Validator membership across epochs

Validator membership across epochs A lifecycle diagram generated by Archify. 01 / Admission and eligibility 02 / Participation and recovery 03 / Membership exits Configured · Sequencer + identity · Admission and eligibility Configured Sequencer + identity Snapshot loaded · Sequencer membership · Admission and eligibility Snapshot loaded Sequencer membership Pending · Registration epoch e · Admission and eligibility Pending Registration epoch e Following diffs · Signed heartbeats · Admission and eligibility Following diffs Signed heartbeats Eligible boundary · Epoch + sync gates · Admission and eligibility Eligible boundary Epoch + sync gates Active engine · Local finalized Enter · Participation and recovery Active engine Local finalized Enter Warmdown · Exit scheduled · Participation and recovery Warmdown Exit scheduled Removed · Local finalized Exit · Membership exits Removed Local finalized Exit Slashed · Explicit penalty exit · Membership exits Slashed Explicit penalty exit Epoch recovery · Use durable height · Participation and recovery Epoch recovery Use durable height gates pass complete slash missing / corrupt Legend start active state waiting decision failure / exit neutral

Admission is delayed

  • • Eligibility starts no earlier than epoch e + 2.
  • • Epoch N also requires synced height ≥ epoch_start(N − 1).
  • • Active membership stops pending diff polling.

Membership and local execution

  • • Snapshot / diffs trust the sequencer, without a quorum proof.
  • • Signed heartbeats track progress; finalized Enter / Exit drive local engines.
  • • Protected sequencers cannot take ordinary exits.

Recovery is explicit

  • • Missing or corrupt epoch state uses durable-height recovery.
  • • Configuration is not active membership. Warmdown, removal and slashing differ.