//! # Upgrade Parachain for Asynchronous Backing Compatibility //! //! This guide is relevant for cumulus based parachain projects started in 2023 or before, whose //! backing process is synchronous where parablocks can only be built on the latest Relay Chain //! block. Async Backing allows collators to build parablocks on older Relay Chain blocks and create //! pipelines of multiple pending parablocks. This parallel block generation increases efficiency //! and throughput. For more information on Async backing and its terminology, refer to the document //! on [the Polkadot SDK docs.](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/polkadot_sdk_docs/guides/async_backing_guide/index.html) //! //! > If starting a new parachain project, please use an async backing compatible template such as //! > the //! > [parachain template](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/tree/master/templates/parachain). //! The rollout process for Async Backing has three phases. Phases 1 and 2 below put new //! infrastructure in place. Then we can simply turn on async backing in phase 3. //! //! ## Prerequisite //! //! The relay chain needs to have async backing enabled so double-check that the relay-chain //! configuration contains the following parameter (especially when testing locally e.g. with //! zombienet): //! //! ```json //! "scheduler_params": { //! "lookahead": 3 //! } //! ``` //! //!
lookahead must be set to at least 3, otherwise parachain //! block times will degrade to worse than with sync backing!
//! //! Note: `async_backing_params` (`max_candidate_depth` and `allowed_ancestry_len`) are no longer //! required to be explicitly configured. Async backing works with them set to their default values //! of 0. //! //! ## Phase 1 - Update Parachain Runtime //! //! This phase involves configuring your parachain’s runtime `/runtime/src/lib.rs` to make use of //! async backing system. //! //! 1. Establish and ensure constants for `capacity` and `velocity` in the runtime. //! 2. Establish and ensure the constant relay chain slot duration measured in milliseconds equal to //! `6000` in the runtime. //! ```rust //! // Maximum number of blocks simultaneously accepted by the Runtime, not yet included into the //! // relay chain. //! pub const UNINCLUDED_SEGMENT_CAPACITY: u32 = 3; //! // How many parachain blocks are processed by the relay chain per parent. Limits the number of //! // blocks authored per slot. //! pub const BLOCK_PROCESSING_VELOCITY: u32 = 1; //! // Relay chain slot duration, in milliseconds. //! pub const RELAY_CHAIN_SLOT_DURATION_MILLIS: u32 = 6000; //! ``` //! //! 3. Establish constants `MILLISECS_PER_BLOCK` and `SLOT_DURATION` if not already present in the //! runtime. //! ```ignore //! // `SLOT_DURATION` is picked up by `pallet_timestamp` which is in turn picked //! // up by `pallet_aura` to implement `fn slot_duration()`. //! // //! // Change this to adjust the block time. //! pub const MILLISECS_PER_BLOCK: u64 = 12000; //! pub const SLOT_DURATION: u64 = MILLISECS_PER_BLOCK; //! ``` //! //! 4. Configure `cumulus_pallet_parachain_system` in the runtime. //! //! - Define a `FixedVelocityConsensusHook` using our capacity, velocity, and relay slot duration //! constants. Use this to set the parachain system `ConsensusHook` property. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs", ConsensusHook)] //! ```ignore //! impl cumulus_pallet_parachain_system::Config for Runtime { //! .. //! type ConsensusHook = ConsensusHook; //! .. //! } //! ``` //! - Set the parachain system property `CheckAssociatedRelayNumber` to //! `RelayNumberMonotonicallyIncreases` //! ```ignore //! impl cumulus_pallet_parachain_system::Config for Runtime { //! .. //! type CheckAssociatedRelayNumber = RelayNumberMonotonicallyIncreases; //! .. //! } //! ``` //! //! 5. Configure `pallet_aura` in the runtime. //! //! - Set `AllowMultipleBlocksPerSlot` to `true` to allow multiple blocks per slot. //! //! - Define `pallet_aura::SlotDuration` using our constant `SLOT_DURATION` //! ```ignore //! impl pallet_aura::Config for Runtime { //! .. //! type AllowMultipleBlocksPerSlot = ConstBool; //! type SlotDuration = ConstU64; //! .. //! } //! ``` //! //! 6. Update `sp_consensus_aura::AuraApi::slot_duration` in `sp_api::impl_runtime_apis` to match //! the constant `SLOT_DURATION` #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/apis.rs", impl_slot_duration)] //! 7. Implement the `AuraUnincludedSegmentApi`, which allows the collator client to query its //! runtime to determine whether it should author a block. //! //! - Add the dependency `cumulus-primitives-aura` to the `runtime/Cargo.toml` file for your //! runtime //! ```ignore //! .. //! cumulus-primitives-aura = { path = "../../../../primitives/aura", default-features = false } //! .. //! ``` //! //! - In the same file, add `"cumulus-primitives-aura/std",` to the `std` feature. //! //! - Inside the `impl_runtime_apis!` block for your runtime, implement the //! `cumulus_primitives_aura::AuraUnincludedSegmentApi` as shown below. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/apis.rs", impl_can_build_upon)] //! **Note:** With the default capacity of 3 and velocity of 1, a single parachain block is //! authored per relay chain block, giving a 6 second parachain block time. //! //! 8. If your `runtime/src/lib.rs` provides a `CheckInherents` type to `register_validate_block`, //! remove it. `FixedVelocityConsensusHook` makes it unnecessary. The following example shows how //! `register_validate_block` should look after removing `CheckInherents`. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs", register_validate_block)] //! ## Phase 2 - Update Parachain Nodes //! //! This phase consists of plugging in the new lookahead collator node. //! //! 1. Import `cumulus_primitives_core::ValidationCode` to `node/src/service.rs`. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/node/src/service.rs", cumulus_primitives)] //! 2. In `node/src/service.rs`, modify `sc_service::spawn_tasks` to use a clone of `Backend` rather //! than the original //! ```ignore //! sc_service::spawn_tasks(sc_service::SpawnTasksParams { //! .. //! backend: backend.clone(), //! .. //! })?; //! ``` //! //! 3. Add `backend` as a parameter to `start_consensus()` in `node/src/service.rs` //! ```text //! fn start_consensus( //! .. //! backend: Arc, //! .. //! ``` //! ```ignore //! if validator { //! start_consensus( //! .. //! backend.clone(), //! .. //! )?; //! } //! ``` //! //! 4. In `node/src/service.rs` import the lookahead collator rather than the basic collator #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/node/src/service.rs", lookahead_collator)] //! 5. In `start_consensus()` replace the `BasicAuraParams` struct with `AuraParams` //! - Change the struct type from `BasicAuraParams` to `AuraParams` //! - In the `para_client` field, pass in a cloned para client rather than the original //! - Add a `para_backend` parameter after `para_client`, passing in our para backend //! - Provide a `code_hash_provider` closure like that shown below //! - Increase `authoring_duration` from 500 milliseconds to 2000 //! ```ignore //! let params = AuraParams { //! .. //! para_client: client.clone(), //! para_backend: backend.clone(), //! .. //! code_hash_provider: move |block_hash| { //! client.code_at(block_hash).ok().map(|c| ValidationCode::from(c).hash()) //! }, //! .. //! authoring_duration: Duration::from_millis(2000), //! .. //! }; //! ``` //! //! **Note:** Set `authoring_duration` to whatever you want, taking your own hardware into account. //! But if the backer who should be slower than you due to reading from disk, times out at two //! seconds your candidates will be rejected. //! //! 6. In `start_consensus()` replace `basic_aura::run` with `aura::run` //! ```ignore //! let fut = //! aura::run::( //! params, //! ); //! task_manager.spawn_essential_handle().spawn("aura", None, fut); //! ``` //! //! ## Phase 3 - Activate Async Backing //! //! This phase consists of changes to your parachain’s runtime that activate async backing feature. //! //! 1. Verify `pallet_aura` has `AllowMultipleBlocksPerSlot` set to `true` in `runtime/src/lib.rs` //! (this should already be done from Phase 1). #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/configs/mod.rs", aura_config)] //! 2. Verify `UNINCLUDED_SEGMENT_CAPACITY` is set to at least `3` in `runtime/src/lib.rs`. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs", async_backing_params)] //! 3. Decrease `MILLISECS_PER_BLOCK` to 6000. //! //! - Note: For a parachain which measures time in terms of its own block number rather than by //! relay block number it may be preferable to increase velocity. Changing block time may cause //! complications, requiring additional changes. See the section “Timing by Block Number”. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs", block_times)] //! 4. Update `MAXIMUM_BLOCK_WEIGHT` to reflect the increased time available for block production. #![doc = docify::embed!("../../templates/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs", max_block_weight)] //! 5. Set `MinimumPeriod` to `0` in `pallet_timestamp`. This is required to allow multiple blocks //! within the same slot. //! ```ignore //! impl pallet_timestamp::Config for Runtime { //! .. //! type MinimumPeriod = ConstU64<0>; //! .. //! } //! ``` //! //! ## Timing by Block Number //! //! With asynchronous backing, parachains produce blocks every 6 seconds rather than 12 seconds. //! This means that any on-chain logic that derives time from parachain block numbers will see //! time move twice as fast. This could result in expected and actual time not matching up, //! potentially causing issues with vesting schedules, unlock periods, or other time-dependent //! logic. //! //! The recommended strategy is to rely on relay chain block numbers for timing instead of //! parachain block numbers. Relay block number is kept track of by each parachain in //! `pallet-parachain-system` with the storage value `LastRelayChainBlockNumber`. This value can //! be obtained and used wherever timing based on block number is needed. //! //! Alternatively, `pallet_timestamp` provides wall-clock time which is independent of block //! number and is not affected by changes in block time. #![deny(rustdoc::broken_intra_doc_links)] #![deny(rustdoc::private_intra_doc_links)]