Commit Reveal
This guide describes the commit reveal feature. This feature will address the weight copying issue.
This feature is available in Bittensor 7.0.1 and later versions. Make sure you update to Bittensor 7.0.1 before using this feature.
Technical paper, blog and Python notebook
Collab notebooks
A subnet owner can run the below Python notebook to experiment and choose the right values for the hyperparameter commit_reveal_interval.
- For commit reveal diagnostic: https://colab.research.google.com/github/opentensor/developer-docs/blob/main/static/weight_copy/commit_reveal_diagnostic.ipynb?authuser=5
- GitHub directory with Python notebooks.
Description
The commit reveal feature changes the way the subnet validator weights are recorded on the chain. Instead of submitting weights openly to the chain where they can be seen by anyone, subnet validators will commit an encrypted hash of their weights to the chain. These same validators will then be encouraged to reveal these weights after the expiry of commit_reveal_weights_interval.
The delay in revealing the weights is a parameter that can be set by the subnet owners. The delay is expressed in integer number of blocks. The optimal delay will be different for different subnets and depends mostly on the rate of turnover in the subnet miners.
New subnet hyperparameters
This feature is meant to be used by a subnet owner. To activate this feature, a subnet owner should set the commit_reveal_weights_enabled hyperparameter to True.
In addition, the subnet owner should use the commit_reveal_weights_interval subnet hyperparameter to set the delay before revealing the weights.
For subnets that are very stable and have durable subnet miners who change ranks rarely, a longer delay interval would likely be more effective. For subnets with more frequent subnet miner registrations and deregistrations, a shorter interval could be effective as copiers will not be able to independently score new miners.
By giving weight copiers access only to old weights, the goal is to reduce the advantage gained by copying the current consensus. With commit-reveal we aim to make weight copying less attractive by decreasing the reward.
How to use commit reveal feature
Here are summary steps to use the commit reveal feature. These steps are typically executed by a subnet owner:
- Enable the commit reveal feature by setting the new subnet hyperparameter
commit_reveal_weights_enabled(bool) toTrue. - Specify the desired number of blocks of delay before revealing the weights, by using the new subnet hyperparameter
commit_reveal_weights_interval(integer). - Set the subnet hyperparameter
weights_rate_limit. - Generate your own salt. For example, you can use the following code snippet to generate salt.
# Generate random salt
salt_length = 8
salt = list(os.urandom(salt_length)) - Commit weights. You will use the above-generated salt.
- Reveal weights. You will use the above-generated salt.
Using in Python code
Method signatures
See below the Python definitions for the commit reveal feature:
import bittensor as bt
# Enable Commit Reveal
enabled_result = bt.subtensor.set_hyperparameter(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=netuid,
parameter="commit_reveal_weights_enabled",
value=value,
wait_for_inclusion=True,
wait_for_finalization=True,
)
# Set interval
interval_result = bt.subtensor.set_hyperparameter(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=netuid,
parameter="commit_reveal_weights_interval",
value=value,
wait_for_inclusion=True,
wait_for_finalization=True,
)
# Set rate limit
rate_limit_result = bt.subtensor.set_hyperparameter(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=netuid,
parameter="weights_rate_limit",
value=value,
wait_for_inclusion=True,
wait_for_finalization=True,
)
# Run the commit weights operation
success, message = bt.subtensor.commit_weights(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=netuid,
uids=weight_uids,
weights=weight_vals,
salt=salt,
wait_for_inclusion=True,
wait_for_finalization=True,
)
# Run the reveal weights operation.
success, message = bt.subtensor.reveal_weights(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=netuid,
uids=weight_uids,
weights=weight_vals,
salt=salt,
wait_for_inclusion=True,
wait_for_finalization=True,
)
In the above reveal_weights() method, the wait_for_inclusion=True, and wait_for_finalization=True parameters are optionals.
Example Python code
Below is the example Python code showing how to use the above definitions for the commit reveal feature:
You are expected to generate your own salt and use it in the commit reveal feature. For example, you can use the following Python code snippet to generate your salt and use it:
# Generate random salt
salt_length = 8
salt = list(os.urandom(salt_length))
See the example Python code below:
import bittensor as bt
# Enable Commit Reveal
enabled_result = bt.subtensor.set_hyperparameter(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=1,
parameter="commit_reveal_weights_enabled",
value=True
)
# Set interval
interval_result = bt.subtensor.set_hyperparameter(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=1,
parameter="commit_reveal_weights_interval",
value=370
)
# Set rate limit
rate_limit_result = bt.subtensor.set_hyperparameter(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=1,
parameter="weights_rate_limit",
value=0
)
# Run the commit weights operation
weights = [0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4]
weight_uids = [1, 2, 3, 4]
salt = [18, 179, 107, 0, 165, 211, 141, 197]
success, message = bt.subtensor.commit_weights(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=1,
uids=weight_uids,
weights=weights,
salt=salt
)
# Run the reveal weights operation.
success, message = bt.subtensor.reveal_weights(
wallet=wallet,
netuid=1,
uids=weight_uids,
weights=weights,
salt=salt
)
Using btcli
Set the subnet hyperparameters
1. Enable the commit reveal feature
Syntax
btcli sudo set hyperparameters --netuid <NETUID> --param commit_reveal_weights_enabled --value <True or False>
Example
For subnet 1 (netuid of 1):
btcli sudo set hyperparameters --netuid 1 --param commit_reveal_weights_enabled --value True
2. Set the interval
Syntax
btcli sudo set hyperparameters --netuid <NETUID> --param commit_reveal_weights_interval --value <INTEGER>
Example
Setting the interval of 370 blocks for subnet 1 (netuid of 1):
btcli sudo set hyperparameters --netuid 1 --param commit_reveal_weights_interval --value 370
3. Set the weights rate limit
If you are a subnet owner, you may already have set the subnet hyperparameter weights_rate_limit. If you have not set it, then use the below command to set it. See the section in the Subnet Hyperparameters document.
btcli sudo set
Commit weights
Example usage using the testnet:
btcli wt commit --netuid 1 --uids 1,2,3,4 --weights 0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4 --subtensor.network wss://test.chain.opentensor.ai:443
The above command is used to commit weights for a specific subnet and requires the user to have the necessary permissions.
Optional arguments:
--netuid(int): The netuid of the subnet for which weights are to be commited.--uids(str): Corresponding UIDs for the specified netuid, in comma-separated format.--weights(str): Corresponding weights for the specified UIDs, in comma-separated format.
After executing the above command you will see the salt values displayed on the terminal. Store these values. You will need them to reveal weights (see below).
Reveal weights
Example usage using the testnet:
btcli wt reveal --netuid 1 --uids 1,2,3,4 --weights 0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4 --salt 163,241,217,11,161,142,147,189 --subtensor.network wss://test.chain.opentensor.ai:443
The above command is used to reveal weights for a specific subnet and requires the user to have the necessary permissions.
Optional arguments:
--netuid(int): The netuid of the subnet for which weights are to be revealed.--uids(str): Corresponding UIDs for the specified netuid, in comma-separated format.--weights(str): Corresponding weights for the specified UIDs, in comma-separated format.--salt(str): Corresponding salt for the hash function, integers in comma-separated format. You will use thesaltvalues you stored when executing thebtcli wt commitcommand above.