Keep3r Network: DevOps for Crypto Protocols

One of the hottest branches of modern software engineering is developer operations (DevOps), defined as the practices followed to optimize functions of the software development life cycle. DevOps is an important component of the modern software lifecycle. For example, deploying cloud infrastructure that enables others to build applications is a classic situation where DevOps engineers are needed. In essence, software engineers working in DevOps create products used by other software engineers.

Developer TaskRabbit

Blockchain-based decentralized applications are no different than other software applications, and as such, require a DevOps tool of sorts. Keep3r Network aims to serve this growing niche. Created by Andre Cronje of Yearn Finance, Keep3r is designed to connect decentralized applications with those who are able to complete the mundane, routine tasks needed to maintain daily protocol functions. Prior to the existence of Keep3r, developers like Cronje had to manually perform tedious tasks, such as executing liquidations. Outsourcing these tasks to outside parties allows DeFi engineers to focus on other responsibilities like protocol development, integrations, or new features. Perhaps a useful analogy is to imagine Keep3r as an online job board or a TaskRabbit for smart contracts.

In recent months, much of the attention around Keep3r has been on the launch of Chainlink Keepers, the protocol’s V2 being created in conjunction with Chainlink Labs. Chainlink Keepers is currently undergoing open beta testing on Ethereum mainnet and hasn’t been publicly released. In this report, we’ll take a look at both the current version of Keep3r Network as well as the upcoming changes around Chainlink Keepers. But, first, let’s start with the protocol function itself and the two main stakeholders in the network: jobs and keepers.

Jobs and Keepers

A job is any smart contract that requires a third party, called keepers, to perform an action. Today’s smart contracts are deterministic programs built on the blockchain. However, smart contracts have one particular weakness. Smart contracts are asleep by default and require a trigger to wake them when the time comes to perform an on-chain function. Triggers can be set on the basis of time, events, some computation, or any combination of the three. Jobs are the triggers needed to be initiated by keepers.

Over time, jobs being posted went beyond the ones Cronje had to perform. Executing limit orders on decentralized exchanges, triggering automated trading strategies, and delivering oracle price feeds are all examples of jobs nowadays that can be automated via the use of a keeper. On the Keep3r Network, protocols post jobs along with any relevant materials needed to perform the task. Keepers can register for jobs, complete them, and subsequently collect a reward for their work. And since activity is on-chain, finished jobs can be easily verified. See the screenshot below for examples of listed jobs. Each job includes an address and technical documentation, commonly accessible through the open-source software sharing platform, GitHub.