Compatibility with Python Reticulum

Reference target

Reticulum-Go is tested against Python RNS 1.3.8 and the official network API reference.

Crossref vectors clone the reference from rns://7649a50d84610232d1416b41d2896aff/reticulum/reticulum via rngit (tests/crossref/run_crossref.sh). The GitHub mirror is not used for vectors.

The detailed matrix with config key tables lives in COMPATIBILITY.md. This page summarizes the key differences and design choices.

Component parity

Component	Status	Notes
Crypto	Complete	Curve25519, AES-256-CBC, HMAC-SHA256, HKDF. Crossref verified
Identity	Complete	Optional RHB1 hardware descriptor. Python `from_file` is 64-byte software only
Destination	Complete	SINGLE, GROUP, PLAIN, LINK
Packet	Complete	Header types 1 and 2, all packet types and contexts
Transport	Complete	Path table, announces, relay, persistence, ingress control, random-blob path selection
IFAC	Complete	UDP, TCP, Auto. Live tests in `tests/interop/ifac_live_test.go`
Link	Complete	Both directions, RTT, request/response, channel, buffer, resources
Resource	Complete	Multi-part, hashmaps, RESOURCE_PRF, bzip2, split advertisements
Channel	Complete	Ghost-envelope fix (send-before-emplace). Tests in `pkg/channel`
Buffer	Complete	Stream buffer over channel
Interfaces	Partial	See below
Discovery	Partial	rnstransport listening works. Announcer and autoconnect not auto-started
Blackhole	Partial	Local table, announce drop, and LINKIDENTIFY teardown. No publish/federation or `/list` destination
Node lifecycle	Go-only	`pkg/node` embedder API, no Python equivalent
librns C ABI	Go-only	`pkg/librns`, `include/rns.h`. See librns
Odin librns bindings	Go-only host	`bindings/odin` (Linux). See librns
Dart librns FFI	Go-only host	`bindings/dart`. Linux, Android, Windows. See librns
Dart Control API client	Go-only host	`bindings/dart`. See Control API

Interfaces

Python	Reticulum-Go
UDPInterface	Yes
TCPClientInterface, TCPServerInterface	Yes
AutoInterface	Yes (includes 1.3.5 roam listener swap)
I2PInterface	Yes
BackboneInterface	Yes
RNode, KISS, AX25KISS, Weave	No
SerialInterface	Yes
PipeInterface	Yes
LocalInterface	Yes via `share_instance` and config `LocalInterface` / `LocalServerInterface`
External plugins	Yes (Go-native factories, manifests, executables under `interfaces/`)
WebSocket	Go-only
QUIC	Go-only (`QUICClientInterface` / `QUICServerInterface`)
WebTransport	Go-only (`WebTransportClientInterface` / `WebTransportServerInterface`)
DNSRendezvous	Go-only (`DNSRendezvousInterface`)
VSOCK	Go-only Linux (`VSOCKClientInterface` / `VSOCKServerInterface`)
HTTPS	Go-only (`HTTPSClientInterface` / `HTTPSServerInterface`)

UDP requires explicit target_host or target_address (Python forward_ip policy).

Opt-in UDP reconnect when max_reconnect_tries > 0 is a Go extension.

Python 1.2.x to 1.3.8 changes

Wire format is stable across 1.2.x to 1.3.x. Notable behavior differences:

Python change	Version	Go
BZ2 bomb limits	1.1.9	Covered
Path-request ingress/egress control	1.2.5	Covered
Path table random-blob selection	1.2.x+	Covered
Announce dedup when dest in path table	1.3.4	Covered
Blackhole link teardown at LINKIDENTIFY	1.3.2	Covered
AutoInterface roam listener replacement	1.3.5	Covered
Channel ghost envelopes	1.3.0	Covered
Shared-instance RPC msgpack	1.3.4	Covered
`MODE_INTERNAL` / `recursive_prs` / announce mode rules	1.3.6	Covered
Ephemeral transport identity / `static_transport_identity`	1.3.6	Covered
`local_hops_delta` hop mangling	1.3.6 / 1.3.7	Covered
Reject unpack when hops `>= PATHFINDER_M`	1.3.8	Covered
Link `expected_hops` on both sides / LRPROOF hop gate	1.3.8	Covered

Known gaps

Gap	Impact
Discovery announcer / autoconnect	Listen and validate work. No store, announce loop, or autoconnect
Blackhole federation	`publish_blackhole`, `blackhole_sources`, and updater not driven
Remote management destination	No `rnstransport.remote.management` for remote `rnpath`/`rnstatus`
RNode and radio serial drivers	RNode / KISS / AX25 / Weave not in this tree. SerialInterface is present
Utilities `rnsh` `rnir` `rnpkg` `rngit`	Not ported

Go-only extensions

These do not change the wire format:

Feature	Package / location
Interface hot reload	`pkg/node/reload.go`, SIGHUP
`watch_interfaces` NIC polling	`pkg/node/netmon.go`
Node lifecycle API	`OnNetworkAvailable`, `OnNetworkLost`, `RefreshPaths`
UDP reconnect (opt-in)	`pkg/interfaces/reconnect.go`
Backbone I/O multiplexing	`pkg/backbone`
WebSocket interface	`pkg/interfaces/websocket_*.go`
QUIC interface	`pkg/interfaces/quic.go`, `quic_tls.go`
Control API	`pkg/controlapi`
librns C ABI	`pkg/librns`, `include/rns.h` (librns)
Odin librns bindings	`bindings/odin` (librns)
Dart librns FFI	`bindings/dart` (librns)
Dart Control API client	`bindings/dart` (Control API)
Runtime sandbox	`pkg/sandbox`
Local mesh health counters	`pkg/health`, status RPC fields, `reticulum-go slow` findings
RAM-only path tables	`in_memory_path_table`, `in_memory_known_destinations`
Fully ephemeral storage	`in_memory_storage`, `RETICULUM_IN_MEMORY_STORAGE`, soft caps

Config differences

Topic	Python	Reticulum-Go
Default config dir	`~/.reticulum`, `/etc/reticulum`	`~/.reticulum-go`
Parser	configobj	Hand-rolled in `pkg/reticulumconfig`
Unknown keys	Errors	Ignored
Comments	`#`	`#` and `;`
Identity storage	Per-name blobs	Per-hash blobs (loads Python known dest files)
Log destination	stdout / file / callback	`stderr`, `file`, `both`, `syslog`, `journald` (and combinations)

Utilities

Python	Reticulum-Go
rnsd	`reticulum-go` daemon
rnstatus	`rgostatus` (shared-instance RPC, announce/PR rates, JSON, Go integrity fields)
(none)	`rgoslow` / `reticulum-go slow` (bottleneck and local health findings, Go-only)
rnid	`rgoid` (`.rid`/`.rsg`/`.rsm`/`.rfe` compatible)
rnprobe	`rgoprobe`
rnpath	`rgopath` (path table, drop, blackhole, remote rnstransport not ported)
rncp	`rgocp` (send/listen/fetch on `rncp.receive`)
rnir, rnodeconf, rnpkg, rngit, rnsh	Not ported (deferred post-1.0). `rnx` is `reticulum-go x`.
WASM	`reticulum-wasm` (Go-only)
librns	`librns.so` + `rns.h` (Go-only, Linux first)
Odin bindings	`bindings/odin` (links `librns.so`, librns)
Dart client	`bindings/dart` (`rns_control` FFI and Control API)

Setup for Go tools against Python rnsd (TCP shared-instance RPC, rpc_key, -config) is documented in CLI utilities.

Verification workflow

# Unit and package tests
make test

# Crossref against Python vectors
./tests/crossref/run_crossref.sh all

# Live Go/Python side by side
RUN_LIVE_INTEROP=1 go test -v ./tests/interop/...

Running alongside Python

Use separate config directories (~/.reticulum-go vs ~/.reticulum). Point interfaces at the same peers with matching IFAC and ports. Shared instance ports must not conflict if both try to own the same interface.

To let rgostatus query Python rnsd, align shared_instance_type (tcp or unix), instance_name / instance_control_port, and rpc_key, then restart rnsd. Stock Linux Python defaults to Unix RPC while Go defaults to TCP. See CLI utilities.