bitcoin hierarchical deterministic
+extended keys (BIP0032).
+
+Overview
+
+The ability to implement hierarchical deterministic wallets depends on the
+ability to create and derive hierarchical deterministic extended keys.
+
+At a high level, this package provides support for those hierarchical
+deterministic extended keys by providing an ExtendedKey type and supporting
+functions.  Each extended key can either be a private or public extended key
+which itself is capable of deriving a child extended key.
+
+Determining the Extended Key Type
+
+Whether an extended key is a private or public extended key can be determined
+with the IsPrivate function.
+
+Transaction Signing Keys and Payment Addresses
+
+In order to create and sign transactions, or provide others with addresses to
+send funds to, the underlying key and address material must be accessible.  This
+package provides the ECPubKey, ECPrivKey, and Address functions for this
+purpose.
+
+The Master Node
+
+As previously mentioned, the extended keys are hierarchical meaning they are
+used to form a tree.  The root of that tree is called the master node and this
+package provides the NewMaster function to create it from a cryptographically
+random seed.  The GenerateSeed function is provided as a convenient way to
+create a random seed for use with the NewMaster function.
+
+Deriving Children
+
+Once you have created a tree root (or have deserialized an extended key as
+discussed later), the child extended keys can be derived by using the Child
+function.  The Child function supports deriving both normal (non-hardened) and
+hardened child extended keys.  In order to derive a hardened extended key, use
+the HardenedKeyStart constant + the hardened key number as the index to the
+Child function.  This provides the ability to cascade the keys into a tree and
+hence generate the hierarchical deterministic key chains.
+
+Normal vs Hardened Child Extended Keys
+
+A private extended key can be used to derive both hardened and non-hardened
+(normal) child private and public extended keys.  A public extended key can only
+be used to derive non-hardened child public extended keys.  As enumerated in
+BIP0032 "knowledge of the extended public key plus any non-hardened private key
+descending from it is equivalent to knowing the extended private key (and thus
+every private and public key descending from it).  This means that extended
+public keys must be treated more carefully than regular public keys. It is also
+the reason for the existence of hardened keys, and why they are used for the
+account level in the tree. This way, a leak of an account-specific (or below)
+private key never risks compromising the master or other accounts."
+
+Neutering a Private Extended Key
+
+A private extended key can be converted to a new instance of the corresponding
+public extended key with the Neuter function.  The original extended key is not
+modified.  A public extended key is still capable of deriving non-hardened child
+public extended keys.
+
+Serializing and Deserializing Extended Keys
+
+Extended keys are serialized and deserialized with the String and
+NewKeyFromString functions.  The serialized key is a Base58-encoded string which
+looks like the following:
+	public key:   xpub68Gmy5EdvgibQVfPdqkBBCHxA5htiqg55crXYuXoQRKfDBFA1WEjWgP6LHhwBZeNK1VTsfTFUHCdrfp1bgwQ9xv5ski8PX9rL2dZXvgGDnw
+	private key:  xprv9uHRZZhk6KAJC1avXpDAp4MDc3sQKNxDiPvvkX8Br5ngLNv1TxvUxt4cV1rGL5hj6KCesnDYUhd7oWgT11eZG7XnxHrnYeSvkzY7d2bhkJ7
+
+Network
+
+Extended keys are much like normal Bitcoin addresses in that they have version
+bytes which tie them to a specific network.  The SetNet and IsForNet functions
+are provided to set and determinine which network an extended key is associated
+with.
+*/
+package hdkeychain