Pi Network Ecosystem Tracker

Official Pi Network Adds Three Developer Features and Integrates Developer Documentation for the First Time

DevelopmentEcosystem

On September 4, the Official Pi Network blog announced three new developer features and the launch of a new, integrated developer documentation site docs.minepi.com. Three New Features Local Storage The Official Pi Network has added local storage functionality for a batch of whitelisted Apps within the Pi Browser. This allows data (such as preferences, session states) to be stored directly on the user's device, eliminating the need for developers to build their own backend storage and provide this data, thereby reducing infrastructure costs. The data is managed by the Pi Browser, remains on the device, and is not uploaded to Pi servers. The Official Pi Network also clarified current limitations: this feature is currently limited to an initial batch of whitelisted Apps; Apps within the whitelist share a device-side storage pool with limited capacity, meaning older data may be cleared if space runs out, so local storage is not guaranteed to be permanent; data is tied to specific accounts and devices and will not automatically sync across devices. The Official Pi Network stated that gradually opening up the App whitelist allows for more observation and adjustment space when verifying performance and behavior across different devices, storage conditions, and actual usage scenarios. Staking Data API Developers can now use this API to query the effective amount of Pi staked by users for their App via Ecosystem Directory Staking. The effective staked amount considers both the quantity of Pi staked and the bonus derived from the staking duration. This API also currently requires Apps to be whitelisted for access. The Official Pi Network explained that this is to allow developers and Pioneers to provide testing and feedback during this early stage, which will help guide the future design direction of this API. File and Video Sharing (Pi.shareFile) Developers can use Pi.shareFile to allow users to share files, including videos, from within an App. The Official Pi Network provided examples: this is suitable for marketplace-like Apps where users share receipts or photos of disputed items, or for gaming and content Apps where users directly share images or video clips. By calling the phone's native sharing functionality, developers do not need to build their own separate sharing process. Developer Documentation Integrated for the First Time, Addressing Long-Standing Community Feedback The most significant part of this update is the newly launched, integrated developer documentation site docs.minepi.com. The Official Pi Network explained that in the past, Pi developer documentation was scattered across multiple locations—SDK documentation, Community Developer Guide, GitHub repositories—with potentially overlapping content. Developers accessing from different Pi webpages or channels might also encounter inconsistent resource versions. The new website integrates the documentation into a single, official Pi-owned domain and reorganizes it according to the actual developer journey: from getting started and registering an App, to Sandbox development, integrating Pi features, and preparing for launch, the path is now clearer. A noteworthy statement: The Official Pi Network explicitly stated in the article that, in addition to integrating the documentation, this update also provides more explanations and clarifications for platform details that were 'previously reported by community developers as unclear.' This marks the first time the Official Pi Network has publicly acknowledged that unclear documentation is a persistent issue raised by the community. The Official Pi Network also stated that this new set of documentation covers account and App registration, Sandbox setup, SDK and platform reference materials, authentication and payments, the complete path from Sandbox to Mainnet launch, and includes new AI-assisted guidance for authentication and payment integration. The Official Pi Network also confirmed that the content of this documentation has been reviewed against current actual platform behavior. OrbitWatch's Observations OrbitWatch previously noted in its Ecosystem Developer Landscape Analysis that documentation gaps and scattered information were among the long-standing pain points reported by the developer community. The Official Pi Network's release of the integrated documentation site and its first public acknowledgment of unclear documentation are the most direct official responses verified to date. However, these three new features and the documentation integration focus on the Pi SDK route (login, payments, storage, sharing, etc.), which currently appears to be separate from the other route—official documentation and progress for Soroban smart contracts. OrbitWatch will continue to monitor whether docs.minepi.com will subsequently include comprehensive documentation related to smart contracts. Further Reading → Pi Ecosystem Developer Landscape: How Far Between Investment and Feedback? → Pi Network Smart Contract Status: What Can Developers Actually Do After V23? Data sources: Pi Network Official Blog (minepi.com/blog/dev-capabilities-documentation/, published on 2026/9/4), docs.minepi.com. All analyses do not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory and is not affiliated with the Official Pi Network.

•Pi Network launched three new developer features: Local Storage for whitelisted Apps, a Staking Data API, and `Pi.shareFile` for in-app file sharing.
•A new, integrated developer documentation site (docs.minepi.com) was released, consolidating previously scattered information and clarifying platform details.

Sep 4, 08:52 PM

★★★▲

SoloHost Adds Two New Applications: OpenClaw Local AI Agent and Atlassian MCP Server

The official blog post on August 27 announced that SoloHost has added two new applications: OpenClaw and Atlassian MCP Server, both released with Node version 0.6.2. OpenClaw: Another Local AI Agent Option The official explanation states that OpenClaw is a local AI Agent that runs on the user's own computer. It can be used with local models or connected to cloud models (such as ChatGPT, Claude). Regardless of the model used, OpenClaw's memory is created and stored locally on the user's machine. Differences When Running via SoloHost: The official statement specifically notes that when OpenClaw runs via SoloHost, it operates within a container that restricts its access scope. Compared to direct installation outside SoloHost, which might by default gain broader machine-level access (e.g., to the local file system), SoloHost's environment reduces exposure to unrelated local files and system resources, whether used with local or cloud models. The official team also reminds that this restriction does not eliminate all risks, nor does it override permissions explicitly granted by the user—if a user authorizes OpenClaw to access an external service or resource, the Agent can still act within that authorized scope. The benefit of this SoloHost design layer is more specific: it limits unnecessary default access to the rest of the computer while still allowing users to grant explicitly required permissions for specific tasks. How is it different from the already launched Hermes: The official team distinguishes their positioning: OpenClaw focuses on personal assistant functionalities connecting across tools and messaging channels, while Hermes emphasizes persistent memory and learning skills from experience. Atlassian MCP Server: Connecting AI Tools to Jira This application targets professional use cases for developers, product teams, and others who need to integrate AI tools into Jira workflows. The official explanation states that for AI tools to interact with services like Jira, the two systems need a communication method—MCP (Model Context Protocol) provides precisely such a framework, allowing compatible AI tools to connect to external systems like Jira via an MCP server. Why this is needed instead of directly using Atlassian's official MCP: The official team points out that Atlassian (Jira) itself offers a hosted MCP option, but teams might encounter quota and stability limitations when using it for internal AI integration workflows. This application on SoloHost allows users to run an MCP server locally on their chosen computer, free from quota or stability issues. Since the connection is based on the MCP protocol itself, rather than being tied to a specific AI platform, it can be used with various compatible AI tools, including Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex, and others. Official Scale Figures Mentioned The official team mentioned in the article that these two applications enable developers to bring various tools into the Pi ecosystem, making them available to over 420,000 Pi Node operators and many more Desktop users. SoloHost is Still in Beta The official team reiterated at the end of the article: SoloHost is still in Beta, utilizing an open, permissionless publisher process. Users are reminded to evaluate individual packages themselves and install them at their own risk. This aligns with OrbitWatch's previously recorded status of SoloHost—an expanding platform that the official team itself still positions as being in its early stages. Further Reading Pi Node 0.6.1 Live: What SoloHost, Hermes AI Agent, and Soroban RPC Actually Look Like Pi Node 0.6.2 Released: SoloHost New Features and First Distributed Computing Test Data Source: Pi Network Official Blog (minepi.com/blog/new-solohost-apps/, published on 2026/8/27). All analysis does not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory and is not affiliated with the official Pi Network team.

•SoloHost, released with Node 0.6.2, now features OpenClaw, a local AI Agent for personal assistance, and Atlassian MCP Server for integrating AI tools with Jira.
•OpenClaw runs in a secure, restricted container on SoloHost, reducing exposure to local system resources, and differs from Hermes by focusing on cross-tool connectivity.

Aug 27, 09:43 PM

OrbitWatch Editorial

Protocol UpgradeNode Update

V27 Official Deadline Confirmed: September 15th, Node Files Updated, Testnet 1 Switched, but Official Schedule Not Yet Public

The official node upgrade documentation has been updated, confirming the official deadline for V27 as September 15, 2026. This is the final step in the entire V19→V27 upgrade sequence. When the official announcement was made on July 29-30, V27 was characterized as the "final planned upgrade". Technical Details in the GitHub Release organization-mainnet-v1.0-p27.1.0 was released by pierre275, and the changes recorded in the release notes are as follows: Notably, the amount of changes recorded in these release notes is less than for V26. The V26 upgrade included underlying adjustments like upgrading the build environment from Ubuntu 20.04 to 24.04 and the compiler toolchain from clang-12 to clang-20; V27, this time, is almost entirely a version number increment, with no changes to the toolchain or build environment. Testnet 1 Confirmed Switched OrbitWatch queried Testnet 1's Horizon API and confirmed that protocol_version is now 27. This is the first network in this upgrade sequence confirmed to have switched to v27. Comparing with Previous Upgrade Rhythms The V27 node deadline is currently confirmed as September 15th, but the GitHub release and Testnet 1 have already moved ahead of the official announcement—this aligns with the pattern seen in V25 and V26, where node-side actions preceded official announcements. Based on the release notes (only swapping executables, no database migration), this upgrade is of low complexity. If it follows the rhythm of V22-V24 and V26, the mainnet switch should occur within 3 days after the deadline. This announcement contains significantly less information compared to V26. When the V26 deadline was announced, the official team posted a separate update on X, explicitly characterizing it as a "major milestone" and detailing the areas of improvement (contract security, state management, interoperability, encryption). For V27, as of this writing, OrbitWatch has not found any official statements accompanying the deadline announcement—no new qualitative descriptions, nor any content specifying what this upgrade addresses. All third-party reports currently available still cite the old official wording from July 29-30 ("final planned upgrade"), not new content specific to this deadline announcement. OrbitWatch's Continued Tracking We will continue to monitor the mainnet node-side activities around the September 15th deadline, as well as whether the mainnet protocol_version switches to 27. Further Reading Confirmed: Pi Network Mainnet Protocol Officially Switched to v26 Pi Network Protocol Upgrade Mechanism: From Node Deadline to Mainnet Switch Data sources: GitHub PiCoreTeam/pi-node-docker releases (direct observation), Pi Testnet 1 Horizon API (direct query). All analysis does not constitute investment advice.

•The official deadline for Pi Network's V27 node upgrade is confirmed as September 15, 2026.
•The V27 GitHub release is live, and Testnet 1 has already switched to protocol version 27, preceding a formal announcement.

Aug 21, 07:08 AM

App Studio Creation Pricing to Adjust: Two-Tiered Fees from 8/24, AI Generation Costs No Longer Fully Subsidized

Ecosystem

The official team published a blog on 8/17, announcing that Pi App Studio will adjust its pricing model for application creation and editing starting from August 24. What is App Studio? App Studio is an AI-powered development tool provided by Pi's official team, enabling creators, regardless of their technical background, to transform ideas into applications publishable on the Pi ecosystem through a guided process. Over 9,000 applications have already been built using App Studio. Current Pricing vs. Pricing After 8/24 Currently: Creating an application costs 0.25 Pi, and editing it once costs 0.25 Pi. The official team states that this price is significantly lower than the actual AI service costs, with the difference being subsidized by Pi Network. Starting 8/24, a two-tiered system will be implemented: How Eligibility is Determined The official team explains that this adjustment will initially use a set of early eligibility criteria, applied to existing data, to determine which creators can continue to receive the subsidized rate. These criteria may be adjusted as App Studio continues to evolve. Eligibility review is not a one-time event. The official team states that eligibility will be re-evaluated periodically based on newly generated data—meaning that creators who do not initially qualify for the subsidized rate may still become eligible in subsequent reviews if their applications accumulate more real users. Official Rationale The official team explains that App Studio initially fully subsidized all creation and editing to allow creators to experiment with a low barrier to entry, while also enabling the platform to observe and evaluate application creation patterns. However, not every application created through App Studio ultimately becomes a product used by people. The official team states that continuing to equally subsidize all creation activities would lead to significant resource waste, including funding a large number of applications used only for testing, experimentation, or even spamming. The new approach aims to more effectively direct resources towards creators who are genuinely building useful applications. Official Recommendations for Creators Before 8/24 Improve the utility, quality, or usability of existing applications Share applications with other Pioneers who might find them useful Collect feedback from real users and improve based on it Continue developing applications that solve real problems and provide value Potential Impact on Small Creators This adjustment directly links 'continued subsidy' with 'an application's ability to attract real users.' For teams with existing resources to invest in marketing and promotion, accumulating real users is relatively easier. However, for individual creators who simply want to experiment and lack promotion resources, this means they might face the standard rate if their application hasn't yet gained visibility or accumulated users. The official team has not provided further details on the specific number for the 'sufficient number of real users' threshold, and no public quantitative standards have been found yet. Further Reading Pi Node 0.6.2 Released: SoloHost New Features and First Distributed Computing Test Pi Ecosystem Developer Landscape: How Far Between Investment and Feedback? Data Source: Pi Network Official Blog (minepi.com/blog/app-studio-pricing/, published 2026/8/17). All analysis does not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory and is not affiliated with the official Pi Network team.

•Pi App Studio will implement a two-tiered pricing model for app creation and editing starting August 24, ending the full subsidy for AI generation costs.
•The new system includes a standard rate (closer to actual AI service costs) and a subsidized rate (current price) for applications with a "sufficient number of real users" and demonstrated utility.

Aug 17, 04:05 PM

OrbitWatch Editorial

Smart ContractsDevelopment

SmartContract in Pi SDK: Officially Released but Undocumented Feature

In the dev-questions channel of the Pi Network Developer Discord, a developer reported a specific technical issue: their application called Pi.SmartContract.submitTransaction(unsignedXdr) in the Testnet Sandbox environment, the request reached the native bridge, but returned "App unauthorized to call this message". The official contact's reply was: smart contract functionality is not yet finalized, currently for internal use only, and further announcements will be made when there is more news. OrbitWatch reviewed the public file sdk.minepi.com/pi-sdk.js, which Pi Browser automatically loads and executes, confirming the actual status of this feature. This is Not a Developer-Invented Method Name Upon reviewing the published SDK source code, Pi.SmartContract indeed exists and its structure is quite complete: Provides two methods: submitTransaction() and pollTransaction() Internal message type is clearly named @pi:app:sdk:submit_smart_contract_transaction, consistent with the SDK's existing internal communication naming rules Two submodules, Subscription and NativeToken, have been encapsulated Testnet contract addresses are hardcoded in the code as default values (TESTNET_SUBSCRIPTION_CONTRACT_ADDRESS, TESTNET_PI_SAC_CONTRACT_ADDRESS) The Subscription module corresponds to the PiRC2 subscription contract that OrbitWatch previously reviewed—that contract is not just a source code example on GitHub, but has already been deployed to Testnet and encapsulated within the officially released SDK. Why General Developers Can't See This Feature Using Official Tutorials The source code contains a version judgment logic: Currently, the tutorial examples in the official public documentation (pi-platform-docs) all use Pi.init({ version: "2.0" }). This means that even if developers follow the official documentation completely, they will not get the SmartContract object—because the documentation has never taught them to pass version: "3.0". Testnet Connection Parameters The SDK source code also includes the default connection settings for the SmartContract service: These two parameters were previously unavailable in the official documentation but are indeed present in the published SDK file. What This Means Putting this discovery together with previous observations: Official progress on Soroban smart contracts is more mature than what public documentation presents—with Testnet deployment, encapsulation in the officially released SDK, and a version control mechanism However, these advancements are currently intentionally not written into public documentation and are not yet open for third-party applications to call The official response is consistent with the state presented in the code: the functionality exists, but it is "not finalized" This does not mean developers can start integrating smart contracts now. Third-party applications calling this functionality are currently confirmed to be blocked by unauthorized. This log records "what the official team has achieved so far," not an operational guide. Explanation of the Verification Method The information above comes from inspecting sdk.minepi.com/pi-sdk.js—this is a public file that any webpage loading the Pi SDK automatically downloads and executes. Viewing the downloaded source code using browser developer tools is a public, common technical practice and does not involve bypassing any protection mechanisms or unauthorized access. RPC addresses and passphrases are connection setting information, not confidential data that can be used to steal assets or forge transactions. Further Reading Pi Network Smart Contract Status: What Can Developers Actually Do After V23? Pi Ecosystem Developer Status: How Far Between Investment and Return? Data Source: Pi Network Developer Discord (public discussions in dev-questions channel), sdk.minepi.com/pi-sdk.js (officially published SDK file, directly observed on 2026/8/16). All analyses do not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory, not affiliated with Pi Network official.

•Pi Network's SDK contains an undocumented `Pi.SmartContract` module with methods like `submitTransaction`, confirmed by inspecting the public `pi-sdk.js` file.
•This smart contract functionality is enabled by initializing the SDK with `version: "3.0"`, but official documentation still instructs developers to use `version: "2.0"`, effectively hiding the feature.

Aug 17, 06:44 AM

Pi Node Software Version 0.6.2 Released, SoloHost Features and Distributed Computing Test Updated Simultaneously

Node Update

The official blog post on August 14 announced the release of Pi Node version 0.6.2, simultaneously declaring the completion of SoloHost's first distributed computing feature test. Pi Node 0.6.2 Updates Automatic Port Configuration (UPnP) and New Port Checker Tool Version 0.6.2 introduces UPnP support, automatically opening the necessary ports for node connections on supported routers. Previously, node operators or users of SoloHost applications (e.g., local AI agents) had to manually configure ports on their routers, which presented a significant technical barrier for some. This update, combined with a new port checker tool, simplifies the setup required for local device connections (e.g., connections between Pioneer mobile clients and applications running on the node). Support for Unlisted SoloHost Applications Pioneers can now, at their discretion, choose to run applications that are not yet publicly listed on SoloHost. This provides developers with more flexibility to test and allow others to access their applications before they are officially listed. SoloHost Application State Management Developers can now manage three application states: draft, unlisted, and listed, providing more complete control over an application's visibility and stage before and after its official public listing. Fixed Application Status Display Issue An interface issue has been fixed where, after a user launched a SoloHost application, switching to other Pi Desktop screens and then returning might cause the application status to display incorrectly. This update improves how the interface tracks and presents the current status of applications. Fixed Tab Switching Timing Pi Desktop will now correctly switch to the App tab only after a SoloHost application has finished installing and started running, rather than switching while the application is still in the startup process. New Featured Applications In addition to the distributed computing application mentioned below, which completed testing, two new featured SoloHost applications have been added: mcp-atlassian and OpenClaw, alongside Hermes. First Distributed Computing Feature Test Completed This is the most significant part of this blog post. The official team, using SoloHost, recruited 5 volunteer node operators to complete the preliminary distributed computing feature test. All five participants' devices successfully completed the computing tasks automatically dispatched via the SoloHost application. This test validated the entire process—connecting to a Pi orchestrator node, receiving and processing computing tasks, and reporting results. SoloHost, launched in Beta form on Pi2Day 2026, is an open, permissionless framework that allows developers to build and list self-hosted applications and node tools on Pi Desktop. Initially supporting locally run applications (e.g., AI agents), this marks a further advancement by the official team in enabling distributed computing applications. This work builds upon a previous proof-of-concept project that explored the capability of Pi's global network of over 420,000 nodes to support decentralized AI training and computing tasks. Through SoloHost, this project is further automated, scaled, and completed as a true application, aiming to provide formal utility value to third-party clients. Participating nodes can be compensated by third-party clients with Pi, in return for transforming available computing power into practical application resources. What This Means for the Developer Landscape Analysis OrbitWatch previously compiled a Pi Ecosystem Developer Landscape, which noted that official documentation and resources for the Soroban smart contract route were relatively limited. This distributed computing test takes a different route—SoloHost/node computing resources, rather than Soroban contract development. Currently, this feature remains a small-scale, officially led test (with 5 volunteers), and there are no specific guidelines or timelines yet for opening it up for third-party developer participation or integration. OrbitWatch's Ongoing Tracking We will continue to monitor whether SoloHost's distributed computing feature will be opened up to more node operators in the future, and if third-party clients begin to actually use this service. Further Reading Pi Node 0.6.1 Launched: What SoloHost, Hermes AI Agent, and Soroban RPC Actually Look Like Pi2Day 2026 Recap: Over 2.56 Million Participants in Ecosystem Missions, Three New Features Officially Launched Pi Ecosystem Developer Landscape: How Far Between Input and Reward? Data source: Pi Network official blog (minepi.com/blog/pi-node-0-6-2/, published on 2026/8/14). All analyses do not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory and is not affiliated with the official Pi Network.

•Pi Node 0.6.2 introduces UPnP for automatic port configuration and enhances SoloHost with support for unlisted applications and improved state management.
•The first distributed computing test via SoloHost was successfully completed with 5 volunteer node operators, validating the full process of task reception, processing, and reporting.

Aug 14, 03:50 PM