Documentation!

README.md

@@ -253,6 +253,9 @@ And the client could then access this with an rpc call to `mynaespace_helloWorld
   maps the hash of each account address to the SlimRLP encoding of the account
   data. `storage` maps the hash of each account to a map of that account's
   stored data.
+* **Warning**: StateUpdate is only called if Geth is running with
+  `--snapshot=true`. This is the default behavior for Geth, but if you are
+  explicitly running with `--snapshot=false` this function will not be invoked.
 
 #### AppendAncient
 * **Name**: AppendAncient
@@ -357,3 +360,13 @@ people who are building something. If you're trying to do something that isn't
 supported by the current plugin system, we're happy to help. Reach out to us on
 [Discord](https://discord.gg/Epf7b7Gr) and we'll help you figure out how to
 make it work.
+
+
+# Existing Plugins
+
+We currently provide the following plugins:
+
+* [BlockUpdates](./plugins/packages/blockupdates/main.go): A good reference
+  plugin, which leverages several hooks to provide a new BlockUpdates hook,
+  which plugins can use to get more cohesive updates about new blocks than can
+  easily be achieved with the standard PluGeth hooks.

plugins/packages/blockupdates/main.go

@@ -31,28 +31,36 @@ var (
 	blockEvents event.Feed
 )
 
+
+// stateUpdate will be used to track state updates
 type stateUpdate struct {
 	Destructs map[common.Hash]struct{}
 	Accounts map[common.Hash][]byte
 	Storage map[common.Hash]map[common.Hash][]byte
 }
 
+
+// kvpair is used for RLP encoding of maps, as maps cannot be RLP encoded directly
 type kvpair struct {
 	Key common.Hash
 	Value []byte
 }
 
+// storage is used for RLP encoding two layers of maps, as maps cannot be RLP encoded directly
 type storage struct {
 	Account common.Hash
 	Data []kvpair
 }
 
+// storedStateUpdate is an RLP encodable version of stateUpdate
 type storedStateUpdate struct {
 	Destructs []common.Hash
 	Accounts	[]kvpair
 	Storage	 []storage
 }
 
+
+// MarshalJSON represents the stateUpdate as JSON for RPC calls
 func (su *stateUpdate) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	result := make(map[string]interface{})
 	destructs := make([]common.Hash, 0, len(su.Destructs))
@@ -76,6 +84,7 @@ func (su *stateUpdate) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	return json.Marshal(result)
 }
 
+// EncodeRLP converts the stateUpdate to a storedStateUpdate, and RLP encodes the result for storage
 func (su *stateUpdate) EncodeRLP(w io.Writer) error {
 	destructs := make([]common.Hash, 0, len(su.Destructs))
 	for k := range su.Destructs {
@@ -96,6 +105,7 @@ func (su *stateUpdate) EncodeRLP(w io.Writer) error {
 	return rlp.Encode(w, storedStateUpdate{destructs, accounts, s})
 }
 
+// DecodeRLP takes a byte stream, decodes it to a storedStateUpdate, the n converts that into a stateUpdate object
 func (su *stateUpdate) DecodeRLP(s *rlp.Stream) error {
 	ssu := storedStateUpdate{}
 	if err := s.Decode(&ssu); err != nil { return err }
@@ -117,6 +127,8 @@ func (su *stateUpdate) DecodeRLP(s *rlp.Stream) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+
+// Initialize does initial setup of variables as the plugin is loaded.
 func Initialize(ctx *cli.Context, loader *plugins.PluginLoader) {
 	pl = loader
 	cache, _ = lru.New(128) // TODO: Make size configurable
@@ -127,18 +139,16 @@ func Initialize(ctx *cli.Context, loader *plugins.PluginLoader) {
 }
 
 
-// TODO:
+// InitializeNode is invoked by the plugin loader when the node and Backend are
-// x Record StateUpdates in the database as they are written.
+// ready. We will track the backend to provide access to blocks and other
-// x Keep an LRU cache of the most recent state updates.
+// useful information.
-// x Prune the StateUpdates in the database as corresponding blocks move to the freezer.
-// * Add an RPC endpoint for getting the StateUpdates of a block
-// * Invoke other plugins with each block and its respective StateUpdates.
-
-
 func InitializeNode(stack *node.Node, b interfaces.Backend) {
 	backend = b
 }
 
+
+// StateUpdate gives us updates about state changes made in each block. We
+// cache them for short term use, and write them to disk for the longer term.
 func StateUpdate(blockRoot common.Hash, parentRoot common.Hash, destructs map[common.Hash]struct{}, accounts map[common.Hash][]byte, storage map[common.Hash]map[common.Hash][]byte) {
 	su := &stateUpdate{
 		Destructs: destructs,
@@ -150,6 +160,10 @@ func StateUpdate(blockRoot common.Hash, parentRoot common.Hash, destructs map[co
 	backend.ChainDb().Put(append([]byte("su"), blockRoot.Bytes()...), data)
 }
 
+// AppendAncient removes our state update records from leveldb as the
+// corresponding blocks are moved from leveldb to the ancients database. At
+// some point in the future, we may want to look at a way to move the state
+// updates to an ancients table of their own for longer term retention.
 func AppendAncient(number uint64, hash, headerBytes, body, receipts, td []byte) {
 	header := new(types.Header)
 	if err := rlp.Decode(bytes.NewReader(headerBytes), header); err != nil {
@@ -160,6 +174,11 @@ func AppendAncient(number uint64, hash, headerBytes, body, receipts, td []byte)
 }
 
 
+// NewHead is invoked when a new block becomes the latest recognized block. We
+// use this to notify the blockEvents channel of new blocks, as well as invoke
+// the BlockUpdates hook on downstream plugins.
+// TODO: We're not necessarily handling reorgs properly, which may result in
+// some blocks not being emitted through this hook.
 func NewHead(block *types.Block, hash common.Hash, logs []*types.Log) {
 	if pl == nil {
 		log.Warn("Attempting to emit NewHead, but default PluginLoader has not been initialized")
@@ -176,16 +195,17 @@ func NewHead(block *types.Block, hash common.Hash, logs []*types.Log) {
 	var su *stateUpdate
 	if v, ok := cache.Get(block.Root()); ok {
 		su = v.(*stateUpdate)
-	}
+	} else {
-	data, err := backend.ChainDb().Get(append([]byte("su"), block.Root().Bytes()...))
+		data, err := backend.ChainDb().Get(append([]byte("su"), block.Root().Bytes()...))
-	if err != nil {
+		if err != nil {
-		log.Error("StateUpdate unavailable for block", "hash", block.Hash())
+			log.Error("StateUpdate unavailable for block", "hash", block.Hash())
-		return
+			return
-	}
+		}
-	su = &stateUpdate{}
+		su = &stateUpdate{}
-	if err := rlp.DecodeBytes(data, su); err != nil {
+		if err := rlp.DecodeBytes(data, su); err != nil {
-		log.Error("StateUpdate unavailable for block", "hash", block.Hash())
+			log.Error("StateUpdate unavailable for block", "hash", block.Hash())
-		return
+			return
+		}
 	}
 	fnList := pl.Lookup("BlockUpdates", func(item interface{}) bool {
     _, ok := item.(func(*types.Block, []*types.Log, types.Receipts, map[common.Hash]struct{}, map[common.Hash][]byte, map[common.Hash]map[common.Hash][]byte))
@@ -196,15 +216,16 @@ func NewHead(block *types.Block, hash common.Hash, logs []*types.Log) {
       fn(block, logs, receipts, su.Destructs, su.Accounts, su.Storage)
     }
   }
-	//TODO: Get plugins to invoke, invoke them
 }
 
 
-
+// BlockUpdates is a service that lets clients query for block updates for a
+// given block by hash or number, or subscribe to new block upates.
 type BlockUpdates struct{
 	backend interfaces.Backend
 }
 
+// blockUpdate handles the serialization of a block
 func blockUpdates(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block) (map[string]interface{}, error)	{
 	result, err := ethapi.RPCMarshalBlock(block, true, true)
 	if err != nil { return nil, err }
@@ -222,18 +243,24 @@ func blockUpdates(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block) (map[string]interface
 	return result, nil
 }
 
+// BlockUpdatesByNumber retrieves a block by number, gets receipts and state
+// updates, and serializes the response.
 func (b *BlockUpdates) BlockUpdatesByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumber) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
 	block, err := b.backend.BlockByNumber(ctx, number)
 	if err != nil { return nil, err }
 	return blockUpdates(ctx, block)
 }
 
+// BlockUPdatesByHash retrieves a block by hash, gets receipts and state
+// updates, and serializes the response.
 func (b *BlockUpdates) BlockUpdatesByHash(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
 	block, err := b.backend.BlockByHash(ctx, hash)
 	if err != nil { return nil, err }
 	return blockUpdates(ctx, block)
 }
 
+// BlockUpdates allows clients to subscribe to notifications of new blocks
+// along with receipts and state updates.
 func (b *BlockUpdates) BlockUpdates(ctx context.Context) (*rpc.Subscription, error) {
 	notifier, supported := rpc.NotifierFromContext(ctx)
 	if !supported {
@@ -266,7 +293,7 @@ func (b *BlockUpdates) BlockUpdates(ctx context.Context) (*rpc.Subscription, err
 }
 
 
-
+// GetAPIs exposes the BlockUpdates service under the cardinal namespace.
 func GetAPIs(stack *node.Node, backend interfaces.Backend) []rpc.API {
 	return []rpc.API{
 	 {