Accounting
Symbiotic allows for a majority of mechanics to be flexible. However, it provides strict guarantees regarding vault slashing to the networks and stakers as defined in this diagram:
Deposit, withdraw, slash, resolve lifecycle
Epochs
Epochs are a fundamental Symbiotic mechanism that balances the needs of both stake providers (users) and networks. Since the network security depends on the operator's stake size, and users can potentially withdraw funds at any time, the network must be able to ensure the operator's stake remains stable over defined periods. The epoch mechanism achieves this by implementing time-delayed vault withdrawals, keeping the operator's slashable stake constant regardless of user withdrawal requests.
Rather than using a standard delay mechanism, which would complicate internal accounting, vaults operate on an epoch-based system. Users have the flexibility to submit withdrawal requests at any time, but these requests are queued and processed collectively at epoch boundaries.
Importantly, funds remain subject to slashing for some period (more details below) after withdrawal requests are submitted.
Symbiotic does not specify the size of the epoch. However, all the epochs are consecutive and have an equal size, defined at the moment of deployment (with the flexibility to increase by the curator's decision).
Deposits
Any holder of the collateral token who is allowed to deposit into the vault (depending on the vault's access control) can do it, agreeing on the vault's configuration and its curation entity (because the vault's risk profile and profitability directly depend on the curator's management).
Withdrawals
Depositors can withdraw their funds at any point in time. However, the funds stay slashable until the end of the next epoch. It will be possible to claim the funds at any time after that without additional risks.
Slashing
Slashing is performed by networks that receive stake allocations from the curator. It can affect the active balance (non-withdrawn funds) and the withdrawals made at the previous and current epochs. The slashed funds are transferred to the Burner's address.
