SwitchlyNode

SwitchlyNode is the core blockchain protocol powering SwitchlyProtocol, a decentralized cross-chain automated market maker (AMM) built on the Cosmos SDK.

Key Features

SwitchlyProtocol enables:

• Cross-chain swaps: Native asset swaps across different blockchains without wrapped tokens
• Liquidity provision: Earn yield by providing liquidity to cross-chain pools
• Savers vaults: Single-sided liquidity provision with native yield
• Lending protocol: Collateralized lending using cross-chain assets
• Trade accounts: Margin trading with cross-chain collateral

Architecture

SwitchlyNode consists of several key components:

• SwitchlyNode: Cosmos SDK-based blockchain handling consensus, validation, and cross-chain logic
• Bifrost: Multi-chain bridge client connecting SwitchlyProtocol to external blockchains
• TSS (Threshold Signature Scheme): Distributed key management for secure cross-chain transactions

Supported Chains

SwitchlyProtocol supports native assets from:

• Bitcoin (BTC)
• Ethereum (ETH) and ERC-20 tokens
• Binance Smart Chain (BSC) and BEP-20 tokens
• Avalanche (AVAX) and ARC-20 tokens
• Cosmos (ATOM)
• Dogecoin (DOGE)
• Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
• Litecoin (LTC)
• And more...

Documentation

• SwitchlyProtocol Documentation
• Developer Resources
• API Documentation

Installation

Prerequisites

Ensure you have a recent version of go (scripts/check-env.sh) and enabled go modules.
Also, make sure you have jq installed.

Build

git clone https://gitlab.com/switchly/switchlynode.git
cd switchlynode
make install

This will install switchlynode binary into your $GOPATH/bin.

Run a local development environment

For a quick start with a local development environment:

make reset-mocknet-standalone

This will:

1. Build the switchlynode binary
2. Initialize a single-node testnet
3. Start the node with pre-configured accounts and balances

Configuration

The node can be configured through:

• Environment variables
• Command line flags
• Configuration files in ~/.switchlynode/config/

Key configuration files:

• app.toml: Application-specific settings
• config.toml: Tendermint consensus settings
• genesis.json: Genesis state and parameters

Running

To start the node:

switchlynode start

For development with automatic restarts:

make run-mocknet-standalone

Development

Testing

Run the full test suite:

make test

Run specific tests:

go test ./x/switchlyprotocol/...

Linting

make lint

Building Docker Images

make docker-build

API Usage

Query Examples

Get node information:

curl -s localhost:1317/switchlyprotocol/nodes | jq

Get pool information:

curl -s localhost:1317/switchlyprotocol/pools | jq

Get network status:

curl -s localhost:1317/switchlyprotocol/network | jq

Transaction Examples

Set mimir values (admin only):

switchlynode tx switchlyprotocol mimir CHURNINTERVAL 1000 --from admin $TX_FLAGS

Contributing

SwitchlyProtocol follows a structured development process:

• Create an issue or find an existing issue on https://gitlab.com/switchly/switchlynode/-/issues
• Fork the repository and create a feature branch
• Make your changes following the coding standards
• Add tests for new functionality
• Submit a merge request with a clear description

Architectural Decision Records

SwitchlyProtocol follows an Architectural Decision Record process outlined here: https://gitlab.com/switchly/switchlynode/-/blob/develop/docs/architecture/PROCESS.md?ref_type=heads

Release Process

Releases are automated through GitLab CI/CD. When a merge request is merged to the develop branch, if the merge request upgrades the version, then a new release will be created automatically, and the repository will be tagged with the new version.

Chain Integration

The process to integrate a new chain into SwitchlyProtocol is multifaceted, requiring changes to multiple repositories across different languages (golang, python, and javascript).