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Testing SNS locally

Advanced
Governance
Tutorial

To help developers, DFINITY has created the sns-testing repo which has scripts that help developers test the SNS process. Developers can run a local version of the ICP execution environment on their local machine, deploy their dapp locally and run through the stages of decentralizing their dapp.

sns-testing repo might not work for any dapp. It is intended to showcase one example dapp and so one can tweak for their own dapp.

After having chosen the initial SNS parameters in a .yaml file and before requesting an SNS launch in production, the SNS launch should be tested locally.

The main intent of sns-testing repo is for a developer to test the actual process of decentralizing their dapp.

Among other things, developers can use sns-testing repo to:

  • Initiate proposals.
  • Pass proposals.
  • Start decentralization swaps.
  • Upgrade dapp via DAO voting.

sns-testing is just one form of testing SNS process locally. Developers should feel free to use others, fork/modify sns-testing or create their own.

Using the sns-testing repo​

These scripts have been most tested with a stack that looks like this:

  • A single canister that is being decentralized.
  • A canister that can be deployed to local replica via dfx deploy.

Getting started​

To use the sns-testing commands and their arguments properly, you need to first set up the sns-testing repo properly. Please see README.

  • All of the commands in this article require sns-testing to be set up properly.
  • If you have started using sns-testing before August 2023 and are using the old legacy flow of launching an SNS (please see here for more context), please continue your work with the legacy documentation on this old README. In particular,
  • If you were following the Apple silicon-only instructions, please switch to the v1-legacy Git tag.
  • If you were using the Docker-based deployment approach, please use the docker image: docker pull ghcr.io/dfinity/sns-testing:v1-legacy.

Testing stages of the SNS launch process​

For simplicity, next the stages introduced in the SNS launch stages documentation in the documentation commands and actions to go through SNS launch are mapped to the relevant scripts in the sns-testing repo so you can learn what part of the launch is tested in which script. Note that some developers have dapps that do not match the narrow cases of sns-testing so the table also includes a column for what other developers have experienced.

Stages​

0. Deploy a dapp to the local replica.​

Option 1: Testing a pre-packaged dapp created in sns-testing just for purposes of testing​

./deploy_test_canister.sh

Option 2: Deploying your own single-canister dapp​

dfx deploy

Option 3: Deploying your own multi-canister dapp​

In this case, you should use whatever scripts or set up you have to deploy your dapp.

1. Dapp developers add NNS root as co-controller of dapp.​

They can do so by running the following command:

Option 1: You have one canister

dfx sns prepare-canisters add-nns-root $CANISTER_ID

Option 3: You have many canisters, run it for each canister ID

dfx sns prepare-canisters add-nns-root $CANISTER_ID_1
dfx sns prepare-canisters add-nns-root $CANISTER_ID_2
...
dfx sns prepare-canisters add-nns-root $CANISTER_ID_N

2. Dapp developers choose the initial parameters of the SNS for a dapp.​

Typically, dapp developers choose initial parameters that will be used in subsequent proposals.

Fill out this file:

example_sns_init.yaml

If you see an error along the lines of "missing field `Principals` at line 4 column 1", it means you need to upgrade dfx sns to version 0.4.1 or later. The command to do so is dfx extension install sns --version 0.4.1. You may first need to remove the existing version of dfx sns by running dfx sns uninstall sns.

3. Submit NNS proposal to create SNS.​

Submit an NNS proposal that ingests the example_sns_init.yaml file from stage #2

dfx sns propose --network local --neuron $NEURON_ID example_sns_init.yaml
  • $NEURON_ID comes from the sns-testing setup

4. The NNS proposal is decided.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. Community votes.

5. (Automated) SNS-W deploys SNS canisters.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. This is triggered automatically as a result of an adopted proposal in Stage 4.

6. (Automated) SNS-W sets SNS root as sole controller of dapp.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. This is triggered automatically as a result of an adopted proposal in Stage 4.

7. (Automated) SNS-W initializes SNS canisters according to settings from Step 1.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. This is triggered automatically as a result of an adopted proposal in Stage 4.

8. (Automated) SNS swap starts.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. This is triggered automatically as a result of an adopted proposal in Stage 4.

./participate_in_sns_swap.sh

9. (Automated) SNS swap ends.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. This is triggered automatically as a result of an adopted proposal in Stage 4.

10. (Automated) SNS swap finalizes.​

Nothing technical for dapp developers to do. This is triggered automatically as a result of an adopted proposal in Stage 4.

Testing the upgrading and managing of an SNS​

Once a canister or dapp has been handed over to an SNS, it will be updated via proposals and voting. Developers can test this flow by using commands from sns-testing.

ActionExample in `sns-testing`
Upgrade a yet-to-be-decentralized canister by submitting an SNS proposal that can be voted on using the SNS developer neuron../upgrade_test_canister.sh
Submit proposal to upgrade a decentralized canister./upgrade_test_canister.sh]
Vote on a proposal that upgrades a decentralized canister./vote_on_sns_proposal.sh

You might also want to test integrations and basic SNS functionality. For this purpose you can use the above instructions after the test SNS is launched or use the SNS testflight on mainnet.