This document outlines the steps a token holder can take to stake using the FlowIDTableStaking contract and the FlowStakingCollection contract. This is the recommended and most supported way to stake FLOW. It supports any number of nodes and delegators per account, supports locked and unlocked FLOW, and supports easily interaction with a node's machine account for collector and consensus nodes.

Staking Collection Overview

A Staking Collection is a resource that allows its owner to manage multiple staking objects in a single account via a single storage path, and perform staking actions using both locked and unlocked Flow.

Before the staking collection, accounts could use the instructions in the unlocked staking guide to stake with tokens. This was a bit restrictive, because that guide (and the corresponding transactions) only supports one node and one delegator object per account. If a user wanted to have more than one per account, they would either have to use custom transactions with custom storage paths for each object, or they would have had to use multiple accounts, which comes with many hassles of its own.

The staking collection is a solution to both of these deficiencies. When an account is set up to use a staking collection, the staking collection recognizes the existing locked account capabilities (if they exist) and unlocked account staking objects, and incorporates their functionality so any user can stake for a node or stake as a delegator through a single common interface, regardless of if they have a brand new account, or have been staking through the locked account or unlocked account before.

The staking collection also easily allows a user to transfer their node or delegator objects to other accounts without interrupting the staking process!

Staker Object Fields

The staking collection resource has two main fields,

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access(self) var nodeStakers: @{String: FlowIDTableStaking.NodeStaker}

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access(self) var nodeDelegators: @{String: FlowIDTableStaking.NodeDelegator}

These dictionaries store the staking objects that are managed by the staking collection. Access to these dictionaries are mediated by the staking methods. When a user wants to perform a staking operation, they specify the nodeID and/or delegatorID they want to stake for, and the function routes the function call to the correct staking object and performs the specified operation.

Vault Capability Fields

The staking collection also has a field that stores a capability for the unlocked FLOW Vault and locked FLOW vault (if applicable)

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/// unlocked vault

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access(self) var unlockedVault: Capability<&FlowToken.Vault>

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/// locked vault

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/// will be nil if the account has no corresponding locked account

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access(self) var lockedVault: Capability<&FlowToken.Vault>?

When a user performs staking operations like staking new tokens, the staking collection tracks the number of unlocked tokens and locked tokens (if applicable) that are used by the staking objects in the collection. The collection will always try to stake any available locked tokens first. Once all locked tokens are staked, if the user requested to stake more than the locked token balance, the collection will then dip into the unlocked balance for the remaining tokens. If the user has no locked tokens, the staking collection will simply ignore the locked tokens part of the functionality and only use unlocked tokens.

When a user withdraws tokens from a staking object, the collection will always try to withdraw unlocked tokens first. Any unlocked tokens are then deposited directly into the vault on the unlocked account, and remaining locked tokens are deposited to the vault in the locked account.

Machine Account Support

The staking collection also supports an important feature for epochs, machine accounts. Machine accounts are where node operators store important resource objects that are critical to the functionality of the epoch preparation protocol. Every collector and consensus node should have an associated machine account that stores these objects, and the staking collection helps the user create and manage these accounts.

When a user registers a new collector or consensus node, the staking collection also creates a machine account for them and registers the required object that needs to go in the machine account. The node operator is then responsible for adding keys to the account. (the Register Node transaction includes this step).

Once the machine account is created and set up, the node operator just has to connect it to their node software and make sure the account has enough FLOW to pay for transaction fees, which can be handled simply by submitting a regular FLOW transfer to the machine account's address

Staking Collection Public Getter Methods

The staking collection also defines many getter methods to query information about an account's staking collection. You can simply call one of these methods on the contract, providing the account address, and the contract will retreive the relevant info for you, like so:

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import FlowStakingCollection from 0xSTAKINGCOLLECTIONADDRESS

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import FlowIDTableStaking from 0xIDENTITYTABLEADDRESS

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/// Gets an array of all the delegator metadata for delegators stored in the staking collection

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pub fun main(address: Address): [FlowIDTableStaking.DelegatorInfo] {

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return FlowStakingCollection.getAllDelegatorInfo(address: address)

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}

Remember: A Staking Collection does not require an account to have a secondary locked account or locked FLOW. However, if an account does have an associated locked account, when the Staking Collection is initialized, it will connect to that locked account's node and delegator objects as well as it's locked token vault allowing it to perform staking actions with locked and unlocked FLOW.

info

Staking Collection is backwards compatible with other methods of staking on Flow. Existing accounts with associated locked accounts will still be able to stake in the same way as before, but they will also be able to use the staking collection, if desired.

How to use the Staking Collection

There is a standard set of transactions provided with the staking collection.

Setup

Setup a Staking Collection

To set up a Staking Collection, you must run the Setup Staking Collection (SCO.01) transaction.

This transaction requires no arguments and will perform the following actions:

1. Create private capabilities for the unlocked vault and locked vault (if applicable).
2. Create a new staking collection resource object, initializing it with the unlocked and locked vault capabilities.
3. Store the staking collection at a pre-defined storage path.
4. Create a public link to the staking collection so others can query metadata about it.
5. If there are any node or delegator objects in the unlocked account, the transaction stores those in the staking collection so they can be used through the same interface as usual.

No arguments are required for the Setup Staking Collection transaction.

Once this transaction is complete, your existing staking objects (if any) from your unlocked account and locked account will be available via the staking collection and you can use all the transactions described below to access them.

Create a Machine Account for an existing Node

Many nodes will have been created before the staking collection was set up and before epochs were enabled, meaning that they don't already have an associated machine account. These nodes need a new transaction to create the machine account for the node and save it to the staking collection.

To create a machine account for a node that doesn't already have one, you must submit the Create Machine Account (SCO.03) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The ID of the node.
publicKeys	[String]	The public keys to add to the machine account.

If the node is a collector or consensus node, this transaction creates the associated machine account, registers the QC or DKG object, stores it in the machine account, and adds the provided public key(s) to the machine account. If no public keys are provided, the transaction will fail.

Register Stakers

Register a New Staked Node

To register a new staked node, you must submit the Register Node (SCO.03) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
id	String	The ID of the new node. It must be a 32 byte String. The operator is free to choose this value, but it must be unique across all nodes. A recommended process to generate this is to hash the staking public key.
role	UInt8	The role of the new node. (1: collection, 2: consensus, 3: execution, 4: verification, 5: access)
networkingAddress	String	The IP address of the new node.
networkingKey	String	The networking public key as a hex-encoded string.
stakingKey	String	The staking public key as a hex-encoded string.
stakingKeyPoP	String	The staking key Proof-of-Possesion as a hex-encoded string.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to stake.
publicKeys	[String]?	The public keys to add to the machine account. nil if no machine account

This transaction registers the account as a staker with the specified node information and attaches a NodeStaker resource to the Staking Collection. This NodeStaker resourece can then later be used to perform staking actions via the staking collection staking methods.

If the node is a collector or consensus node, it also creates the associated machine account, registers the QC or DKG object, stores it in the machine account, and adds the provided public key(s) to the machine account. If the node requires a machine account and no public keys are provided, the transaction will fail.

Once the account has registered their node using their Staking Collection, their tokens and node information are committed to the central staking contract for the next epoch.

At this point, the Staking Collection now has access to various staking operations that they can perform, assuming they have the correct number of tokens to perform the action.

Register a New Staked Delegator

To register a new delegator, you must submit the Register Delegator (SCO.02) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
id	String	The ID of the node to delegate to.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to delegate.

This transaction registers the account as a delegator to the node identified by the supplied node id. It also attaches a NodeDelegator resource to the Staking Collection. This NodeDelegator resourece can then later be used to perform delegation actions.

Once the account has registered their new delegator using their Staking Collection, their tokens are committed to the central staking contract for the next epoch.

At this point, the Staking Collection now has access to various delegator operations that they can perform, assuming they have the correct number of tokens to perform the action.

Staking Operations

These transactions perform actions that directly interact with the staking contract. Most of them will only succeed during the Staking Auction phase of the epoch.

Stake New Tokens

The Staking Collection can stake additional tokens for any Node or Delegator managed by it at any time.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Stake New Tokens (SCO.06) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to stake new tokens to.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to stake.

info

To stake new tokens for an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

If staking for a delegator, delegatorID should be the delegator ID you are staking for.

The amount may be any number of tokens up to the sum of an accounts locked and unlocked FLOW.

Re-stake Unstaked Tokens

After tokens become unstaked, the owner of a Staking Collection can choose to re-stake the unstaked tokens to the same Node or Delegator.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Stake Unstaked Tokens (SCO.08) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to stake the unstaked tokens to.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to restake.

info

To stake unstaked tokens for an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

If staking for a delegator, delegatorID should be the delegator ID you are staking for.

Re-stake Rewarded Tokens

After earning rewards from staking, the owner of a Staking Collection can choose to re-stake the rewarded tokens to the same node or delegator.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Stake Unstaked Tokens (SCO.07) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to stake the rewarded tokens to.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to restake.

info

To stake rewarded tokens for an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

Request to Unstake Tokens at the end of the Epoch

The owner of a Staking Collection can submit a request to unstake their tokens at any time for any Node or Delegator in their collection.

If the tokens aren't staked yet, they will be uncommitted and available to withdraw.

Note: unstaked tokens will be held by the central staking contract until the end of the following epoch. Once the tokens are released (unstaked), they can be claimed via the Withdraw Unstaked Tokens action below.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Unstake Tokens (SCO.05) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the chosen node.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to restake.

info

To unstake tokens from an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

Unstake All Tokens

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Unstake All (SCO.09) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to unstake all tokens from.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.

Withdraw Unstaked Tokens

After tokens for an active Node or Delegator become unstaked, the ownder of Staking Collection can withdraw them from the central staking contract.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Withdraw Unstaked Tokens (SCO.11) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to withdraw the unstaked tokens from.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to withdraw.

info

To withdraw unstaked tokens from an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

Withdraw Rewarded Tokens

After earning rewards from staking, the token holder can withdraw them from the central staking contract.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Withdraw Rewarded Tokens (SCO.10) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to withdraw the rewarded tokens from.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.
amount	UFix64	The number of FLOW tokens to withdraw.

info

To withdraw rewarded tokens from an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

Staking Collection Modification

Close a Node or Delegator

Once a Node or Delegator has no tokens staked, comitted or in an unstaking state, it is eligible to be closed.

Closing a Node or Delegator first returns any unstaked or rewarded tokens to the account for which the Staking Collection is stored in. It then destroys the NodeStaker or NodeDelegator object from within the Staking Collection.

Note: Once a Node or Delegator has been closed, it cannot be accessed again, and no staking or delegation actions can be futher preformed on it.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Close Stake (SCO.12) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to close.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	nil if staking for a node. If staking for a delegator, the delegator ID.

info

To close an active node, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil.

Transfer a Node

A user may transfer an existing Node to another another account's Staking Collection.

The account to transfer the Node to must have a valid Staking Collection set up.

Transferring a Node will remove it from the authorizer's Staking Collection and deposit it to the receiver's Staking Collection.

Note: Once a Node or Delegator has been transferred, it cannot be accessed again by the sender. As well, all staked tokens will be considered staked by the receiver's Staking Collection.

warning

Transferring a Node will result in loss of custody of any Staked tokens for the sender.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Transfer Node (SCO.13) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to transfer.
to	Address	The address of the account which contains the Staking Collection to transfer the Node to.

Transfer a Delegator

A user may transfer an existing Delegator to another another account's Staking Collection.

The account to transfer the Delegator to must have a valid Staking Collection set up.

Transferring a Delegator will remove it from the authorizer's Staking Collection and deposit it to the receiver's Staking Collection.

Note: Once a Node or Delegator has been transferred, it cannot be accessed again by the sender. As well, all staked tokens will be considered staked by the receiver's Staking Collection.

warning

Transferring a Delegator will result in loss of custody of any Staked tokens for the sender.

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Transfer Delegator (SCO.14) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the delegator to transfer.
delegatorID	UInt32	The delegatorID of the delegator to transfer.
to	Address	The address of the account which contains the Staking Collection to transfer the Delegator to.

Update A Node's Networking Address

A user may update their node's networking address if it has become inconsistent with the protocol state.

This operation can only be performed in the staking auction phase of an epoch.

Note: Currently, if a node updates its networking address and the new address does not match what is stored in the protocol state for the node, the node will not be able to participate in the upcoming epoch Only update your networking address if you have already confirmed with the Flow team that you can. This restriction will be removed once fully automated epochs are completely implemented

The owner of a Staking Collection can use the Update Networking Address (SCO.22) transaction with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to update.
newAddress	String	The new networking address

Staking Collection Scripts

These scripts allow anyone to query information about an account's staking collection

Get All Node Info

To return an array of structs representing the information associated with each node managed by an account's Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get All Node Info (SCO.15) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns an array of FlowIDTableStaking.NodeInfo structs representing the nodes managed by an accounts Staking Collection.

Get All Delegator Info

To return an array of structs representing the information associated with each delegator managed by an account's Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get All Delegator Info (SCO.16) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns an array of FlowIDTableStaking.DelegatorInfo structs representing the delegators managed by an accounts Staking Collection.

Get All Node Ids

To return an array of Strings representing the ids associated with each node managed by an account's Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get All Node Ids (SCO.17) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns an array of String representing each id of each node managed by an accounts Staking Collection.

Get All Delegator Ids

To return an array of structs representing the delegator ids associated with each delegation managed by an account's Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get All Delegator Ids (SCO.16) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns an array of FlowStakingCollection.DelegatorIDs structs representing the delegator Ids of each delegator managed by an accounts Staking Collection.

Get Locked Tokens Used

To query how many Locked FLOW tokens an account has staked using their Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get Locked Tokens Used (SCO.19) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns a UFix64 representing the number of Locked FLOW tokens staked using an accounts Staking Collection.

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Note: This number does not include Locked FLOW tokens staked not through an accounts Staking Collection.

Get Unlocked Tokens Used

To query how many Unlocked FLOW tokens an account has staked using their Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get Unlocked Tokens Used (SCO.20) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns a UFix64 representing the number of Unlocked FLOW tokens staked using an accounts Staking Collection.

info

Note: This number does not include Unlocked FLOW tokens staked not through an accounts Staking Collection.

Get Does Stake Exist

To query if a Node or Delegator is managed by an accounts Staking Collection, anyone can use the Get Does Node Exist (SCO.21) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from
nodeID	String	The nodeID of the node to check, or the nodeID of the node delegating to to check.
delegatorID	Optional(UInt32)	The delegatorID of the delegator to check, if checking for a delegator.

This script returns a Bool.

info

To query if a Node is managed by an accounts Staking Collection, leave the delegatorID arguement as nil. Otherwise, fill it in with the delegatorID of the Delegator.

Get Machine Account Info

To query the machine account information for an account's staking collection, anyone can use the Get Machine Account Info (SCO.21) script with the following arguments:

Argument	Type	Description
address	Addresss	The Address of the account holding the Staking Collection to query from

This script returns a {String: FlowStakingCollection.MachineAccountInfo}, which is a mapping of nodeIDs to the FlowStakingCollection.MachineAccountInfo struct.