consensus: improve consensus engine definition (#26871)

Makes clear the distinction between Finalize and FinalizedAndAssemble:

- In Finalize function, a series of state operations are applied according to consensus rules. The statedb is mutated and the root hash can be checked and compared afterwards.

This function should be used in block processing(receive afrom network and apply it locally) but not block generation.

- In FinalizeAndAssemble function, after applying state mutations, the block is also to be assembled with the latest
  state root computed, updating the header. 

 This function should be used in block generation only.

consensus/beacon/consensus.go

@@ -326,10 +326,8 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) Prepare(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.H
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Finalize implements consensus.Engine, setting the final state on the header
+// Finalize implements consensus.Engine and processes withdrawals on top.
 func (beacon *Beacon) Finalize(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header, state *state.StateDB, txs []*types.Transaction, uncles []*types.Header, withdrawals []*types.Withdrawal) {
-	// Finalize is different with Prepare, it can be used in both block generation
-	// and verification. So determine the consensus rules by header type.
 	if !beacon.IsPoSHeader(header) {
 		beacon.ethone.Finalize(chain, header, state, txs, uncles, nil)
 		return
@@ -341,16 +339,12 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) Finalize(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.
 		amount = amount.Mul(amount, big.NewInt(params.GWei))
 		state.AddBalance(w.Address, amount)
 	}
-	// The block reward is no longer handled here. It's done by the
+	// No block reward which is issued by consensus layer instead.
-	// external consensus engine.
-	header.Root = state.IntermediateRoot(true)
 }
 
 // FinalizeAndAssemble implements consensus.Engine, setting the final state and
 // assembling the block.
 func (beacon *Beacon) FinalizeAndAssemble(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header, state *state.StateDB, txs []*types.Transaction, uncles []*types.Header, receipts []*types.Receipt, withdrawals []*types.Withdrawal) (*types.Block, error) {
-	// FinalizeAndAssemble is different with Prepare, it can be used in both block
-	// generation and verification. So determine the consensus rules by header type.
 	if !beacon.IsPoSHeader(header) {
 		return beacon.ethone.FinalizeAndAssemble(chain, header, state, txs, uncles, receipts, nil)
 	}
@@ -367,6 +361,11 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) FinalizeAndAssemble(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, hea
 	}
 	// Finalize and assemble the block.
 	beacon.Finalize(chain, header, state, txs, uncles, withdrawals)
+
+	// Assign the final state root to header.
+	header.Root = state.IntermediateRoot(true)
+
+	// Assemble and return the final block.
 	return types.NewBlockWithWithdrawals(header, txs, uncles, receipts, withdrawals, trie.NewStackTrie(nil)), nil
 }
 

consensus/clique/clique.go

@@ -565,12 +565,10 @@ func (c *Clique) Prepare(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Finalize implements consensus.Engine, ensuring no uncles are set, nor block
+// Finalize implements consensus.Engine. There is no post-transaction
-// rewards given.
+// consensus rules in clique, do nothing here.
 func (c *Clique) Finalize(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header, state *state.StateDB, txs []*types.Transaction, uncles []*types.Header, withdrawals []*types.Withdrawal) {
-	// No block rewards in PoA, so the state remains as is and uncles are dropped
+	// No block rewards in PoA, so the state remains as is
-	header.Root = state.IntermediateRoot(chain.Config().IsEIP158(header.Number))
-	header.UncleHash = types.CalcUncleHash(nil)
 }
 
 // FinalizeAndAssemble implements consensus.Engine, ensuring no uncles are set,
@@ -579,11 +577,13 @@ func (c *Clique) FinalizeAndAssemble(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *
 	if len(withdrawals) > 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("clique does not support withdrawals")
 	}
-
 	// Finalize block
 	c.Finalize(chain, header, state, txs, uncles, nil)
 
-	// Assemble and return the final block for sealing
+	// Assign the final state root to header.
+	header.Root = state.IntermediateRoot(chain.Config().IsEIP158(header.Number))
+
+	// Assemble and return the final block for sealing.
 	return types.NewBlock(header, txs, nil, receipts, trie.NewStackTrie(nil)), nil
 }
 

consensus/consensus.go

@@ -84,16 +84,16 @@ type Engine interface {
 	// rules of a particular engine. The changes are executed inline.
 	Prepare(chain ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header) error
 
-	// Finalize runs any post-transaction state modifications (e.g. block rewards)
+	// Finalize runs any post-transaction state modifications (e.g. block rewards
-	// but does not assemble the block.
+	// or process withdrawals) but does not assemble the block.
 	//
-	// Note: The block header and state database might be updated to reflect any
+	// Note: The state database might be updated to reflect any consensus rules
-	// consensus rules that happen at finalization (e.g. block rewards).
+	// that happen at finalization (e.g. block rewards).
 	Finalize(chain ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header, state *state.StateDB, txs []*types.Transaction,
 		uncles []*types.Header, withdrawals []*types.Withdrawal)
 
 	// FinalizeAndAssemble runs any post-transaction state modifications (e.g. block
-	// rewards) and assembles the final block.
+	// rewards or process withdrawals) and assembles the final block.
 	//
 	// Note: The block header and state database might be updated to reflect any
 	// consensus rules that happen at finalization (e.g. block rewards).

consensus/ethash/consensus.go

@@ -598,12 +598,10 @@ func (ethash *Ethash) Prepare(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.H
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Finalize implements consensus.Engine, accumulating the block and uncle rewards,
+// Finalize implements consensus.Engine, accumulating the block and uncle rewards.
-// setting the final state on the header
 func (ethash *Ethash) Finalize(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *types.Header, state *state.StateDB, txs []*types.Transaction, uncles []*types.Header, withdrawals []*types.Withdrawal) {
-	// Accumulate any block and uncle rewards and commit the final state root
+	// Accumulate any block and uncle rewards
 	accumulateRewards(chain.Config(), state, header, uncles)
-	header.Root = state.IntermediateRoot(chain.Config().IsEIP158(header.Number))
 }
 
 // FinalizeAndAssemble implements consensus.Engine, accumulating the block and
@@ -612,9 +610,12 @@ func (ethash *Ethash) FinalizeAndAssemble(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, hea
 	if len(withdrawals) > 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("ethash does not support withdrawals")
 	}
-
 	// Finalize block
 	ethash.Finalize(chain, header, state, txs, uncles, nil)
+
+	// Assign the final state root to header.
+	header.Root = state.IntermediateRoot(chain.Config().IsEIP158(header.Number))
+
 	// Header seems complete, assemble into a block and return
 	return types.NewBlock(header, txs, uncles, receipts, trie.NewStackTrie(nil)), nil
 }

core/block_validator.go

@@ -90,10 +90,8 @@ func (v *BlockValidator) ValidateBody(block *types.Block) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// ValidateState validates the various changes that happen after a state
+// ValidateState validates the various changes that happen after a state transition,
-// transition, such as amount of used gas, the receipt roots and the state root
+// such as amount of used gas, the receipt roots and the state root itself.
-// itself. ValidateState returns a database batch if the validation was a success
-// otherwise nil and an error is returned.
 func (v *BlockValidator) ValidateState(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, receipts types.Receipts, usedGas uint64) error {
 	header := block.Header()
 	if block.GasUsed() != usedGas {

core/blockchain.go

@@ -1752,44 +1752,45 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) insertChain(chain types.Blocks, verifySeals, setHead bool)
 		}
 
 		// Process block using the parent state as reference point
-		substart := time.Now()
+		pstart := time.Now()
 		receipts, logs, usedGas, err := bc.processor.Process(block, statedb, bc.vmConfig)
 		if err != nil {
 			bc.reportBlock(block, receipts, err)
 			atomic.StoreUint32(&followupInterrupt, 1)
 			return it.index, err
 		}
+		ptime := time.Since(pstart)
 
-		// Update the metrics touched during block processing
+		vstart := time.Now()
-		accountReadTimer.Update(statedb.AccountReads)                 // Account reads are complete, we can mark them
-		storageReadTimer.Update(statedb.StorageReads)                 // Storage reads are complete, we can mark them
-		accountUpdateTimer.Update(statedb.AccountUpdates)             // Account updates are complete, we can mark them
-		storageUpdateTimer.Update(statedb.StorageUpdates)             // Storage updates are complete, we can mark them
-		snapshotAccountReadTimer.Update(statedb.SnapshotAccountReads) // Account reads are complete, we can mark them
-		snapshotStorageReadTimer.Update(statedb.SnapshotStorageReads) // Storage reads are complete, we can mark them
-		triehash := statedb.AccountHashes + statedb.StorageHashes     // Save to not double count in validation
-		trieproc := statedb.SnapshotAccountReads + statedb.AccountReads + statedb.AccountUpdates
-		trieproc += statedb.SnapshotStorageReads + statedb.StorageReads + statedb.StorageUpdates
-
-		blockExecutionTimer.Update(time.Since(substart) - trieproc - triehash)
-
-		// Validate the state using the default validator
-		substart = time.Now()
 		if err := bc.validator.ValidateState(block, statedb, receipts, usedGas); err != nil {
 			bc.reportBlock(block, receipts, err)
 			atomic.StoreUint32(&followupInterrupt, 1)
 			return it.index, err
 		}
-		proctime := time.Since(start)
+		vtime := time.Since(vstart)
-
+		proctime := time.Since(start) // processing + validation
-		// Update the metrics touched during block validation
+
-		accountHashTimer.Update(statedb.AccountHashes) // Account hashes are complete, we can mark them
+		// Update the metrics touched during block processing and validation
-		storageHashTimer.Update(statedb.StorageHashes) // Storage hashes are complete, we can mark them
+		accountReadTimer.Update(statedb.AccountReads)                   // Account reads are complete(in processing)
-		blockValidationTimer.Update(time.Since(substart) - (statedb.AccountHashes + statedb.StorageHashes - triehash))
+		storageReadTimer.Update(statedb.StorageReads)                   // Storage reads are complete(in processing)
+		snapshotAccountReadTimer.Update(statedb.SnapshotAccountReads)   // Account reads are complete(in processing)
+		snapshotStorageReadTimer.Update(statedb.SnapshotStorageReads)   // Storage reads are complete(in processing)
+		accountUpdateTimer.Update(statedb.AccountUpdates)               // Account updates are complete(in validation)
+		storageUpdateTimer.Update(statedb.StorageUpdates)               // Storage updates are complete(in validation)
+		accountHashTimer.Update(statedb.AccountHashes)                  // Account hashes are complete(in validation)
+		storageHashTimer.Update(statedb.StorageHashes)                  // Storage hashes are complete(in validation)
+		triehash := statedb.AccountHashes + statedb.StorageHashes       // The time spent on tries hashing
+		trieUpdate := statedb.AccountUpdates + statedb.StorageUpdates   // The time spent on tries update
+		trieRead := statedb.SnapshotAccountReads + statedb.AccountReads // The time spent on account read
+		trieRead += statedb.SnapshotStorageReads + statedb.StorageReads // The time spent on storage read
+		blockExecutionTimer.Update(ptime - trieRead)                    // The time spent on EVM processing
+		blockValidationTimer.Update(vtime - (triehash + trieUpdate))    // The time spent on block validation
 
 		// Write the block to the chain and get the status.
-		substart = time.Now()
+		var (
-		var status WriteStatus
+			wstart = time.Now()
+			status WriteStatus
+		)
 		if !setHead {
 			// Don't set the head, only insert the block
 			err = bc.writeBlockWithState(block, receipts, statedb)
@@ -1804,9 +1805,9 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) insertChain(chain types.Blocks, verifySeals, setHead bool)
 		accountCommitTimer.Update(statedb.AccountCommits)   // Account commits are complete, we can mark them
 		storageCommitTimer.Update(statedb.StorageCommits)   // Storage commits are complete, we can mark them
 		snapshotCommitTimer.Update(statedb.SnapshotCommits) // Snapshot commits are complete, we can mark them
-		triedbCommitTimer.Update(statedb.TrieDBCommits)     // Triedb commits are complete, we can mark them
+		triedbCommitTimer.Update(statedb.TrieDBCommits)     // Trie database commits are complete, we can mark them
 
-		blockWriteTimer.Update(time.Since(substart) - statedb.AccountCommits - statedb.StorageCommits - statedb.SnapshotCommits - statedb.TrieDBCommits)
+		blockWriteTimer.Update(time.Since(wstart) - statedb.AccountCommits - statedb.StorageCommits - statedb.SnapshotCommits - statedb.TrieDBCommits)
 		blockInsertTimer.UpdateSince(start)
 
 		// Report the import stats before returning the various results