Subnets and roles

Subnets, Deployment, and Roles

This page explains how subnet registration works (MSB-side) and how admin/writer/indexer roles work (subnet-side).

1) Deploying a subnet (MSB registration)

Before contract txs can settle cleanly, the subnet must be registered in MSB.

On a running peer (typically the first node of the subnet), run:

/deploy_subnet

This broadcasts an MSB operation that registers:

• subnet bootstrap (bs)

• subnet channel (ic as a 32-byte identifier)

Peers can still replicate P2P without deploying, but MSB preflight checks and indexing behavior expect the subnet to exist in MSB state.

2) Admin role (subnet governance)

Subnet admin is stored inside the subnet state under:

• admin

On the bootstrap node, set the admin once:

/add_admin --address <peer-publicKey-hex>

Transfer admin later:

/update_admin --address <peer-publicKey-hex>

Verify:

/get --key admin --confirmed false

Notes:

• --address here is the peer public key hex, not a bech32 MSB address.

3) Writers vs indexers (Autobase roles)

Subnets use Autobase roles:

• writers can append subnet operations

• indexers participate in the linearization/indexing process (what advances the subnet’s signed/confirmed view)

Recommended indexer counts (rule of thumb)

How many peers you run depends on your application’s risk profile.

Rule of thumb:

• Non-financial apps: run 1 indexer

• Financial / “value” apps: run 3 indexers

For 3-indexer deployments, run them:

• in different datacenters/regions

• under different authorities/teams (if possible)

The first indexer is usually the admin

Operationally, the first node you bring up for a new subnet is typically:

• the subnet admin (governance)

• an indexer (so the subnet can actually produce confirmed state)

Admin commands:

/add_writer --key <writerKeyHex>
/remove_writer --key <writerKeyHex>

/add_indexer --key <writerKeyHex>
/remove_indexer --key <writerKeyHex>

Get your local writer key from:

/stats

4) Auto-add writers

Admins can allow nodes to become writers automatically when they join:

/set_auto_add_writers --enabled 1

This is subnet-scoped and only affects Autobase writer admission.

5) Transactions enabled switch

Subnets have a transactions gate:

• txen (transactions enabled)

Enable:

/enable_transactions

If disabled, subnet tx indexing and/or RPC tx submission will be blocked.

6) Chat system

The built-in chat system is off by default:

/set_chat_status --enabled 1

Post a message:

/post --message "hello"

Chat is a subnet feature. It does not move TNK; it only writes subnet state.

7) Confirmed vs unconfirmed subnet reads

When you query subnet state:

• confirmed=false reads the current local view (unsigned)

• confirmed=true reads the subnet’s signed view

These are properties of the subnet log/indexing, not “MSB settlement”.