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On-chain scope

The Symbiotic Relay system provides a comprehensive on-chain framework for validator set management with several distinct scopes of customization. The system is designed around modular smart contracts that can be composed and extended to meet specific network requirements.

Overview of the Scopes​

The Symbiotic Relay integration encompasses key customization scopes:

  • Vault Composition Scope: Managing how different vault types contribute to operator voting power
  • Operator Onboarding Scope: Controlling operator registration, access controls, and lifecycle management
  • Voting Power Calculation Scope: Implementing custom algorithms for stake-to-voting-power transformations
  • Network Middleware Development Scope: Configuring settlement mechanisms, signature verification, and cross-chain coordination

Vault Composition​

This scope manages the relationship between vaults and operator voting power through the VotingPowerProvider system.

Vault Types and Management​

The system supports two primary vault types with distinct access patterns:

  • Shared Vaults: Accessible to all registered operators, typically using NetworkRestakeDelegator or FullRestakeDelegator
  • Operator Vaults: Tied to specific operators, using OperatorSpecificDelegator or OperatorNetworkSpecificDelegator

Customizable Vault Extensions​

The system provides several vault management extensions:

  • SharedVaults Extension: Enables registration and management of network-wide vaults
  • OperatorVaults Extension: Manages operator-specific vault assignments
  • MultiToken Extension: Supports multiple collateral token types
  • OpNetVaultAutoDeploy Extension: Automatically creates configured vaults for new operators
  • Token Registration and Validation

Vault composition includes comprehensive token management where only registered tokens contribute to voting power. The system validates vault requirements including factory registration, token registration, epoch duration, and slasher requirements.

Operator Onboarding​

This scope controls operator registration, validation, and lifecycle management with extensive customization options.

Access Control Extensions​

The system provides multiple access control mechanisms that can be composed:

  • OperatorsWhitelist: Requires explicit whitelisting before operator registration
  • OperatorsBlacklist: Prevents blacklisted operators from registering
  • OperatorsJail: Temporarily suspends operators and prevents re-registration until unjailed

Operator Registration Methods​

Operators can register through multiple methods:

  • Direct registration by the operator
  • Signature-based registration allowing third-party submission
  • Extension-based registration with additional validation logic

Key Registry Integration​

The operator uses the KeyRegistry for cryptographic key management, supporting multiple key types:

  • BlsBn254: Key type that supports BLS signatures on BN254 curve for signature aggregation
  • EcdsaSecp256k1: Key type that supports ECDSA signatures for general-purpose validation

Voting Power Calculation​

This scope enables custom algorithms for transforming operator stake into voting power through the VotingPowerCalcManager interface.

Customizable Calculation Strategies​

The system uses a modular approach where voting power calculation strategies can be implemented by extending the VotingPowerCalcManager

Example Implementation​

The EqualStakeVPCalc provides a 1:1 stake-to-voting-power transformation as a reference implementation (EqualStakeVPCalc.sol)

Network Middleware Development Scope​

This scope encompasses settlement contracts, signature verification, and cross-chain coordination mechanisms.

Settlement Contract Customization​

The Settlement module provides validator set commitment functionality with configurable signature verification:

  • SimpleVerifier (for BLS BN254 signatures): Efficient verification for smaller validator sets (up to ~125 validators)
  • ZKVerifier: Zero-knowledge verification for larger validator sets with constant gas costs

ValSetDriver Configuration​

The ValSetDriver coordinates validator set updates with customizable parameters:

  • Epoch duration configuration
  • Quorum threshold settings
  • Cross-chain address management
  • Buffer time configuration

Customizable Slashing and Rewards Mechanisms​

BaseSlashing Extension​

The slashing mechanism provides comprehensive operator punishment capabilities:

  • Slasher Management: Configurable slasher address with permission controls
  • Vault Slashing: Both safe and unsafe slashing methods with validation
  • Execution Control: Separate slash initiation and execution phases for veto slashers

The slashing system includes validation of operator registration, vault registration, and token registration before executing slashes

BaseRewards Extension​

The rewards mechanism enables operator incentivization through two distribution methods:

  • Staker Rewards Distribution: Direct distribution to staker reward contracts
  • Operator Rewards Distribution: Merkle-tree based distribution to operator reward contracts

Both slashing and rewards extensions integrate seamlessly with the VotingPowerProvider system and can be combined with other extensions through multiple inheritance

Extension Composition and Deployment​

The modular design allows for flexible composition of functionality through multiple inheritance, enabling networks to customize their specific requirements while maintaining compatibility with the core Symbiotic ecosystem. The deployment process supports comprehensive configuration of all components through structured initialization parameters and cross-chain coordination