Using Hourglass to Implement Your AVS

What Hourglass Provides

The Hourglass template provides a basic structure for building an AVS with the Hourglass framework. It includes:

• A stub of Go code for your Performer.
• Default TaskAVSRegistrar and AVSTaskHook AVS contracts that work out of the box. These contracts can be extended to add additional onchain logic.
• All dependent contracts required by the framework and the scripts to deploy them. The scripts are managed by the Devkit CLI.
• A docker-compose stack to run an Aggregator and Executor locally to test your AVS.
• Integration with the DevKit CLI. DevKit provides a streamlined, modular experience for scaffolding your projects, compiling, running local networks, and testing.

What You Need to Implement

Component	Purpose	Developer to Implement	Required or Optional
main.go	Task logic	Write AVS-specific task processing	Required
Smart Contracts (TaskAVSRegistrar, AVSTaskHook)	Onchain AVS logic	Modify if you need custom onchain behavior	Optional
Config files (.hourglass, .devkit)	Runtime and CLI setup	Customize paths, images, and network	Optional
Task Input	Task testing	Create representative input data	Optional
docker-compose.yml	Local setup	Edit to match your environment	Optional

Local Development and Testing

Task processing in main.go

main.go implements the offchain binary run by Operators running the Hourglass Executor. That is, the core business logic for processing tasks. It contains the business logic of the AVS and performs worked based on the tasks sent to it.

The Hourglass Aggregator ingests tasks from the TaskMailbox and distributes work to Executors configured to run the AVS Performer.

Performers execute the work and return the result to the Executor where the result is signed and returned to the Aggregator to place in the outbox once the signing threshold is met.

Minimal VadildateTask and HandleTaskfunctions are provided in main.go to get you started. The code can be restructured as needed for your AVS requirements.

AVS Onchain Logic in Contract

The example HelloWorld.sol contract is included. Delete and replace with a contract implementing your AVS onchain logic.

This contract provides the onchain coordination for your AVS linking offchain task processing with onchain validation.

Task Callback Logic in AVSTaskHook

Extend AVSTaskHooks to include additional onchain logic to:

• Validate the task lifecycle.
• Create a fee market for your AVS.

Contract Deployment in DeployMyContracts.s.sol

Wire up your contracts in DeployMyContracts.s.sol. This script is automatically called during devkit avs devnet start.

Deployment to Testnet

Operator Registration in TaskAVSRegistrar

TaskAVSRegistrar defines which Operators can register as an Operator for your AVS to be an Aggregator and/or an Executor.

tip

When running the devnet locally, Operators are set up by Hourglass and Operator registration does not need to be implemented.

For detailed information on the Hourglass framework, refer to the Readme in the Hourglass repo.