How system updates and voting work

This article explains how updates are implemented on PBC via node operator voting.

On-chain and off-chain updates

There are two types of updates on PBC, on-chain and off-chain updates. Off-chain updates are changes to the software running locally on a node. On-chain updates affect system contracts and or plug-ins. Node operators can directly control and modify which software runs locally on their server. Any on-chain updates is subject to a vote.

Voting rules

Votes are decided by a two-thirds-plus-one majority, e.g. for a baker node committee of 100, a majority of 67 is necessary to carry a vote.

How the default yes-vote works

Nodes vote yes to on-chain updates by default. This is expedient in case of bugs. Votes on controversial changes can be proposed as a manual votes.

How to change the config.json in order to cast a no-vote

Below you see how config.json looks like by default when generated by the node-register.sh. You can verify with the cat command:

sudo cat /opt/pbc-mainnet/conf/config.json
# The config file should be printed here

    {
        "restPort": 8080,
        "floodingPort": 9888,
        "knownPeers": [
            "YOUR KNOWN PEERS"
        ],
        "networkKey": "YOUR NETWORK KEY",
        "producerConfig": {
            "accountKey": "YOUR ACCOUNT KEY",
            "finalizationKey": "YOUR FINALIZATION KEY",
            "ethereumUrl": "https://example.com",
            "polygonUrl": "https://example.com",
            "bnbSmartChainUrl": "https://example.com",
            "host": "YOUR IP"
        }
    }

Always shut down your node before making changes to the config.json. You first navigate to the directory of your docker-compose.yml and shut down the container running the image for pbc-mainnet:

cd pbc

docker stop pbc-mainnet

Now you can edit the config.json, open it with nano:

cd /opt/pbc-mainnet/conf/config.json

nano config.json

You need to add an override map field to the config.json. You put systemupdate.vote.ID in the map and point it to "false".

You can find the ID in the CHANGELOG.md in latest merge request to mainnet.

Example:

    {
        "restPort": 8080,
        "floodingPort": 9888,
        "knownPeers": [
            "YOUR KNOWN PEERS"
        ],
        "networkKey": "YOUR NETWORK KEY",
        "overrides": {
          "systemupdate.vote.f38987b9ceed396fbe0a33041e4f5c41ad0d781d2bea641b4b31d31d4501b5e5": "false",
          "systemupdate.vote.981dee91405a4f60fcfdfd41e88b04a1e5e9023d4c49449228a9f9207bb4ba39": "false"
        },
        "producerConfig": {
            "accountKey": "YOUR ACCOUNT KEY",
            "finalizationKey": "YOUR FINALIZATION KEY",
            "ethereumUrl": "https://example.com",
            "polygonUrl": "https://example.com",
            "bnbSmartChainUrl": "https://example.com",
            "host": "YOUR IP"
        }
    }

The result of this change is an automatic no-vote on votes with poll id f38987b9ceed396fbe0a33041e4f5c41ad0d781d2bea641b4b31d31d4501b5e5 and 981dee91405a4f60fcfdfd41e88b04a1e5e9023d4c49449228a9f9207bb4ba39 from your node.

Make sure the JSON you made is valid. You can download a JSON editor or use a free online validator. If you use an online validator, you should for safety remove the account private account key between the quotation marks before you paste it into a validator. This does not affect the validity of the JSON. Save the file in nano by pressing CTRL+O and then ENTER and then CTRL+X.

Start the node:

docker compose up -d

Verify that the node is running:

docker logs -f pbc-mainnet

You can leave the override maps in the config.json, besides the specific vote they do not affect the node. After the vote has passed and the result is on chain you consider removing the override maps. A long list of overrides might make your config.json hard to read.

Updates with manual voting

Vote responsibly! Voting on a system update means that you are voting on an irreversible change to on-chain components like system contracts and plugins. Anyone with sufficient tokens can propose a vote. If you are unable to verify a votes content we recommend you to think twice before voting for it.

Cast a manual vote:

Go to the System Update contract in the Partisia Blockchain Browser and sign in
Enter Poll id (you can find it in the state of the System Update contract in the field named key:
Choose True or False
Click Vote