# Ethereum 2.0 Sharding -- Network specification **Notice**: This document is a work-in-progress for researchers and implementers. ## Table of contents - [Introduction](#introduction) - [Constants](#constants) - [Misc](#misc) - [New containers](#new-containers) - [ShardBlobBody](#shardblobbody) - [ShardBlob](#shardblob) - [SignedShardBlob](#signedshardblob) - [Gossip domain](#gossip-domain) - [Topics and messages](#topics-and-messages) - [Shard blob subnets](#shard-blob-subnets) - [`shard_blob_{subnet_id}`](#shard_blob_subnet_id) - [Global topics](#global-topics) - [`shard_header`](#shard_header) - [`shard_proposer_slashing`](#shard_proposer_slashing) ## Introduction The specification of these changes continues in the same format as the [Phase0](../phase0/p2p-interface.md) and [Altair](../altair/p2p-interface.md) network specifications, and assumes them as pre-requisite. The adjustments and additions for Shards are outlined in this document. ## Constants ### Misc | Name | Value | Description | | ---- | ----- | ----------- | | `SHARD_BLOB_SUBNET_COUNT` | `64` | The number of `shard_blob_{subnet_id}` subnets used in the gossipsub protocol. | ## New containers ### ShardBlobBody ```python class ShardBlobBody(Container): # The actual data commitment commitment: DataCommitment # Proof that the degree < commitment.length degree_proof: BLSCommitment # The actual data. Should match the commitment and degree proof. data: List[BLSPoint, POINTS_PER_SAMPLE * MAX_SAMPLES_PER_BLOCK] # Latest block root of the Beacon Chain, before shard_blob.slot beacon_block_root: Root ``` The user MUST always verify the commitments in the `body` are valid for the `data` in the `body`. ### ShardBlob ```python class ShardBlob(Container): # Slot and shard that this blob is intended for slot: Slot shard: Shard body: ShardBlobBody # Proposer of the shard-blob proposer_index: ValidatorIndex ``` This is the expanded form of the `ShardBlobHeader` type. ### SignedShardBlob ```python class SignedShardBlob(Container): message: ShardBlob signature: BLSSignature ``` ## Gossip domain ### Topics and messages Following the same scheme as the [Phase0 gossip topics](../phase0/p2p-interface.md#topics-and-messages), names and payload types are: | Name | Message Type | |----------------------------------|---------------------------| | `shard_blob_{subnet_id}` | `SignedShardBlob` | | `shard_header` | `SignedShardBlobHeader` | | `shard_proposer_slashing` | `ShardProposerSlashing` | The [DAS network specification](./das-p2p.md) defines additional topics. #### Shard blob subnets Shard blob subnets are used to propagate shard blobs to subsections of the network. ##### `shard_blob_{subnet_id}` Shard block data, in the form of a `SignedShardBlob` is published to the `shard_blob_{subnet_id}` subnets. ```python def compute_subnet_for_shard_blob(state: BeaconState, slot: Slot, shard: Shard) -> uint64: """ Compute the correct subnet for a shard blob publication. Note, this mimics compute_subnet_for_attestation(). """ committee_index = compute_committee_index_from_shard(state, slot, shard) committees_per_slot = get_committee_count_per_slot(state, compute_epoch_at_slot(slot)) slots_since_epoch_start = Slot(slot % SLOTS_PER_EPOCH) committees_since_epoch_start = committees_per_slot * slots_since_epoch_start return uint64((committees_since_epoch_start + committee_index) % SHARD_BLOB_SUBNET_COUNT) ``` The following validations MUST pass before forwarding the `signed_blob` (with inner `message` as `blob`) on the horizontal subnet or creating samples for it. - _[IGNORE]_ The `blob` is not from a future slot (with a `MAXIMUM_GOSSIP_CLOCK_DISPARITY` allowance) -- i.e. validate that `blob.slot <= current_slot` (a client MAY queue future blobs for processing at the appropriate slot). - _[IGNORE]_ The `blob` is new enough to be still be processed -- i.e. validate that `compute_epoch_at_slot(blob.slot) >= get_previous_epoch(state)` - _[REJECT]_ The shard blob is for the correct subnet -- i.e. `compute_subnet_for_shard_blob(state, blob.slot, blob.shard) == subnet_id` - _[IGNORE]_ The blob is the first blob with valid signature received for the `(blob.proposer_index, blob.slot, blob.shard)` combination. - _[REJECT]_ As already limited by the SSZ list-limit, it is important the blob is well-formatted and not too large. - _[REJECT]_ The `blob.body.data` MUST NOT contain any point `p >= MODULUS`. Although it is a `uint256`, not the full 256 bit range is valid. - _[REJECT]_ The proposer signature, `signed_blob.signature`, is valid with respect to the `proposer_index` pubkey. - _[REJECT]_ The blob is proposed by the expected `proposer_index` for the blob's slot in the context of the current shuffling (defined by `blob.body.beacon_block_root`/`slot`). If the `proposer_index` cannot immediately be verified against the expected shuffling, the block MAY be queued for later processing while proposers for the blob's branch are calculated -- in such a case _do not_ `REJECT`, instead `IGNORE` this message. #### Global topics There are two additional global topics for Sharding, one is used to propagate shard blob headers (`shard_header`) to all nodes on the network. Another one is used to propagate validator message (`shard_proposer_slashing`). ##### `shard_header` Shard header data, in the form of a `SignedShardBlobHeader` is published to the global `shard_header` subnet. The following validations MUST pass before forwarding the `signed_shard_blob_header` (with inner `message` as `header`) on the network. - _[IGNORE]_ The `header` is not from a future slot (with a `MAXIMUM_GOSSIP_CLOCK_DISPARITY` allowance) -- i.e. validate that `header.slot <= current_slot` (a client MAY queue future headers for processing at the appropriate slot). - _[IGNORE]_ The `header` is new enough to be still be processed -- i.e. validate that `compute_epoch_at_slot(header.slot) >= get_previous_epoch(state)` - _[IGNORE]_ The header is the first header with valid signature received for the `(header.proposer_index, header.slot, header.shard)` combination. - _[REJECT]_ The proposer signature, `signed_shard_blob_header.signature`, is valid with respect to the `proposer_index` pubkey. - _[REJECT]_ The header is proposed by the expected `proposer_index` for the block's slot in the context of the current shuffling (defined by `header.body_summary.beacon_block_root`/`slot`). If the `proposer_index` cannot immediately be verified against the expected shuffling, the block MAY be queued for later processing while proposers for the block's branch are calculated -- in such a case _do not_ `REJECT`, instead `IGNORE` this message. ##### `shard_proposer_slashing` Shard proposer slashings, in the form of `ShardProposerSlashing`, are published to the global `shard_proposer_slashing` topic. The following validations MUST pass before forwarding the `shard_proposer_slashing` on to the network. - _[IGNORE]_ The shard proposer slashing is the first valid shard proposer slashing received for the proposer with index `proposer_slashing.signed_header_1.message.proposer_index`. The `slot` and `shard` are ignored, there are no per-shard slashings. - _[REJECT]_ All of the conditions within `process_shard_proposer_slashing` pass validation.