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What is MEV Plus ?

MEV Plus is a groundbreaking validator client software meticulously designed to revamp and streamline interactions within the MEV (Maximal Expressive Value) supply chain as a complementary sidecar execution environment. Unlike conventional off-chain implementations, MEV Plus offers an innovative platform that not only allows pre and post-block production supply chain participants to collaboratively negotiate transaction policies, ensuring equitable outcomes with fair auction mechanics but also ushers in a new era of applications for proposers. The software is built from the ground up with a modular architecture, enabling effortless component addition or removal to support all kinds of on-chain and off-chain applications, thereby bringing the execution layer and consensus layer closer together. MEV Plus addresses the challenges arising from the current lack of on-chain programmability in validator client proxies for MEV operations and concerns related to off-chain censorship.

The software is characterised by its modular architecture, allowing easy addition or removal of components. MEV Plus is designed to provide a level of adaptability and extensibility that can adapt to the dynamic needs of the MEV ecosystem. Users can operate their own relays, and it allows immediate access to a comprehensive PoN (Proof of Neutrality) feature set. Additionally, users can integrate their own MEV logic on top of the existing framework, fostering innovation within the MEV ecosystem. In summary, MEV Plus is a fully open-sourced and composable proxy software for proposers, facilitating validators' entry into the MEV marketplace.

How Does It Work?

MEV Plus operates as a side car ecosystem where consensus layer validators can engage with applications such as PBS (Proposer Builder Separation), the execution layer, and more. It's the next evolution of validator proxy software, introducing exciting on-chain and off-chain possibilities. The open-source and MIT nature of MEV Plus ensures modularity and remarkable scalability (due to reduced network messaging), accommodating a wide array of applications, each referred to as a module or plug-in.

Core Functionality

Utilize Basic Value Comparisons for Expressing Higher Logic

Enhance your node's capabilities by utilizing fundamental value comparisons within a versatile tool. This enables the expression of complex logic in a format understandable and usable by the node.

Access Millions of Blockchain Applications as a Validator

Seamlessly access a multitude of blockchain applications, both on-chain and off-chain, to broaden your operational scope and enhance your role in the blockchain ecosystem.

Modular Development Freedom

High Extensibility for Developers:

MEV Plus grants developers unparalleled freedom to extend its capabilities, making it a highly adaptable and dynamic platform.

Creative Flexibility:

Build anything with MEV Plus—its modular and composable architecture allows developers to unleash their creativity in crafting tailored solutions.

Isolated Operations

MEV Plus ensures that modules operate independently, maintaining strict isolation to prevent private data or function sharing between modules. Each module functions autonomously, ensuring data integrity and security.

Secure Internal Module Communication

Benefit from a custom RPC methodology that guarantees secure, private communication between modules and processes. MEV Plus supports pseudo-synchronous execution, even with asynchronous messaging, and provides mechanisms for modules to notify each other, facilitating passive processes.

Fault Containment

Incorporates fault containment mechanisms, preventing fatal errors from causing system crashes. This ensures system stability and robustness, enhancing the reliability of your validator environment.

Supports external block building out-the-box

MEV Plus’ flagship application enables validators to tap into a marketplace of block builders and relayers. Block builders are specialists who create blocks from different types of transactions, including public and private transactions, bundled transactions, and more. This application exists as a group of core modules bundled with the base release of MEV Plus.

In the MEV Plus Relay module, builders that use the PoN relay send blind blocks to maintain the security and integrity of the process. The relay module collects these bids and will offer them to the proposer for signing. The builder submits the block to the consensus layer using the proposer's signature.

Extended Functionality

  • Extended Functionality to the Beacon API:
    Explore extended functionality with MEV Plus's seamless integration with the Beacon API. This includes registration, headers, execution payloads, and more, providing enhanced capabilities for validators.

  • Blockchain Insights:
    Dynamically monitor the blockchain using MEV Plus's specialized modules like Reporters and Bulletin Boards. Gain valuable insights and stay informed about blockchain activities to make informed decisions.

Adding a Custom Module

MEV Plus is engineered to be highly extensible, allowing developers to integrate custom modules, enhancing its capabilities. When adding a custom module, adhere to specific guidelines and requirements for seamless integration. The module's name should be unique within MEV Plus, preventing naming conflicts with existing modules. Module names should not contain underscores or spaces to maintain clarity and consistency across the codebase.

To add a custom module, include CLI commands to manage and control its functionality. These commands enable users to interact seamlessly with the module via the MEV Plus core. Introduce new commands and flags specific to the module's operations, configuring and executing actions within the module.

Your custom module should include several required service functions:

Name(): This function returns the name of your module, facilitating its identification within MEV Plus.
Start(): The Start function initiates and launches the module's functionality, commencing core processes.
Stop(): When called, the Stop function gracefully halts and terminates the module's operations, ensuring smooth shutdown.
ConnectCore(): This function establishes a connection with MEV Plus's core components, facilitating seamless communication and collaboration.
Configure(): The Configure function sets up the module based on module-specific flags and configurations, allowing customization for various use cases and scenarios.

These guidelines and components ensure that your custom module seamlessly integrates into the MEV Plus ecosystem, extending its functionality according to unique requirements while maintaining compatibility and consistency with the platform's structure. This modularity allows developers to tailor MEV Plus to specific use cases, making it a flexible and adaptable solution for a variety of applications.

In practical terms, integrating your module into MEV Plus is a straightforward process. By adding the module to the modules folder and importing it into the module list, MEV Plus can effortlessly access all functionalities provided by your module. Additionally, the MEV Plus CLI serves as a single entry point, securely authenticating and passing private data, including keys, to your module while maintaining a contained configuration environment.

To illustrate, the following code snippet demonstrates how to import and append your service and command to the MEV Plus application:

Limitless Applications

Harness the power of MEV Plus to unlock new dimensions in blockchain operations and take your validator capabilities to the next level.
Customize your validator environment effortlessly by adding or removing modules based on your specific requirements. Explore the Modules Marketplace within MEV Plus, where you can browse, download, and plug-and-play various functionalities directly into your validator environment. Discover new capabilities and enhance your node's performance with ease.