feat(core): expose Block::check by pzafonte · Pull Request #177 · sedited/rust-bitcoinkernel

pzafonte · 2026-05-07T21:53:03Z

Wraps btck_block_check from bitcoin/bitcoin#33908. The function performs, context-free validation of a block: size, weight, coinbase, transactions, sigops, without chainstate or block index access. Proof-of-work and merkle-root checks are optional via the BLOCK_CHECK_BASE / _POW / _MERKLE / _ALL flags.

Exposed as Block::check returning BlockCheckResult { Valid, Invalid(BlockValidationState) }. Raw btck_BlockCheckFlags_* constants are added to the sys crate's hand-rolled bindings; user-facing BLOCK_CHECK_* aliases in src/core/block.rs are re-exported via a block_check_flags submodule.

Tests are split per scenario as unit tests in src/core/block.rs (valid block, mutated merkle root, invalid PoW, tampered coinbase). A follow-up commit reuses MAINNET_BLOCK_1_HEX in test_block_hash_display and test_block_hash_ref_display since they validate the same block.

Closes #155.

sedited · 2026-05-14T17:00:57Z

Can you rebase and undraft this?

alexanderwiederin

Cool!

Could you also please add the change to the CHANGELOG?

pzafonte · 2026-05-15T13:48:43Z

Thanks for the review. I addressed everything in the latest commit except the as_ptr() as *mut. I'll rebase and switch the cast in Block::check to as_mut_ptr() once #178 goes through.

alexanderwiederin

Nice turnaround.

Please rebase for #178 and #179.

The question on the method name was genuine; I am not sure whether Block::check() is better than Block::check_context_free(). Any thoughts from you or other reviewers?

pzafonte · 2026-05-18T11:40:12Z

The question on the method name was genuine; I am not sure whether Block::check() is better than Block::check_context_free(). Any thoughts from you or other reviewers?

I lean towards Block::check_context_free() because it's self-documenting and there could plausibly be a contextual block check down the road.

pzafonte · 2026-05-18T22:50:52Z

Changes updated in 26121eb

Reuses MAINNET_BLOCK_1_HEX in test_block_hash_display and test_block_hash_ref_display in 60e9bf6

alexanderwiederin

I lean towards Block::check_context_free() because it's self-documenting and there could plausibly be a contextual block check down the road.

Thanks for this. I do think there is merit to the check_context_free, but I doubt that a contextual block check would be called "check". The current proposals lean towards "connect" (bitcoin/bitcoin#32317) or "validate" (bitcoin/bitcoin#35187) and would be on the chainstate manager.

Either way, I wanted to hear your opinion on this.

I think check is more idiomatic Rust - discoverability is better addressed by the doc comments you've already added and the flags parameter, which signal what kind of check this is at the call site.

sedited · 2026-05-20T11:30:50Z

@pzafonte this will require a rebase and probably a change to the bindings now.

pzafonte · 2026-05-20T17:33:38Z

Makes sense, if other contextual variants use connect or validate then there's no collision. If any future check arrives then that method can take the qualifier, which is why I implicitly agreed with your suggestion.

Rebased on current master. Addressed the remaining feedback.

alexanderwiederin

Almost there - thanks for pushing through!

alexanderwiederin · 2026-05-22T08:34:19Z

+pub type BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags;
+
 /// Run only base context-free block checks (no PoW, no Merkle root).
-pub const BLOCK_CHECK_BASE: btck_BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_BASE;
+pub const BLOCK_CHECK_BASE: BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_BASE;

 /// Enable Proof-of-Work verification via the block header.
-pub const BLOCK_CHECK_POW: btck_BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_POW;
+pub const BLOCK_CHECK_POW: BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_POW;

 /// Enable Merkle-root verification (and mutation detection).
-pub const BLOCK_CHECK_MERKLE: btck_BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_MERKLE;
+pub const BLOCK_CHECK_MERKLE: BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_MERKLE;

 /// Enable all available context-free block checks (PoW + Merkle root).
-pub const BLOCK_CHECK_ALL: btck_BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_ALL;
+pub const BLOCK_CHECK_ALL: BlockCheckFlags = btck_BlockCheckFlags_ALL;


This should be in the previous commit.

alexanderwiederin · 2026-05-22T09:00:53Z

+    state::context::ChainParams,
    KernelError,
 };



Suggested change

/// Bitmask of flags controlling which checks [`Block::check`] performs.

I think a doc comment would make sense here.

Wraps btck_block_check from bitcoin/bitcoin#33908, which performs context-free validation of a block (size, weight, coinbase, transactions, sigops) without chainstate or block index access. Proof-of-work and merkle-root checks are optional via the BLOCK_CHECK_* flags. Block::check returns a BlockCheckResult enum carrying the validation state on failure. Raw btck_BlockCheckFlags_* constants are added to the sys crate's hand-rolled bindings. Adds an AsPtr<btck_ChainParameters> impl for ChainParams. Tests are split per scenario in src/core/block.rs: valid block, mutated merkle root, invalid PoW, tampered coinbase.

Reuses the constant introduced for the Block::check tests, removing the duplicated inline hex from test_block_hash_display and test_block_hash_ref_display.

pzafonte force-pushed the context-free-block-validation branch from 0533bfd to f3f404f Compare May 15, 2026 05:12

pzafonte marked this pull request as ready for review May 15, 2026 05:12

alexanderwiederin requested changes May 15, 2026

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pzafonte force-pushed the context-free-block-validation branch 2 times, most recently from 57e5d47 to ec259f8 Compare May 15, 2026 13:36

pzafonte changed the title ~~feat(core): expose Block::check_context_free~~ feat(core): expose Block::check May 15, 2026

alexanderwiederin mentioned this pull request May 18, 2026

feat(core): BlockValidationState should implement Debug #181

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alexanderwiederin reviewed May 18, 2026

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Comment thread src/core/block.rs Outdated

Comment thread src/core/block.rs

Comment thread src/core/block.rs Outdated

jaoleal mentioned this pull request May 18, 2026

[Suggestion] Use rust-bitcoinkernel context-free block validation when upstream. getfloresta/Floresta#1072

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pzafonte force-pushed the context-free-block-validation branch from ec259f8 to 60e9bf6 Compare May 18, 2026 22:38

alexanderwiederin reviewed May 20, 2026

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Comment thread src/core/block.rs Outdated

pzafonte force-pushed the context-free-block-validation branch from 60e9bf6 to b1632cd Compare May 20, 2026 17:05

alexanderwiederin reviewed May 21, 2026

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Comment thread src/core/block.rs Outdated

Comment thread src/core/block.rs Outdated

pzafonte force-pushed the context-free-block-validation branch from b1632cd to fa474d3 Compare May 21, 2026 17:16

alexanderwiederin reviewed May 22, 2026

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pzafonte added 2 commits May 22, 2026 10:12

test(core): share MAINNET_BLOCK_1_HEX between block hash display tests

4b6e6a4

Reuses the constant introduced for the Block::check tests, removing the duplicated inline hex from test_block_hash_display and test_block_hash_ref_display.

pzafonte force-pushed the context-free-block-validation branch from fa474d3 to 4b6e6a4 Compare May 22, 2026 14:41


	/// Bitmask of flags controlling which checks [`Block::check`] performs.

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