Dev Release-218

This release strengthens the Explorer’s performance posture, keeps transactions flowing during node sync, adds upgrade-readiness visibility at the consensus layer, and lays the groundwork for gas sponsorship via account abstraction. We’re instituting a twice-weekly load-testing cadence, wiring in a relay-node pathway for lagging peers, introducing version bits in block headers for network upgrade tracking, and specifying a Paymaster smart contract aligned with EIP-4337 policies.

• Institutionalize twice-weekly load tests to continuously validate performance and uncover bottlenecks.
• Ensure uninterrupted transaction handling while nodes are syncing via a relay-forwarding pathway.
• Track upgrade adoption using version bits in block headers and sliding-window tallies.
• Define a Paymaster that sponsors gas under configurable policies and integrates with EntryPoint.

• Load Testing Cadence: Automated runs twice a week to stress core Explorer flows (landing, charts, search, contract views, API endpoints), capture p95/p99 latencies, error rates, and throughput, and baseline regressions over time.
• Relay Node Mechanism: If a node is behind the head, incoming transactions are forwarded to the fully-synced peer it’s following; the response is relayed back to the sender maintaining continuity with no user-visible disruption.
• Version Bits for Upgrades: Miners signal binary version in block headers; we aggregate over a sliding window (last N blocks) to compute adoption and flag when thresholds (e.g., ≥80%) are reached supporting safe hard-fork coordination.
• Paymaster (EIP-4337): Validates UserOperations, sponsors eligible gas, integrates with the deployed EntryPoint, and enforces policies (whitelists, rate limits, funding limits).

Load Testing Implementation

We’re formalizing twice-weekly load tests to continuously probe performance and stability. The suite spans read-heavy chart endpoints, market-data aggregations, contract pages, search, and common navigation paths. Each run produces comparative reports (latency distributions, RPS ceilings, error budgets) to spotlight regressions early and prioritize fixes. Results will inform capacity planning and caching strategies across hot paths.

Relay Node for Transaction Forwarding During Sync

Nodes no longer block user flows while catching up. When a node detects it’s behind the chain head or is in active sync, it will forward any new transaction to its fully-synced upstream peer (the one it’s syncing from), then relay the peer’s response back to the original sender. This preserves participation and prevents temporary sync lag from degrading UX or throughput.
 

Version Bits in Block Headers for Upgrade Consensus Tracking

We’re embedding versioning bits in block headers so miners can signal which binary they’re running. The Explorer will aggregate signaling over a configurable sliding window (last N blocks) and compute adoption percentages. Once an upgrade threshold (e.g., 80%+ of blocks signaling) is reached, we can surface alerts and (optionally) activate protocol-level changes or fork-choice preferences. This mechanism improves upgrade readiness, visibility, and coordination for PoW-based consensus.

Paymaster Smart Contract

We’re specifying a Paymaster to enable sponsored transactions so users can interact without holding native gas. The Paymaster will:

Validate UserOperations and enforce policies before sponsorship.

Sponsor gas for approved users and flows under configurable rules (whitelists, rate limits, funding caps).

Integrate with the deployed EntryPoint per EIP-4337, aligning with standard AA flows and developer tooling.

Authoring a user guide for the X10 device and X1 app connectivity is underway. The guide will cover device setup, pairing with X1, connectivity checks, basic mining operations, security best practices, and troubleshooting aimed at first-time users and quick resolutions.

MarketData: All Charts Not Loading Properly
In the MarketData section, charts intermittently fail to render or display inconsistent values. We’re auditing data sources, query paths, and client-side state to restore reliability.

• Text Alignment in Contract Data Graphs
  “Daily Verified Contract” and “Daily Deployed Contracts” titles now left-aligned per Figma for consistent headers.
• Graph Title Styling Mismatch with Figma
  Title font size, weight, and color updated to match spec; visual parity achieved across graph modules.
• Graph Hover Tooltip Color
  Tooltip background corrected to the Explorer theme for readable, on-brand hover states.
• Incorrect Data in 1-Minute Filter of Contract Chart
  Backend queries fixed to return minute-level granularity instead of monthly aggregates when the 1-minute filter is selected.

• Automate load-test reporting dashboards with pass/fail. 
• Benchmark relay-node throughput under heavy sync and varied network latencies.
• Expose version-bits adoption metrics in Explorer with thresholds and alerting.
• Implement Paymaster policy management (whitelists, rate limits) and stage on testnet.
• Publish the X10/X1 user guide and integrate contextual help within the app.

We welcome feedback on chart usability, MarketData reliability, and load-test coverage.
 

Node operators: Report any relay-node anomalies during sync.

Miners Share feedback on version-bit semantics and window sizing.
 

Email: [email protected]
Join: Dev forums, Testnet Awakeningdiscussions, and governance threads

This release focuses on performance discipline, seamless transaction flow during sync, transparent upgrade signaling, and a clear path to gas-sponsored UX. With a steady load-testing rhythm, relay continuity, version-bit telemetry, and Paymaster design, we’re setting the stage for a faster, clearer, and more user-friendly network.