Before Flashblocks
Base operates a high-availability sequencer system with five sequencer instances:| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| op-node | Standard OP Stack consensus layer (CL) |
| op-geth | Standard OP Stack execution layer (EL) |
| op-conductor | High availability controller with Raft consensus for leader election |
With Flashblocks
Flashblocks introduce several new infrastructure components:| Component | Purpose | What It Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| rollup-boost | CL↔EL Engine API proxy | Enables sharing Flashblocks with the EL without modifying the CL. Provides a stable seam for future block-building evolutions (multi-builder, etc.) |
| op-rbuilder | Out-of-protocol builder at 200ms cadence | Produces the sub-second Flashblocks, decoupled from the EL. Enables pluggable builder mechanisms |
| websocket-proxy | Flashblocks stream fan-out | Broadcast layer so many consumers can read the stream without overwhelming the builder |
| base | RPC surface exposing preconfirmations | Converts streamed Flashblocks into familiar RPCs so apps and wallets can consume preconfirmation state |
Further Reading
- Flashblocks Overview — Key concepts and transaction lifecycle
- Enable Flashblocks — Run your own Flashblocks-aware RPC node
- WebSocket Reference — Technical reference for infrastructure-to-node data syncing
- Flashblocks Deep Dive — Engineering blog post with implementation details