Astar Runtime Upgrade

Astar
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Astar Technical Development Updates

Astar Runtime Upgrade
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Greetings, Astar Community!

Introduction

We are excited to share the latest technical updates from Astar. Our dedicated teams have been working diligently on protocol and runtime development.

This week’s update focuses specifically on the Astar runtime-1500 upgrade. This upgrade includes the Max Tier Threshold update, the Polkadot uplift to stable2412 and SQL feature for Frontier. Our goal is to keep you informed and ensure Astar remains at the forefront of blockchain innovation.

Dive into the details below to see how we’re continuously improving Astar for our community!

1. Max Tier Threshold Update :locked:

Since the Astar upgrade in August 2024 with Client Release v5.43.0, tier thresholds have been calculated dynamically as percentages of total token issuance for tiers 1, 2, and 3. These thresholds are currently defined by a base percentage and a minimum percentage (check messages in this thread).

Now, this update introduces an additional fixed maximum percentage to cap tier thresholds.

:link: Key references:

:outbox_tray: Key Updates:

  • Fixed Threshold Caps Introduced: A maximum percentage cap has been added to dApp staking tier thresholds to prevent volatility due to ASTR price fluctuations.
  • More Predictable Tier System: Thresholds are now stabilized, reducing pressure on projects and enabling better planning for long-term development.
  • Immediate dApp Tier Changes: Following the new thresholds, 1 dApp will be promoted to Tier 1, 1 to Tier 2, and 2 to Tier 3, fostering a fairer builder environment.

2. Polkadot Uplift (to stable2412) :gear:

This upgrade includes core client and runtime improvements that enhance performance, security, and compatibility across the Astar ecosystem. Notably, it introduces support for Polkadot’s stable2412 release and several developer-centric enhancements.

:link: Key references:

:outbox_tray: Key Updates:

  • Polkadot SDK Upgrade to polkadot-stable2412-4

    All dependencies uplifted to the latest Polkadot release tag, enabling multiple improvements across consensus, EVM, runtime APIs, and more.

  • :gear: Fork-Aware Transaction Pool

    Introduced a configurable, fork-aware transaction pool via --pool-type, improving transaction processing in fork scenarios.

  • :high_voltage: Elastic Core Selection via SelectCore

    Added support for dynamic core assignment in collators, allowing better resource allocation and scalability.

  • :globe_with_meridians: XCM v5 Integration

    Full migration to XCM v5 format, featuring better fee mechanics, improved extrinsic logic, and new API calls for trusted reserve and teleporter queries.

  • :abacus: New Extrinsic Versioning & SignedExtension Replacement

    Introduced TransactionExtension to replace SignedExtension, now accounting extension weights in the total weight of extrinsics.

  • :locked: Governance & Identity Migrations

    • Identity decouples usernames from account IDs (:warning: migration included).
    • Added support for lazy migration v2 in pallet-identity.
    • Migrated xc-asset-config for XCMv5 compatibility.

  • :test_tube: EVM Runtime Enhancements

    • Cancun Hardfork Support: Deprecated SELFDESTRUCT opcode handled (no critical keys found across Astar, Shibuya, Shiden).
    • Storage Limit per Tx: Configurable via GasLimitStorageGrowthRatio. Temporarily disabled with future plans for full enforcement.
    • BlockHash & To Field Nullable: In txpool_content, blockHash and to can now return null depending on tx context.

  • :electric_plug: External Account Providers

Added support for pluggable external account providers in Frontier.

It is highly recommended for node operators to upgrade their clients as soon as possible due to the introduction of new Polkadot Uplift improvements in the upcoming Client Release v5.46.0. While the upgrade is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged to ensure optimal performance and compatibility.

:broken_chain: Check out the Astar Client Release v5.46.0 here

Upgrade Priority: Recommended :double_exclamation_mark:

3. SQL Backend for Frontier (EVM Indexing) :card_file_box:

A new SQL backend has been introduced for Frontier, the EVM compatibility layer. This allows developers and node operators to index EVM data more efficiently, enabling deeper querying and more scalable infrastructure for dApps.

This feature is especially beneficial for explorers, analytics platforms, and infrastructure providers that require structured access to onchain EVM data.

:link: Key references:

:outbox_tray: Key Updates:

  • Optional SQL Support for Frontier: Node operators can now choose between RocksDB (default) and SQL for the EVM backend, improving performance for data indexing and querying.
  • Optimized for Indexing: SQL delivers better efficiency than RocksDB for handling Ethereum logs and queries, making it ideal for explorers, analytics dashboards, and infrastructure tools.
  • Flexible Configuration: Operators can customize backend behavior with optional flags (e.g., connection pool size, timeout settings, cache size) to suit their infrastructure needs.
  • Simple Activation: Just add -frontier-backend-type sql when running your node to enable SQL. A frontier.db3 SQLite file will be created automatically.

This enhancement boosts scalability for dApp developers and data providers, helping them build richer, faster tools on Astar’s EVM environment.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance and expand the Astar network. Your feedback and support are invaluable to us as we strive to make Astar the best it can be.

Thank you for being part of our journey!

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Hi @Juminstock , thanks for sharing the summarized updates for technical development, this summary would be also useful for future reference point.

1 Like
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Thank you for announcing detailed developments. These are important issues that mainly concern developers. Especially the update on Tier thresholds is very important. The $ASTR decline in recent months had caused thresholds to rise significantly and projects to lose their thresholds.

It is pleasing to see steps being taken to create a healthier environment for developers and to make Astar’s unique product, dApp Staking, a more attractive product.

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Astar Technical Development Updates

Marketing Graphics 903
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Greetings, Astar big Community!

Introduction

We’re back with a fresh update from the core development team! This time, we’re rolling out a runtime-only patch release: runtime-1601 upgrade, now live as a governance referendum onchain.

This upgrade focuses on key issue resolutions and internal improvements, primarily around dApp Staking, gas limits, and democracy pallet configuration. While the update is compact, it plays a critical role in ensuring the robustness and scalability of the Astar Network for developers, dApps, and users across the ecosystem.

Let’s dive into what’s included!

1. Fix for dApp Staking Unstake Bug :wrench:

A long-standing edge case in the unstake_from_unregistered function of the dApp Staking module has now been addressed. This fix ensures smoother exits for dApps that are no longer registered in the staking contract, maintaining consistency and improving protocol safety.

:outbox_tray: Key Improvements:

  • Ensures safe token return to users unstaking from deactivated or deregistered dApps.
  • Prevents inconsistencies that could arise during unregistration cycles.
  • Keeps staking flow aligned with expected UX.

2. Increased Maximum PoV Size to Match Kusama/Polkadot :broken_chain:

This runtime increases the maximum Proof-of-Validity (PoV) size, aligning Astar more closely with Polkadot and Kusama standards. The adjustment provides more headroom for block validation data, accommodating more complex transactions and interactions.

:outbox_tray: Key Improvements:

  • Enhances runtime flexibility and scalability.
  • Supports future use cases involving higher transaction complexity.
  • Helps prepare Astar for continued dApp and user growth.

3. Democracy Pallet Reset to Version 1 :ballot_box_with_ballot:

We’ve reverted the democracy pallet version to 1, stabilizing metadata compatibility for explorers and other offchain tools that rely on governance tracking.

:outbox_tray: Why it matters:

  • Prevents breaking changes in governance tooling.
  • Maintains consistency across all networks (Astar, Shiden, Shibuya).
  • Enhances developer confidence by ensuring stable metadata references.

4. Frontier Dependency Bump for EVM Compatibility :gear:

The Frontier dependency has been updated to the latest version to ensure better performance, security, and EVM compatibility. While this is a minor update, it plays an important role in maintaining Astar’s EVM support up to modern Ethereum standards.

:outbox_tray: Highlights:

  • Prepares the network for future Ethereum forks.
  • Improves internal infrastructure performance.
  • Ensures compatibility with explorers, RPCs, and tools used across the ecosystem.

Additional Technical Changes :puzzle_piece:

Beyond the core fixes, here are some additional updates bundled into runtime-1601:

  • :white_check_mark: Invariant checks added to EraInfo for internal runtime validation.
  • :white_check_mark: Shiden spec_version fix, aligning versioning across networks.
  • :white_check_mark: Dependency upgrades for security and build tooling (tar-fs, E2E tests).

Runtime Metadata Overview :package:

Chain spec_version Compressed Runtime Metadata Version IPFS Link
Astar 1601 :white_check_mark: Yes 14 Astar-runtime
Shiden 1601 :white_check_mark: Yes 14 Shiden-runtime
Shibuya 1601 :white_check_mark: Yes 14 Shibuya-runtime

:bookmark: See here the release on Github :backhand_index_pointing_right:t3: Astar runtime-1601 upgrade.

Vote Now: Onchain Referendum is Live!

:loudspeaker: The governance vote for this upgrade is now live onchain and will remain open until next Thursday. As an active participant in the Astar ecosystem, your vote helps secure the network’s continuous evolution and resilience.

:link: View the referendum on Subsquare :backhand_index_pointing_right:t3: Vote here.

Final Notes

This patch release is runtime-only, no client upgrade is required at this stage. Node operators do not need to make any changes to infrastructure or tooling.

Let’s keep pushing forward with these incremental improvements that build the foundation for a secure, scalable, and community-powered Astar Network.

Thank you for being part of our journey, let’s keep growing together! :seedling:

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Thank you for your report!
The vote is here, and the link posted was motion.

Of course, I voted Yay.

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