Validators Development #7

JPTR Corporation

A Note from the Validators Development Team

We’re thrilled to share our enthusiasm about the latest validator release with all of you. Your support and feedback have been invaluable in making this milestone possible. As we continue our journey toward deeper decentralization, our focus remains on fostering a more empowered and collaborative community. We’re excited to roll out new features and improvements that will strengthen the ecosystem, broaden participation, and highlight the benefits of open-source development. Together, we can push the boundaries of what’s possible and ensure that our efforts serve as a testament to true community-driven innovation. Thank you for being a part of this journey—there’s much more to come!

Validators are live but we are not out of the woods yet!

This document offers a clear and thoughtful summary of the tickets we’ve successfully closed over the past 30 days, along with an overview of the work currently in progress. It’s designed to give you a comprehensive snapshot of our significant achievements, all presented in an easy-to-read format, with insights summarized by ChatGPT from Jira issues.

A payment of $40,000.00 is required to be made to JPTR Corporation. Please ensure the payment is made in the form of USDC to the Ethereum address:
0x57d917726073D7582022897F753B034aA593220c.

Note: Before transferring the full amount, send a minimal test transaction to verify the accuracy of the transfer. Once confirmed, proceed with the full payment.

TL;DR

● Price feed now uses median price calculation for improved accuracy.
● SPS staking rewards and license rewards now have separate reward accounts for better organization.
● Validator broadcasts now support posting keys, increasing transaction flexibility.
● New stake_tokens_multi operation added, enabling multiple token stakes in one transaction.
● Reward account moved to the node registration flow, simplifying setup.
● Pause functionality added for block validation, rewards, and price feed.
● CoinGecko API support added for testing real-time price feeds.
● Production validator node deployed in Splinterlands, with bug fixes from live testing.
● Setup: spsvalidator.com domain
● Setup: spsdao.com emails for the dao members

Validator Updates

1. Strengthened Price Feed Calculation Using Median Values
   ○ The validator now calculates prices based on the median rather than the average, mitigating the influence of extreme outliers on the reported price. By basing the price feed on the median, the system achieves a more stable, realistic, and tamper-resistant reflection of market data. This change reduces abrupt price swings and improves overall data integrity.
   ○ GitHub PR #23
2. Distinct Reward Accounts for SPS Staking and License Rewards
   ○ Previously, both SPS staking rewards and license reward pools were combined under a single account, which could create confusion when auditing or distributing funds. To enhance clarity and simplify financial tracking, these pools now operate under separate reward accounts. This helps node operators and participants more easily determine the origin of their rewards, promotes transparent reporting, and paves the way for future reward program expansions.
   ○ GitHub PR #27
3. Enhanced Security and Flexibility Through Posting Key Support ○ Validator broadcast mechanisms have been updated to accept posting keys for validator transactions. This alteration gives node operators greater freedom in how they authenticate and manage their operations. Leveraging posting keys instead of active keys can improve security by minimizing the scope of privileges granted to the validator, while still preserving the necessary functionality for broadcast transactions.
   ○ GitHub PR #29
4. New and Expanded Operations to Streamline User Interactions
   ○ stake_tokens_multi Operation: A pivotal addition that enables users to stake multiple tokens in one go. Instead of needing separate operations for each token type, participants can now bundle their staking actions, saving time and reducing transaction overhead.
   ○ GitHub PR #30
   ○ Reward Account Configuration via Node Registration: Instead of assigning the reward account through an environment variable, it is now specified as part of the node registration workflow. This approach bolsters security, ensures consistency across different node setups, and simplifies the process for new operators joining the network.
   ○ GitHub PR #30
   ○ Pause Functionality for Critical Services: Operators can now pause block validation, suspend license reward pools, and halt the validator’s price feed. This proves especially valuable for maintenance windows, temporary troubleshooting, or implementing updates without having to shut down the entire validator—offering a flexible approach to managing uptime and stability.
   ○ GitHub PR #30
5. Integrated CoinGecko API for External Market Data
   ○ The validator introduces a CoinGecko demo API integration, letting operators access real-time market information directly from CoinGecko. This adds another layer of accuracy and reliability to the validator’s price feed while allowing room for experimentation and testing before potential broader integrations of decentralized oracles.
   ○ GitHub PR #30
6. Deployment of a Production Validator Node in Splinterlands
   ○ A significant milestone has been reached with the successful launch of a production validator node within the Splinterlands environment. This real-world deployment exposed several issues and areas for improvement, all of which have been swiftly addressed to maintain network stability and consistency. This hands-on experience further refines the validator codebase and demonstrates its growing robustness under live conditions.
   ○ GitHub PR #31

Launch of SPS DAO Website

A significant step forward in supporting community engagement and participation has been the launch of the official SPS DAO website at spsvalidator.com. This dedicated platform provides comprehensive resources, guides, and documentation to help node operators:

• Set Up a Validator: Step-by-step instructions walk newcomers through installation and configuration, ensuring a smoother onboarding experience for both seasoned developers and those new to validator operations.
• Contribute to the Project: The website serves as a hub for governance proposals, community discussions, and collaborative development efforts, reinforcing the open-source nature of the SPS validator ecosystem.

In addition, the DAO has secured a one-year subscription to WPEngine to deploy and manage the validator’s documentation. By consolidating all key information under a single source of truth, we can maintain the highest level of accuracy and accessibility. This subscription ensures that updates, guides, and community-driven contributions are continuously available, backed by a reliable and secure hosting service.

By centralizing essential resources and facilitating open collaboration, spsvalidator.com strengthens the DAO’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. Through this initiative, we invite enthusiasts and developers alike to play an active role in shaping the future of SPS validator technology.