Reference
What it does
The provider module is the registry of capacity operators. A provider record carries the operator's chain address, service endpoint, and attributes: region, hardware classes, certifications, and any property a tenant might filter on when choosing where a workload lands.
Attributes are the connective tissue of marketplace trust: tenants constrain orders to providers matching required attributes, and auditors can sign attributes (via x/audit) so claims like datacenter tier or jurisdiction carry third-party weight rather than self-assertion alone.
Why it exists: An open marketplace needs a structured, verifiable answer to "who is offering this capacity?". Registering providers on-chain — with attributes that auditors can attest — replaces the trust role a centralized cloud's brand plays, using records anyone can verify.
State
Primary objects
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
Provider record | The on-chain registration carrying an operator's endpoint and attributes. |
Attribute | A key–value property of a provider — region, hardware, certification — filterable by tenant orders. |
Provider daemon | The off-chain agent that bids, orchestrates workloads, and reports usage for a registered provider. |
Messages
Messages & queries
Message and query surfaces are documented at implementation level in the module docs ↗ and the source ↗. The objects above are the state those messages create and transition.
Connections
Module interactions
-
x/marketBids are placed by registered providers; orders filter on provider attributes. -
x/auditAuditors sign provider attributes to upgrade self-claims into attestations. -
x/benchmarkPublished hardware benchmarks are tied to the provider record. -
x/veidProvider registration is identity-gated through VEID verification.
Flows
Core flow
- Verify — VEID verification first. Provider onboarding follows its stated protocol requirements. VEID is not a universal requirement for customers using the marketplace.
- Register — Create the record. Address, endpoint, and attributes go on-chain as the provider record tenants will filter against.
- Attest — Get attributes signed. Auditor signatures upgrade self-claims into attestations that tenant orders can explicitly require.
- Benchmark — Publish measurements. Hardware benchmarks tie measured performance to the record, so bids compete on evidence.
Questions
Asked about x/provider
What is a provider attribute?
A key–value property of a provider — region, hardware class, certification — that tenant orders can filter on when choosing where a workload lands.
Who can sign attributes?
Recognized auditors via x/audit. Auditor status is itself an on-chain role, and attestations are revocable and traceable to accountable, identity-verified signers.
What is the provider daemon?
The off-chain agent that watches open orders, bids per configured pricing, instantiates won leases on the operator's infrastructure, meters usage per workload, and submits signed records to the chain.
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