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Getting Started as a Validator

This guide is for Ethereum validators who want to participate in Puffer Preconf to earn additional rewards by providing preconfirmation services.

Audience

This page is for validators. If you're an L2 team interested in Puffer Preconf, please explore our Introduction and Benefits pages first, or reach out to us directly.

Why Participate in Puffer Preconf? 💰​

Validators can leverage their existing restaked ETH to participate in Puffer Preconf, offering several benefits:

  • 💰 Additional Rewards: Earn extra rewards by providing preconfirmation services on top of standard validator rewards
  • 🔒 Capital Efficiency: Use restaked ETH as preconf collateral without additional deposits
  • 🌐 Network Contribution: Play a crucial role in enhancing Ethereum's transaction speed and user experience
No Additional Collateral Required

Puffer Preconf allows validators to participate without additional collateral beyond their restaked ETH. If you're already running validators on EigenLayer, you're well-positioned to join!

Prerequisites ✅​

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • EigenPod: Own an EigenPod or have a trusted relationship with an EigenPod owner
  • Active Validators: Validators delegated to your EigenPod that are active on Ethereum
  • Ethereum Mainnet RPC: Access to an Ethereum mainnet RPC endpoint
  • Technical Setup:

How It Works 🔧​

Delegation Model (Phase 1)​

In Phase 1, validators participate by delegating to gateways:

  1. Delegate to a gateway (Gattaca)
  2. Gateway Provides Preconfs on your behalf when you're scheduled to propose
  3. Earn Rewards from preconf fees collected by the gateway
Validator → Delegates to → Gateway → Provides preconfs → Earns rewards → Shares with validator

Current Gateway: Gattaca​

Gattaca is the primary gateway in Phase 1:

  • Production-ready for OP-based rollups
  • Handles preconf signing and L2 block building

Future Gateways (Phase 2+):

  • Additional third-party gateways

Setup Instructions 🛠️​

Step 1: Install Foundry​

If you don't already have Foundry installed:

curl -L https://foundry.paradigm.xyz | bash
foundryup

Step 2: Clone the UniFi Repository​

git clone https://github.com/PufferFinance/UniFi.git
cd UniFi

Step 3: Install Dependencies​

# Install yarn dependencies
yarn install

# Navigate to l1-contracts
cd l1-contracts

# Install Foundry dependencies
forge build

Step 4: Register to Puffer Preconf AVS (Phase 1)​

Run the registration script with your operator private key:

forge script script/UniFiAVSScripts.sol:UniFiAVSScripts \
  --sig "registerOperatorToUniFiAVS(uint256 signerPk)" \
  'YOUR_OPERATOR_PRIVATE_KEY' \
  --private-key 'YOUR_OPERATOR_PRIVATE_KEY' \
  --rpc-url 'YOUR_MAINNET_RPC_URL' \
  --broadcast

Replace:

  • YOUR_OPERATOR_PRIVATE_KEY: Your EigenLayer operator's private key
  • YOUR_MAINNET_RPC_URL: Your Ethereum mainnet RPC endpoint
Security

Never share your private key. Ensure your RPC endpoint is secure and trusted.

Step 5: Delegate to Gateway​

Since there's only one gateway in Phase 1, you don't need to delegate to it. You can skip this step.

Rewards Structure 💸​

How You Earn​

Preconf Fees:

  • Users pay fees for execution preconfirmations
  • Distributed between you, the gateway, and the L2 operator

MEV Smoothing:

  • Preconf fees are smoothed across all participating validators
  • Provides more stable and predictable income
  • Reduces variance in validator earnings

ETH-Denominated:

  • All rewards paid in ETH
  • No token lock-ups or illiquid rewards
  • Simple and immediate liquidity

Reward Distribution​

User pays preconf fee
    ↓
Collected by L2 Fee contract
    ↓
Split between:
├─ L2 Operator (X%)
└─ Puffer Preconf AVS (Y%)
    ├─ Validators (based on participation)
    └─ Gateway (based on service provision)

Exact percentages depend on configuration and will be shared during onboarding.

Claiming Rewards​

On L2: Rewards distributed on the L2 where preconfs were provided. You can claim by:

  1. Set a claimer address on the rewards contract
  2. Sign an EIP-712 hash with your BLS validator key
  3. Claim accumulated rewards (can batch claim all periods)

On EigenLayer (if applicable): Additional incentive rewards may be distributed via EigenLayer AVS:

  • Claim directly from EigenLayer interface
  • Separate from L2 preconf rewards
tip

Unclaimed rewards persist indefinitely. You can claim all accumulated rewards in a single transaction at any time.

Security Considerations 🔒​

In Phase 1​

No Slashing:

  • Validators are NOT slashed in Phase 1
  • Only reward forfeiture for missed proposals
  • Lower risk, lower barriers to entry

Trust Assumptions:

  • Must trust gateway to act honestly
  • Gateway reputation is important
  • Multiple gateways in Phase 2 reduce this risk

In Future Phases​

Slashing Risk (Phase 3):

  • Economic penalties for misbehavior
  • 1 ETH for liveness failures

Mitigation:

  • Ensure high-availability setup
  • Monitor gateway performance closely

FAQ ❓​

Q: Do I need additional ETH to participate? A: No, you use your existing restaked ETH on EigenLayer. No additional deposits required.

Q: What happens if the gateway goes down? A: Your validator would miss preconf rewards for affected slots, but can still propose normal blocks. No slashing in Phase 1.

Q: What if I want to stop participating? A: You can deregister from Puffer Preconf AVS following the standard EigenLayer AVS opt-out process.

Q: How often do I need to claim rewards? A: Rewards don't expire. Claim whenever convenient—you can batch claim all historical rewards in one transaction.

Q: What's the difference between Puffer Preconf and PBS? A: PBS separates block building from proposing. Puffer Preconf adds preconfirmation services on top, allowing you to earn from providing execution guarantees to L2 users.

Q: Is this compatible with existing MEV-Boost/PBS? A: Yes, Puffer Preconf integrates with Commit-Boost which is compatible with existing MEV-Boost setups.

Support & Resources 🆘​

Documentation​

External Resources​

Community​

Next Steps 🚀​

Ready to get started?

  1. ✅ Ensure Prerequisites: EigenLayer operator, EigenPod, active validators
  2. 📥 Clone Repository: Get the UniFi AVS contracts
  3. 📝 Register: Run the registration script
  4. 💰 Start Earning: Begin earning preconf rewards!
Phase 2 is Coming

Even if you're not ready to join Phase 1, stay engaged with the community. Phase 2 will bring more gateway options and enhanced features. Early participation helps shape the protocol!

Questions?

Join our Discord. We're here to help you get started with Puffer Preconf!