Release v0.16.1 - xchain-node carrier

[jdogresorg]

Carrier release for the v0.16.1 patch train (release-management §7 step 3, §6 step 6 in miniature).

What moves

Sparse lockstep: this train tags only the repo it touches. xchain-indexer moves to 0.16.1; the other eleven components keep their v0.16.0 or v0.15.0 pins unchanged.

src/release-manifest.json	platform_version 0.16.1, released 2026-09-09, xchain-indexer repinned to v0.16.1 / 66c23c42
package.json, package-lock.json	0.16.0 to 0.16.1
README.md	version badge
CHANGELOG.md	[0.16.1] - 2026-09-09 entry

The manifest was generated by bin/write-release-manifest.js from the actual tagged state, never by hand. Its diff is six lines: the two description lines, the platform version, the release date, and the indexer's tag and commit.

What the train carries

A state-neutral indexer fix. The anchor row writer binds every value to fit its column, so a rejected ANCHOR wire (a pre-activation legacy version or a malformed head) is recorded instead of failing its INSERT forever. On v0.16.0 a node syncing DOGE testnet from genesis stopped at the first legacy anchor (height 67856088); the same replay now reaches the tip with a block hash chain identical to the long-running nodes. The same hole was a liveness risk on live DOGE indexers, since one malformed permissionless ANCHOR head could park them the same way.

No activation height moves and no derived state changes, so the rolling upgrade needs no coordination window. xchainRequiresHub stays 0.16.0.

Verification

• Pre-push gate on this branch at 9e02389: 4409 passing, 0 failing.
• xchain-indexer v0.16.1 is tagged and pushed at its master merge commit 66c23c42, signed by the platform release key and signature-verified.
• xchain-documentation v0.16.1 is tagged and pushed at ad100502; its mirror section matches this manifest component for component.

Ledger: XC-2270. Spec: claude/specs/anchor-v0-single-wire.md rows 12 and 9b.