Understanding Subnets

Hypertensor subnets are fully decentralized compute sidelayers that run in parallel to the Hypertensor blockchains' consensus mechanism.

A way to understand the architecture is to compare it to the Ethereum ecosystem. Each subnet is a layer 2 blockchain that consists of a mesh of nodes validating transactions and relaying them to Ethereum to settle.

In Hypertensor, each subnet is a mesh of nodes performing AI-related tasks, scoring and validating each other, and relaying that data to Hypertensor to settle and finalize consensus.

Those scores are relayed to the Hypertensor blockchain by the randomly elected subnet validator (see Incentive Mechanism). Each other validator in the subnet can confirm the accuracy of the elected validator's consensus data by voting and reaching a consensus, thereby ensuring the security and integrity of the subnet.

Subnet Architecture

All subnets verifiably use a Kademlia distributed hash table (kad-dht) (see Kademlia visualizer).

1. Each subnet incentive mechanism defines the work a node must perform. This work is evaluated by all of the nodes in the subnet.

   • The blockchain is node-role agnostic, meaning each subnet can create one or multiple roles within the subnet for nodes.

2. Nodes evaluate and score each other, and how these nodes come to evaluate and score each other is computed within the subnet.

3. Blockchain validators finalize the on-chain attestation-based consensus mechanism and distribute rewards based on the in-consensus scores of each node.

Subnet Requirements

For a subnet to stay alive, it must meet the following conditions:

1. Minimum delegate stake balance

2. Minimum number of nodes

Blockchain validators check each subnet for these conditions at the start of each epoch. If they do not meet these conditions, they are removed.

Minimum Delegate Stake Balance

The minimum delegate stake balance ensures each subnet is constantly engaging the community.

This amount increases based on two factors:

1. Inflation

The required balance increases with inflation and acts as the base for the minimum delegate stake balance for all subnets.

$$min = total\_issuance *x$$

1. Node count

The node count acts as a multiplier to the minimum delegate stake base.

This function linearly increases the minimum required delegate stake multiplier as more nodes become electable in a subnet (see gamification). The multiplier adjusts based on the minimum and maximum multiplier relative to the minimum and maximum number of nodes.

$$f(x) = \begin{cases} y_{\min}, & \text{if } x \leq x_{\min} \\ y_{\max}, & \text{if } x \geq x_{\max} \\ y_{\min} + \left( \dfrac{x - x_{\min}}{x_{\max} - x_{\min}} \right) \cdot (y_{\max} - y_{\min}), & \text{otherwise} \end{cases}$$

Minimum Number of Nodes

The minimum number of nodes a subnet must have at all times is 3.

Subnet Nodes

In Hypetensor, a node is any instance in a subnet ("sub-network" or "sidelayer"). They participate in subnets—self-contained, peer-to-peer networks—and collaboratively or competitively (depending on the subnets' incentive mechanism) run tasks related to artificial intelligence, maintain the sub-network's security, and evaluate other nodes.

To run a node for a subnet, the node must register and stake on-chain to tell the subnet it wants to connect to its network. This registration and stake balance act as a proof-of-stake for the subnet to allow it to connect and continuously communicate with other nodes in the subnet.