Validator's Guide to BTCLI
Validators evaluate miner performance, and post their evaluations to the blockchain. This page discusses considerations specific to validators when using btcli.
For general coverage of btcli permissions and requirements, see: Bittensor CLI: Permissions Guide
See also: Coldkey and Hotkey Workstation Security.
It is highly recommended to use a unique hotkey per subnet.
Note that hotkeys are not encrypted by default, but can be password optionally encrypted.
Requirements for validator functions
Unpermissioned workstation (public keys only):
- Check balances
- Monitor emissions and other metagraph info
- Check subnet alpha prices across Bittensor
Coldkey workstation:
- Create/import coldkey
- Manage TAO and alpha stake
- Create and register a hotkey on a secure coldkey workstation then transfer the hotkey file or mnemonic to the validator workstation:
btcli wallet new-hotkey,btcli wallet regen-hotkey - Transfer/rotate TAO and alpha stake in case of key compromise
- Rotate hotkeys in case of compromise
- Register a hotkey on a subnet with
btcli subnets register,btcli subnets pow-register - Set validator take with
btcli sudo set-take
Validator node (hotkey workstation)
These require a hotkey with an active validator permit on the subnet. Run in a live environment (the validator node), which is a hotkey workstation.
btcli weights reveal,btcli weights commitbtcli wt reveal,btcli wt commitbtcli weight reveal,btcli weight commit
Weight-setting requirements
To set weights, a validator must meet several requirements. See Requirements for validation.
Key rotation
If you suspect your coldkey may have been leaked, you can request to swap it out of your wallet, using an extrinsic blockchain transaction. This operation has a 5 day waiting period, during which your coldkey will be locked. The cost of this coldkey swap transaction is 0.1 TAO.