Node Operator Client

Solana Epoch Snapshot

Once an epoch completes, the operator client takes a snapshot of the Bank from the last existing block of the previous epoch.

Generate Tip Distribution Merkle Trees and Meta Merkle Root

Using the Bank, the client constructs the StakeMetaCollection, which includes details about each validator, their tip distribution account, and the active delegations (stake accounts) on that validator.

Based on the StakeMetaCollection, the client generates Merkle trees for each validator, resulting in the GeneratedMerkleTreeCollection. Each tree contains a set of "claimants," which include all the validator's stake accounts, an additional claimant representing the validator’s share of tips (calculated using their mev_commission_bps from the tip distribution account), and a claimant for the fee allocated to the TipRouter.

Details about the TipRouter claimant:

• The inclusion of this claimant is the primary difference between the current creation process for StakeMetaCollection and GeneratedMerkleTreeCollection compared to the prior approach in jito-solana/tip-distributor.
• The amount for the TipRouter claimant is calculated by multiplying the validator's total tips by the TipRouter's NcnConfig.fees_config.total_fees_bps(), which aggregates the BaseFees and NcnFees.
• The TipRouter fee represents a percentage of fees assessed on each validator's tips. The program only holds the complete fee once all validators’ TipRouter claimants have been claimed.
• The fee's destination is a dedicated Program Derived Address (PDA) for each epoch, known as the BaseRewardReceiver.

Finally, a MetaMerkleTree is created from the GeneratedMerkleTreeCollection.

Cast Vote

Once the meta_merkle_root is created, the operator submits their vote by calling the cast_vote instruction, provided the BallotBox, EpochSnapshot, and OperatorSnapshot accounts have already been initialized.