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feat(sequencer): catchup from base#3057

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julien/catchup-base
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feat(sequencer): catchup from base#3057
julienrbrt wants to merge 32 commits intomainfrom
julien/catchup-base

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@julienrbrt
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Closes: #3016

Opus did a pretty good job. I'll be improving it.

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github-actions bot commented Feb 9, 2026

The latest Buf updates on your PR. Results from workflow CI / buf-check (pull_request).

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✅ passed⏩ skipped✅ passed✅ passedFeb 23, 2026, 12:22 PM

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Claude finished @julienrbrt's task in 4m 42s —— View job


Code Review: feat(sequencer): catchup from base

  • Gather context and read changed files
  • Review sequencer catch-up logic (pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer.go)
  • Review syncer DA height changes (block/internal/syncing/syncer.go)
  • Review DA client/tracing additions
  • Review tests
  • Post comprehensive review

Summary

The PR introduces a well-structured catch-up mechanism for the single sequencer after extended downtime. The core state machine (unchecked → inProgress | done), use of atomic.Int32 for catchUpState, and the syncer-side epoch advancement in syncer.go are well-designed. The test suite is comprehensive for the happy-path cases. However, there are several correctness issues worth addressing before merge.


Critical Issues

1. Non-monotonic timestamps when epoch size > 1

File: pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer.go:367-378

During catch-up with epoch size > 1, the ForcedInclusionRetriever returns an empty event with Timestamp.IsZero() == true for all non-epoch-end heights (see forced_inclusion_retriever.go:99-110). Since currentDAEndTime is only set when a non-zero timestamp is returned, blocks produced for those intermediate heights fall back to time.Now(). The epoch-end block then uses the historical DA timestamp, which is in the past — creating a backward time jump the EVM will reject.

Example with epoch size = 10, starting at DA height 100:

  • Blocks at checkpoints 100–108: timestamp = time.Now() (e.g., 2026-02-23T12:00:00)
  • Block at checkpoint 109 (epoch end): timestamp = DA epoch time (e.g., historical 2026-02-20T18:00:00) ← rejected by EVM

All catch-up tests use DAEpochForcedInclusion: 1, so this path is untested.

Fix this →

2. Fragile remainingForcedTxs * time.Millisecond heuristic

File: pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer.go:376

timestamp = daEndTime.Add(-time.Duration(remainingForcedTxs) * time.Millisecond)

This produces non-monotonic timestamps between epochs when epoch B has many forced txs. Specifically, if epoch A's daEndTime = T and epoch B's daEndTime = T + 100ms but epoch B has 200 forced txs, epoch B's timestamp = T - 100ms < T. This assumption of 1ms per forced tx is undocumented and fragile.

The formula also silently becomes timestamp = daEndTime after the checkpoint update moves TxIndex past all txs (since cachedForcedInclusionTxs becomes nil, remainingForcedTxs = 0). The test TestSequencer_CatchUp_UsesDATimestamp only verifies the single-tx case where this doesn't trigger.


Medium Issues

3. Stale copy-paste comment in test file

File: pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer_test.go:1238-1239

// TestSequencer_GetNextBatch_GasFilteringPreservesUnprocessedTxs tests that when FilterTxs
// returns RemainingTxs (valid DA txs that didn't fit due to gas limits), the sequencer correctly
func TestSequencer_CatchUp_DetectsOldEpoch(t *testing.T) {

The comment describes a completely different test function — this is a copy-paste artifact.

4. GetLatestDAHeight failure silently skips catch-up detection

File: pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer.go:548-552

if err != nil {
    c.logger.Warn().Err(err).
        Msg("failed to get latest DA height for catch-up detection, skipping check")
    return
}

If the DA node is transiently unavailable at startup, the sequencer silently marks itself as catchUpDone (set optimistically at line 537) and proceeds with normal operation, potentially producing incorrect blocks that diverge from what the base sequencer would have produced. There's no retry and no test for this failure mode.

5. Missing catch-up tests with epoch size > 1

All eight TestSequencer_CatchUp_* tests use DAEpochForcedInclusion: 1. Since the ForcedInclusionRetriever behavior differs significantly for epoch size > 1 (non-epoch-end heights return empty events), there's no test coverage for that code path during catch-up. Given the timestamp bug in issue #1, this is a meaningful gap.

6. Zero coverage for new code in block/internal/da/

Per Codecov:

  • block/internal/da/client.go (GetLatestDAHeight): 0% coverage — this is the method used for catch-up detection in updateCatchUpState
  • block/internal/da/tracing.go (new tracing wrapper for GetLatestDAHeight): 0% coverage

The GetLatestDAHeight method on client.go:302-317 has no unit test. A simple test verifying it returns the network head height would be appropriate.

7. Syncer: empty blocks produced at non-epoch-end heights during catch-up

File: block/internal/syncing/syncer.go:799-824

The syncer correctly handles the large DAHeight gap by advancing one epoch per block. However, the sequencer side produces a block for every intermediate checkpoint height (100, 101, …, 108, 109 with epoch size 10), even though only the epoch-end block contains forced txs. Full nodes must sync and verify all these blocks. The PR description and ADR-019 don't explain why producing O(epoch_size) empty blocks is preferred over waiting at the epoch end, which may confuse maintainers.

8. ADR-019 not updated with catch-up algorithm design

tac0turtle correctly identifies that this mechanism justifies documentation. The existing adr-019-forced-inclusion-mechanism.md is modified but doesn't document:

  • Why height-based detection is used instead of timestamp-based
  • What "one epoch per block DAHeight advancement" means for full nodes
  • The trade-off of empty blocks at intermediate epoch heights
  • The missedEpochs <= 1 threshold choice

Minor Issues

9. Logger inconsistency in tests

TestSequencer_CatchUp_UsesDATimestamp (sequencer_test.go:1437) uses zerolog.Nop() while surrounding tests use zerolog.New(zerolog.NewTestWriter(t)). Prefer zerolog.NewTestWriter(t) for consistent test output.

10. isCatchingUp() used only in tests

The private isCatchingUp() method (sequencer.go:429) is only referenced in tests (seq.isCatchingUp()). Since tests are in the same package this works, but it may indicate the method isn't needed in production code. If it's only for testing observability, consider removing or exporting it as a proper status accessor.


Positive Aspects

  • atomic.Int32 for catchUpState with the 3-state lifecycle (unchecked → inProgress | done) is clean and race-safe
  • updateCatchUpState correctly short-circuits after the first call (no per-epoch overhead)
  • The syncer-side epoch-by-epoch DAHeight advancement elegantly keeps forced inclusion verification aligned with what the sequencer is replaying
  • fetchNextDAEpoch properly handles ErrHeightFromFuture to exit catch-up mode
  • Forced inclusion ordering guarantees (stop at first Postpone) are preserved during catch-up
  • The eight TestSequencer_CatchUp_* test cases provide good coverage of the happy path

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Summary of Changes

Hello @julienrbrt, I'm Gemini Code Assist1! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

This pull request implements a critical "catch-up" feature for the sequencer, designed to enhance its resilience and consistency following periods of inactivity or downtime. By intelligently replaying missed Data Availability (DA) epochs, the sequencer can resynchronize its state, ensuring that all forced inclusion transactions are processed in the correct order and with accurate timestamps, thereby maintaining a consistent view of the blockchain's history, even when operating in a decentralized environment. This mechanism allows the sequencer to seamlessly transition back to normal operation without compromising data integrity.

Highlights

  • Sequencer Catch-up Mechanism: Introduced a new mechanism allowing the sequencer to "catch up" on missed Data Availability (DA) epochs after extended downtime.
  • Forced Inclusion Priority: During catch-up, the sequencer temporarily processes only forced inclusion transactions, ensuring consistency with base sequencing nodes and temporarily skipping mempool transactions.
  • DA Height Synchronization: Modified syncer.go to incrementally advance the DAHeight by one epoch during catch-up, preventing issues with forced inclusion transaction verification.
  • Timestamp Alignment: Block timestamps generated during catch-up are now aligned with the DA epoch's end timestamp for historical accuracy.
  • Comprehensive Testing: Added extensive unit tests covering various catch-up scenarios, including detection, mempool skipping, timestamp usage, exit conditions, and multi-epoch replay.

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Changelog
  • block/internal/syncing/syncer.go
    • Updated the logic for DAHeight updates to handle large discrepancies between event.DaHeight and newState.DAHeight. When a significant gap (more than one epoch) is detected, newState.DAHeight is now advanced by exactly one epoch per block, rather than jumping directly to event.DaHeight. This ensures correct verification of forced inclusion transactions during sequencer catch-up.
    • Added detailed comments explaining the new DAHeight update strategy and its importance for catch-up blocks and forced inclusion verification.
  • pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer.go
    • Added catchingUp (boolean) and currentDAEndTime (time.Time) to the Sequencer struct to manage the catch-up state and store the DA epoch's end timestamp.
    • Modified GetNextBatch to conditionally skip fetching transactions from the mempool when the sequencer is in catchingUp mode. This ensures that only forced inclusion transactions are included in batches during catch-up.
    • Updated GetNextBatch to use sequencer.currentDAEndTime as the block timestamp when catchingUp is true, aligning block timestamps with the historical DA epoch.
    • Introduced a public IsCatchingUp() method to query the sequencer's current catch-up status.
    • Modified fetchNextDAEpoch to store the forcedTxsEvent.Timestamp in currentDAEndTime and to call a new updateCatchUpState method to manage the catchingUp flag. It also now exits catch-up mode if StatusHeightFromFuture is returned by the DA client.
    • Implemented a new private method updateCatchUpState that determines whether the sequencer should be in catch-up mode based on the timestamp of the fetched DA epoch. It enters catch-up if the epoch timestamp is significantly in the past (more than one epoch's wall-clock duration) and exits if it's recent.
  • pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer_test.go
    • Added a comprehensive suite of tests (TestSequencer_CatchUp_...) to validate the new catch-up functionality. These tests cover:
    • Detection of old epochs and entering catch-up mode.
    • Skipping mempool transactions during catch-up.
    • Using DA epoch timestamps for blocks during catch-up.
    • Exiting catch-up mode when the DA head is reached (either a recent epoch or HeightFromFuture).
    • Scenarios where catch-up is not triggered (recent epoch, no forced inclusion configured).
    • Multi-epoch replay scenarios.
    • Correct advancement of the internal checkpoint (DAHeight) during catch-up.
Activity
  • The pull request addresses and closes issue https://github.com/evstack/ev-node/issues/3016.
  • The author indicates that this work builds upon a previous attempt by "Opus", aiming for improvement.
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codecov bot commented Feb 9, 2026

Codecov Report

❌ Patch coverage is 64.61538% with 46 lines in your changes missing coverage. Please review.
✅ Project coverage is 60.98%. Comparing base (aa1af66) to head (7996975).

Files with missing lines Patch % Lines
block/internal/syncing/syncer.go 34.37% 19 Missing and 2 partials ⚠️
block/internal/da/tracing.go 0.00% 10 Missing ⚠️
block/internal/da/client.go 0.00% 9 Missing ⚠️
pkg/sequencers/single/sequencer.go 91.89% 4 Missing and 2 partials ⚠️
Additional details and impacted files
@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##             main    #3057      +/-   ##
==========================================
+ Coverage   60.93%   60.98%   +0.04%     
==========================================
  Files         113      113              
  Lines       11617    11728     +111     
==========================================
+ Hits         7079     7152      +73     
- Misses       3739     3777      +38     
  Partials      799      799              
Flag Coverage Δ
combined 60.98% <64.61%> (+0.04%) ⬆️

Flags with carried forward coverage won't be shown. Click here to find out more.

☔ View full report in Codecov by Sentry.
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Code Review

This pull request introduces a robust catch-up mechanism for the sequencer, designed to handle restarts after extended downtime. While the overall approach for consuming and verifying catch-up blocks in the syncer, including the incremental advancement of DAHeight, is well-implemented and tested, the implementation of catch-up mode in the single sequencer has significant flaws. Specifically, it produces non-monotonic block timestamps when multiple blocks are generated for a single DA epoch or when empty epochs are encountered, which will likely cause the execution layer to reject blocks and halt the chain. Additionally, there is a data race on the new catch-up state fields due to a lack of synchronization primitives. Minor suggestions for code clarity and testing experience were also noted.

Comment on lines 362 to 365
timestamp := time.Now()
if c.catchingUp && !c.currentDAEndTime.IsZero() {
timestamp = c.currentDAEndTime
}
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security-high high

During catch-up mode, the sequencer uses the timestamp from the last fetched DA epoch as the block timestamp. However, multiple blocks can be produced for a single DA epoch (e.g., if the epoch contains many transactions that don't fit in one block). In this case, all blocks produced for that epoch will have the exact same timestamp (c.currentDAEndTime). Furthermore, if an empty DA epoch is encountered, c.currentDAEndTime is not updated, causing the next block to reuse the timestamp from the previous non-empty epoch.

Most blockchain execution layers (like EVM) require that each new block has a timestamp strictly greater than its parent. If the sequencer produces multiple blocks with the same timestamp, the execution layer will reject them, halting the block production process and causing a Denial of Service.

Comment on lines 60 to 63
catchingUp bool
// currentDAEndTime is the DA epoch end timestamp from the last fetched epoch.
// Used as the block timestamp during catch-up to match based sequencing behavior.
currentDAEndTime time.Time
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security-medium medium

The fields catchingUp and currentDAEndTime are accessed concurrently without proper synchronization. GetNextBatch and fetchNextDAEpoch (which update these fields) can be called by the block production loop, while IsCatchingUp() can be called concurrently by other components (e.g., RPC, monitoring, or metrics).

In Go, concurrent read/write access to non-atomic fields is a data race, which leads to undefined behavior. Specifically, a race on time.Time (which is a struct) can result in a corrupted timestamp being read, potentially leading to invalid blocks and a Denial of Service.

Comment on lines 533 to 535
if catchUpThreshold < 30*time.Second {
catchUpThreshold = 30 * time.Second
}
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medium

The value 30*time.Second is used as a minimum threshold for the catch-up logic. To improve readability and maintainability, consider defining this as a named constant at the package level, for example: const minCatchUpThreshold = 30 * time.Second, and using that constant here. This makes the intent of the value clearer and centralizes its definition.

// This test uses maxBytes to limit how many txs are fetched, triggering the unprocessed txs scenario.
func TestSequencer_CatchUp_DetectsOldEpoch(t *testing.T) {
ctx := context.Background()
logger := zerolog.New(zerolog.NewConsoleWriter())
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medium

Using zerolog.New(zerolog.NewConsoleWriter()) in tests can lead to verbose output in the console during test runs. It's generally better to use a logger that integrates with the testing framework, such as zerolog.New(zerolog.NewTestWriter(t)), which only shows logs for failed tests, or zerolog.Nop() if logs are not needed. This practice is followed in other new tests in this file (e.g., TestSequencer_CatchUp_UsesDATimestamp). Applying this consistently would improve the developer experience. This comment also applies to lines 1309, 1457, and 1676.

Suggested change
logger := zerolog.New(zerolog.NewConsoleWriter())
logger := zerolog.New(zerolog.NewTestWriter(t))

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i believe this pr justifies an adr

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[FEATURE] Sequencer catchup on restart from base

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