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EIP-7732 -- Fork Choice

Table of contents

Introduction

This is the modification of the fork choice accompanying the EIP-7732 upgrade.

Constants

Name Value
PAYLOAD_TIMELY_THRESHOLD PTC_SIZE / 2 (=uint64(256))
INTERVALS_PER_SLOT 4 # [modified in EIP-7732]
PROPOSER_SCORE_BOOST 20 # [modified in EIP-7732]
PAYLOAD_WITHHOLD_BOOST 40
PAYLOAD_REVEAL_BOOST 40

Containers

New ChildNode

Auxiliary class to consider (block, slot, bool) LMD voting

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class ChildNode(Container):
    root: Root
    slot: Slot
    is_payload_present: boolean

Helpers

Modified LatestMessage

Note: The class is modified to keep track of the slot instead of the epoch.

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@dataclass(eq=True, frozen=True)
class LatestMessage(object):
    slot: Slot
    root: Root

Modified update_latest_messages

Note: the function update_latest_messages is updated to use the attestation slot instead of target. Notice that this function is only called on validated attestations and validators cannot attest twice in the same epoch without equivocating. Notice also that target epoch number and slot number are validated on validate_on_attestation.

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def update_latest_messages(store: Store, attesting_indices: Sequence[ValidatorIndex], attestation: Attestation) -> None:
    slot = attestation.data.slot
    beacon_block_root = attestation.data.beacon_block_root
    non_equivocating_attesting_indices = [i for i in attesting_indices if i not in store.equivocating_indices]
    for i in non_equivocating_attesting_indices:
        if i not in store.latest_messages or slot > store.latest_messages[i].slot:
            store.latest_messages[i] = LatestMessage(slot=slot, root=beacon_block_root)

Modified Store

Note: Store is modified to track the intermediate states of "empty" consensus blocks, that is, those consensus blocks for which the corresponding execution payload has not been revealed or has not been included on chain.

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@dataclass
class Store(object):
    time: uint64
    genesis_time: uint64
    justified_checkpoint: Checkpoint
    finalized_checkpoint: Checkpoint
    unrealized_justified_checkpoint: Checkpoint
    unrealized_finalized_checkpoint: Checkpoint
    proposer_boost_root: Root
    payload_withhold_boost_root: Root  # [New in EIP-7732]
    payload_withhold_boost_full: boolean  # [New in EIP-7732]
    payload_reveal_boost_root: Root  # [New in EIP-7732]
    equivocating_indices: Set[ValidatorIndex]
    blocks: Dict[Root, BeaconBlock] = field(default_factory=dict)
    block_states: Dict[Root, BeaconState] = field(default_factory=dict)
    block_timeliness: Dict[Root, boolean] = field(default_factory=dict)
    checkpoint_states: Dict[Checkpoint, BeaconState] = field(default_factory=dict)
    latest_messages: Dict[ValidatorIndex, LatestMessage] = field(default_factory=dict)
    unrealized_justifications: Dict[Root, Checkpoint] = field(default_factory=dict)
    execution_payload_states: Dict[Root, BeaconState] = field(default_factory=dict)  # [New in EIP-7732]
    ptc_vote: Dict[Root, Vector[uint8, PTC_SIZE]] = field(default_factory=dict)  # [New in EIP-7732]

Modified get_forkchoice_store

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def get_forkchoice_store(anchor_state: BeaconState, anchor_block: BeaconBlock) -> Store:
    assert anchor_block.state_root == hash_tree_root(anchor_state)
    anchor_root = hash_tree_root(anchor_block)
    anchor_epoch = get_current_epoch(anchor_state)
    justified_checkpoint = Checkpoint(epoch=anchor_epoch, root=anchor_root)
    finalized_checkpoint = Checkpoint(epoch=anchor_epoch, root=anchor_root)
    proposer_boost_root = Root()
    return Store(
        time=uint64(anchor_state.genesis_time + SECONDS_PER_SLOT * anchor_state.slot),
        genesis_time=anchor_state.genesis_time,
        justified_checkpoint=justified_checkpoint,
        finalized_checkpoint=finalized_checkpoint,
        unrealized_justified_checkpoint=justified_checkpoint,
        unrealized_finalized_checkpoint=finalized_checkpoint,
        proposer_boost_root=proposer_boost_root,
        payload_withhold_boost_root=proposer_boost_root,  # [New in EIP-7732]
        payload_withhold_boost_full=True,  # [New in EIP-7732]
        payload_reveal_boost_root=proposer_boost_root,  # [New in EIP-7732]
        equivocating_indices=set(),
        blocks={anchor_root: copy(anchor_block)},
        block_states={anchor_root: copy(anchor_state)},
        checkpoint_states={justified_checkpoint: copy(anchor_state)},
        unrealized_justifications={anchor_root: justified_checkpoint},
        execution_payload_states={anchor_root: copy(anchor_state)},  # [New in EIP-7732]
        ptc_vote={anchor_root: Vector[uint8, PTC_SIZE]()},
    )

notify_ptc_messages

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def notify_ptc_messages(store: Store, state: BeaconState, payload_attestations: Sequence[PayloadAttestation]) -> None:
    """
    Extracts a list of ``PayloadAttestationMessage`` from ``payload_attestations`` and updates the store with them
    These Payload attestations are assumed to be in the beacon block hence signature verification is not needed
    """
    if state.slot == 0:
        return
    for payload_attestation in payload_attestations:
        indexed_payload_attestation = get_indexed_payload_attestation(state, Slot(state.slot - 1), payload_attestation)
        for idx in indexed_payload_attestation.attesting_indices:
            on_payload_attestation_message(
                store,
                PayloadAttestationMessage(
                    validator_index=idx,
                    data=payload_attestation.data,
                    signature=BLSSignature(),
                    is_from_block=True
                )
            )

is_payload_present

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def is_payload_present(store: Store, beacon_block_root: Root) -> bool:
    """
    Return whether the execution payload for the beacon block with root ``beacon_block_root`` was voted as present
    by the PTC
    """
    # The beacon block root must be known
    assert beacon_block_root in store.ptc_vote
    return store.ptc_vote[beacon_block_root].count(PAYLOAD_PRESENT) > PAYLOAD_TIMELY_THRESHOLD

is_parent_node_full

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def is_parent_node_full(store: Store, block: BeaconBlock) -> bool:
    parent = store.blocks[block.parent_root]
    parent_block_hash = block.body.signed_execution_payload_header.message.parent_block_hash
    message_block_hash = parent.body.signed_execution_payload_header.message.block_hash
    return parent_block_hash == message_block_hash

Modified get_ancestor

Note: get_ancestor is modified to return whether the chain is based on an empty or full block.

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def get_ancestor(store: Store, root: Root, slot: Slot) -> ChildNode:
    """
    Returns the beacon block root, the slot and the payload status of the ancestor of the beacon block
    with ``root`` at ``slot``. If the beacon block with ``root`` is already at ``slot`` or we are
    requesting an ancestor "in the future" it returns its PTC status instead of the actual payload content.
    """
    block = store.blocks[root]
    if block.slot <= slot:
        return ChildNode(root=root, slot=slot, is_payload_present=is_payload_present(store, root))

    parent = store.blocks[block.parent_root]
    if parent.slot > slot:
        return get_ancestor(store, block.parent_root, slot)
    return ChildNode(root=block.parent_root, slot=parent.slot, is_payload_present=is_parent_node_full(store, block))

Modified get_checkpoint_block

Note: get_checkpoint_block is modified to use the new get_ancestor

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def get_checkpoint_block(store: Store, root: Root, epoch: Epoch) -> Root:
    """
    Compute the checkpoint block for epoch ``epoch`` in the chain of block ``root``
    """
    epoch_first_slot = compute_start_slot_at_epoch(epoch)
    return get_ancestor(store, root, epoch_first_slot).root

is_supporting_vote

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def is_supporting_vote(store: Store, node: ChildNode, message: LatestMessage) -> bool:
    """
    Returns whether a vote for ``message.root`` supports the chain containing the beacon block ``node.root`` with the
    payload contents indicated by ``node.is_payload_present`` as head during slot ``node.slot``.
    """
    if node.root == message.root:
        # an attestation for a given root always counts for that root regardless if full or empty
        # as long as the attestation happened after the requested slot.
        return node.slot <= message.slot
    message_block = store.blocks[message.root]
    if node.slot >= message_block.slot:
        return False
    ancestor = get_ancestor(store, message.root, node.slot)
    return (node.root == ancestor.root) and (node.is_payload_present == ancestor.is_payload_present)

New compute_proposer_boost

This is a helper to compute the proposer boost. It applies the proposer boost to any ancestor of the proposer boost root taking into account the payload presence. There is one exception: if the requested node has the same root and slot as the block with the proposer boost root, then the proposer boost is applied to both empty and full versions of the node. 

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def compute_proposer_boost(store: Store, state: BeaconState, node: ChildNode) -> Gwei:
    if store.proposer_boost_root == Root():
        return Gwei(0)
    ancestor = get_ancestor(store, store.proposer_boost_root, node.slot)
    if ancestor.root != node.root:
        return Gwei(0)
    proposer_boost_slot = store.blocks[store.proposer_boost_root].slot
    # Proposer boost is not applied after skipped slots
    if node.slot > proposer_boost_slot:
        return Gwei(0)
    if (node.slot < proposer_boost_slot) and (ancestor.is_payload_present != node.is_payload_present):
        return Gwei(0)
    committee_weight = get_total_active_balance(state) // SLOTS_PER_EPOCH
    return (committee_weight * PROPOSER_SCORE_BOOST) // 100

New compute_withhold_boost

This is a similar helper that applies for the withhold boost. In this case this always takes into account the reveal status.

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def compute_withhold_boost(store: Store, state: BeaconState, node: ChildNode) -> Gwei:
    if store.payload_withhold_boost_root == Root():
        return Gwei(0)
    ancestor = get_ancestor(store, store.payload_withhold_boost_root, node.slot)
    if ancestor.root != node.root:
        return Gwei(0)
    if node.slot >= store.blocks[store.payload_withhold_boost_root].slot:
        ancestor.is_payload_present = store.payload_withhold_boost_full
    if ancestor.is_payload_present != node.is_payload_present:
        return Gwei(0)

    committee_weight = get_total_active_balance(state) // SLOTS_PER_EPOCH
    return (committee_weight * PAYLOAD_WITHHOLD_BOOST) // 100

New compute_reveal_boost

This is a similar helper to the last two, the only difference is that the reveal boost is only applied to the full version of the node when querying for the same slot as the revealed payload.

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def compute_reveal_boost(store: Store, state: BeaconState, node: ChildNode) -> Gwei:
    if store.payload_reveal_boost_root == Root():
        return Gwei(0)
    ancestor = get_ancestor(store, store.payload_reveal_boost_root, node.slot)
    if ancestor.root != node.root:
        return Gwei(0)
    if node.slot >= store.blocks[store.payload_reveal_boost_root].slot:
        ancestor.is_payload_present = True
    if ancestor.is_payload_present != node.is_payload_present:
        return Gwei(0)
    committee_weight = get_total_active_balance(state) // SLOTS_PER_EPOCH
    return (committee_weight * PAYLOAD_REVEAL_BOOST) // 100

Modified get_weight

Note: get_weight is modified to only count votes for descending chains that support the status of a triple Root, Slot, bool, where the bool indicates if the block was full or not. Slot is needed for a correct implementation of (Block, Slot) voting.

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def get_weight(store: Store, node: ChildNode) -> Gwei:
    state = store.checkpoint_states[store.justified_checkpoint]
    unslashed_and_active_indices = [
        i for i in get_active_validator_indices(state, get_current_epoch(state))
        if not state.validators[i].slashed
    ]
    attestation_score = Gwei(sum(
        state.validators[i].effective_balance for i in unslashed_and_active_indices
        if (i in store.latest_messages
            and i not in store.equivocating_indices
            and is_supporting_vote(store, node, store.latest_messages[i]))
    ))

    # Compute boosts
    proposer_score = compute_proposer_boost(store, state, node)
    builder_reveal_score = compute_reveal_boost(store, state, node)
    builder_withhold_score = compute_withhold_boost(store, state, node)

    return attestation_score + proposer_score + builder_reveal_score + builder_withhold_score

Modified get_head

Note: get_head is a modified to use the new get_weight function. It returns the ChildNode object corresponidng to the head block.

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def get_head(store: Store) -> ChildNode:
    # Get filtered block tree that only includes viable branches
    blocks = get_filtered_block_tree(store)
    # Execute the LMD-GHOST fork choice
    justified_root = store.justified_checkpoint.root
    justified_block = store.blocks[justified_root]
    justified_slot = justified_block.slot
    justified_full = is_payload_present(store, justified_root)
    best_child = ChildNode(root=justified_root, slot=justified_slot, is_payload_present=justified_full)
    while True:
        children = [
            ChildNode(root=root, slot=block.slot, is_payload_present=present) for (root, block) in blocks.items()
            if block.parent_root == best_child.root and block.slot > best_child.slot and
            (best_child.root == justified_root or is_parent_node_full(store, block) == best_child.is_payload_present)
            for present in (True, False) if root in store.execution_payload_states or not present
        ]
        if len(children) == 0:
            return best_child
        # if we have children we consider the current head advanced as a possible head
        highest_child_slot = max(child.slot for child in children)
        children += [
            ChildNode(root=best_child.root, slot=best_child.slot + 1, is_payload_present=best_child.is_payload_present)
        ]
        # Sort by latest attesting balance with
        # Ties broken by the block's slot
        # Ties are broken by the PTC vote
        # Ties are then broken by favoring full blocks
        # Ties then broken by favoring block with lexicographically higher root
        new_best_child = max(children, key=lambda child: (
            get_weight(store, child),
            blocks[child.root].slot,
            is_payload_present(store, child.root),
            child.is_payload_present,
            child.root
        )
        )
        if new_best_child.root == best_child.root and new_best_child.slot >= highest_child_slot:
            return new_best_child
        best_child = new_best_child

Updated fork-choice handlers

Modified on_block

Note: The handler on_block is modified to consider the pre state of the given consensus beacon block depending not only on the parent block root, but also on the parent blockhash. In addition we delay the checking of blob data availability until the processing of the execution payload.

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def on_block(store: Store, signed_block: SignedBeaconBlock) -> None:
    """
    Run ``on_block`` upon receiving a new block.
    """
    block = signed_block.message
    # Parent block must be known
    assert block.parent_root in store.block_states

    # Check if this blocks builds on empty or full parent block
    parent_block = store.blocks[block.parent_root]
    header = block.body.signed_execution_payload_header.message
    parent_header = parent_block.body.signed_execution_payload_header.message
    # Make a copy of the state to avoid mutability issues
    if is_parent_node_full(store, block):
        assert block.parent_root in store.execution_payload_states
        state = copy(store.execution_payload_states[block.parent_root])
    else:
        assert header.parent_block_hash == parent_header.parent_block_hash
        state = copy(store.block_states[block.parent_root])

    # Blocks cannot be in the future. If they are, their consideration must be delayed until they are in the past.
    current_slot = get_current_slot(store)
    assert current_slot >= block.slot

    # Check that block is later than the finalized epoch slot (optimization to reduce calls to get_ancestor)
    finalized_slot = compute_start_slot_at_epoch(store.finalized_checkpoint.epoch)
    assert block.slot > finalized_slot
    # Check block is a descendant of the finalized block at the checkpoint finalized slot
    finalized_checkpoint_block = get_checkpoint_block(
        store,
        block.parent_root,
        store.finalized_checkpoint.epoch,
    )
    assert store.finalized_checkpoint.root == finalized_checkpoint_block

    # Check the block is valid and compute the post-state
    block_root = hash_tree_root(block)
    state_transition(state, signed_block, True)

    # Add new block to the store
    store.blocks[block_root] = block
    # Add new state for this block to the store
    store.block_states[block_root] = state
    # Add a new PTC voting for this block to the store
    store.ptc_vote[block_root] = [PAYLOAD_ABSENT] * PTC_SIZE

    # Notify the store about the payload_attestations in the block
    notify_ptc_messages(store, state, block.body.payload_attestations)
    # Add proposer score boost if the block is timely
    time_into_slot = (store.time - store.genesis_time) % SECONDS_PER_SLOT
    is_before_attesting_interval = time_into_slot < SECONDS_PER_SLOT // INTERVALS_PER_SLOT
    is_timely = get_current_slot(store) == block.slot and is_before_attesting_interval
    store.block_timeliness[hash_tree_root(block)] = is_timely

    # Add proposer score boost if the block is timely and not conflicting with an existing block
    is_first_block = store.proposer_boost_root == Root()
    if is_timely and is_first_block:
        store.proposer_boost_root = hash_tree_root(block)

    # Update checkpoints in store if necessary
    update_checkpoints(store, state.current_justified_checkpoint, state.finalized_checkpoint)

    # Eagerly compute unrealized justification and finality.
    compute_pulled_up_tip(store, block_root)

New fork-choice handlers

New on_execution_payload

The handler on_execution_payload is called when the node receives a SignedExecutionPayloadEnvelope to sync.

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def on_execution_payload(store: Store, signed_envelope: SignedExecutionPayloadEnvelope) -> None:
    """
    Run ``on_execution_payload`` upon receiving a new execution payload.
    """
    envelope = signed_envelope.message
    # The corresponding beacon block root needs to be known
    assert envelope.beacon_block_root in store.block_states

    # Check if blob data is available
    # If not, this payload MAY be queued and subsequently considered when blob data becomes available
    assert is_data_available(envelope.beacon_block_root, envelope.blob_kzg_commitments)

    # Make a copy of the state to avoid mutability issues
    state = copy(store.block_states[envelope.beacon_block_root])

    # Process the execution payload
    process_execution_payload(state, signed_envelope, EXECUTION_ENGINE)

    # Add new state for this payload to the store
    store.execution_payload_states[envelope.beacon_block_root] = state

seconds_into_slot

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def seconds_into_slot(store: Store) -> uint64:
    return (store.time - store.genesis_time) % SECONDS_PER_SLOT

Modified on_tick_per_slot

Modified to reset the payload boost roots

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def on_tick_per_slot(store: Store, time: uint64) -> None:
    previous_slot = get_current_slot(store)

    # Update store time
    store.time = time

    current_slot = get_current_slot(store)

    # If this is a new slot, reset store.proposer_boost_root
    if current_slot > previous_slot:
        store.proposer_boost_root = Root()
    else:
        # Reset the payload boost if this is the attestation time
        if seconds_into_slot(store) >= SECONDS_PER_SLOT // INTERVALS_PER_SLOT:
            store.payload_withhold_boost_root = Root()
            store.payload_withhold_boost_full = False
            store.payload_reveal_boost_root = Root()

    # If a new epoch, pull-up justification and finalization from previous epoch
    if current_slot > previous_slot and compute_slots_since_epoch_start(current_slot) == 0:
        update_checkpoints(store, store.unrealized_justified_checkpoint, store.unrealized_finalized_checkpoint)

on_payload_attestation_message

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def on_payload_attestation_message(
        store: Store, ptc_message: PayloadAttestationMessage, is_from_block: bool=False) -> None:
    """
    Run ``on_payload_attestation_message`` upon receiving a new ``ptc_message`` directly on the wire.
    """
    # The beacon block root must be known
    data = ptc_message.data
    # PTC attestation must be for a known block. If block is unknown, delay consideration until the block is found
    state = store.block_states[data.beacon_block_root]
    ptc = get_ptc(state, data.slot)
    # PTC votes can only change the vote for their assigned beacon block, return early otherwise
    if data.slot != state.slot:
        return
    # Check that the attester is from the PTC
    assert ptc_message.validator_index in ptc

    # Verify the signature and check that its for the current slot if it is coming from the wire
    if not is_from_block:
        # Check that the attestation is for the current slot
        assert data.slot == get_current_slot(store)
        # Verify the signature
        assert is_valid_indexed_payload_attestation(
            state,
            IndexedPayloadAttestation(
                attesting_indices=[ptc_message.validator_index],
                data=data,
                signature=ptc_message.signature
            )
        )
    # Update the ptc vote for the block
    ptc_index = ptc.index(ptc_message.validator_index)
    ptc_vote = store.ptc_vote[data.beacon_block_root]
    ptc_vote[ptc_index] = data.payload_status

    # Only update payload boosts with attestations from a block if the block is for the current slot and it's early
    if is_from_block and data.slot + 1 != get_current_slot(store):
        return
    time_into_slot = (store.time - store.genesis_time) % SECONDS_PER_SLOT
    if is_from_block and time_into_slot >= SECONDS_PER_SLOT // INTERVALS_PER_SLOT:
        return

    # Update the payload boosts if threshold has been achieved
    if ptc_vote.count(PAYLOAD_PRESENT) > PAYLOAD_TIMELY_THRESHOLD:
        store.payload_reveal_boost_root = data.beacon_block_root
    if ptc_vote.count(PAYLOAD_WITHHELD) > PAYLOAD_TIMELY_THRESHOLD:
        block = store.blocks[data.beacon_block_root]
        store.payload_withhold_boost_root = block.parent_root
        store.payload_withhold_boost_full = is_parent_node_full(store, block)