Roles and Functions

The Webb ecosystem encompasses multiple systems, protocols and roles that enable enhanced security and privacy across our use cases. Infrastructure providers can mix and match different functions to participate in, with varying responsibilities and rewards. Some of these roles may participate in networks like Tangle Network, others may participate in zkApps, or both.

First, let's look at the functions that infrastructure providers (roles) accomplish:

1. Validating

Validators are nodes in the network tasked with the important role of ensuring that transactions and blocks adhere to the necessary rules and protocols of the network. They verify transaction signatures, prevent double-spending, and ensure correctly formatted new blocks.

2. Light Client Relaying

Light Client Relayers bridge the gap between light clients and full nodes in a blockchain network. They enable light clients, which only download a fraction of the blockchain, to validate transactions and participate in the network without downloading the entire blockchain.

3. Anchor Update Relaying

Anchor Update Relayers propose changes and relay these proposals within the Anchor system. They monitor changes, propose updates to the Distributed Key Generation (DKG) system based on new data insertions, and relay these proposals once signed, playing a vital role in the governance of the Anchor system.

4. Private Transaction Relaying

Private Transaction Relayers assist users with privacy-preserving transactions within the Shielded Pools of the Webb Protocol. They submit proofs for private transactions on behalf of the users, ensuring the smooth execution of these transactions.

Recommended Roles and their Functions

Validators

A validator is a network participant responsible for verifying and validating new transactions and adding them to the blockchain.

We recommend validators participate in the following:

• Consensus Validation
• Light Client Relaying
• Governance Relaying

Relayers

In the Webb Protocol, a Relayer performs multiple critical functions, acting as an oracle, a data relayer, and a participant in protocol governance. While a Relayer node is set to perform all of these roles by default, you can choose to participate in one or several types of relaying shown above.