Network Transition FAQ

Developers will have plenty of time to migrate their subgraphs to the decentralized network. Exact timelines will vary from network to network based on Indexer and network readiness-the hosted service will not end support for all networks at once and will not be sunset abruptly.

Each network on the hosted service, including Ethereum, will sunset gradually as it is supported on the decentralized network to achieve feature parity and a high quality of service. This will happen on a network-to-network basis with help from Indexers in the MIPs program, to enable full support for each network on the decentralized network.

To add more clarity around continued support for each network on the hosted service, these FAQs answer common questions regarding the specifics of the network transition process. If you would like to start the subgraph migration process now, here is a step-by-step guide. To skip to the migration FAQ, click here.

Hosted Service Sunset FAQs#Link to this section

Will I have to migrate my subgraph before the decentralized network serves core functionalities for subgraphs?#Link to this section

Subgraph developers can begin migrating their Ethereum mainnet subgraphs now, but will not be forced to migrate subgraphs to the network before feature core functionality exists for the decentralized network and hosted service. Migration of Gnosis network subgraphs will also begin soon, with other networks to follow once Indexers have tested the networks and are ready to index them in production.

What is the timeline and process for deprecating the hosted service?#Link to this section

All networks will have their own timelines, depending on when they are enabled on the network and the timeline it takes to get through each phase. Core developers are working to migrate the majority of hosted service traffic to the decentralized network as soon as possible.

Most importantly, you will not lose access to the hosted service before core functionality is available for your specific network/subgraph on the decentralized network.

The three distinct phases of hosted service deprecation for each network are:

Phase 1 (The Sunray): Disable new subgraph creation for blockchains that have quality parity on the network#Link to this section

In this stage, developers will no longer be able to deploy new subgraphs to the hosted service for that network. Developers will still be able to upgrade existing subgraphs on the hosted service.

No network has yet begun Phase 1 of transitioning from the hosted service to the decentralized network.

As networks enter Phase 1, please note that developers can still use the rate limited Developer Preview URL in the Subgraph Studio to develop and test their subgraphs (up to 1,000 free queries) without acquiring GRT or interacting with protocol economics.

Phase 2 (The Sunbeam): Disable subgraph upgrades#Link to this section

In this phase, upgrades to subgraphs must be made through Subgraph Studio and subsequently published to the decentralized network. Hosted service subgraphs for networks in this phase will still exist and will be queryable, but upgrades to subgraphs must be made on The Graph's decentralized network.

There are no exact timelines for when any network will move to this phase, as the process is driven by exit criteria surrounding core functionality, not dates.

Phase 3 (The Sunrise): Disable querying subgraphs#Link to this section

At this phase, subgraphs on the hosted service for networks supported by The Graph Network will no longer process queries. The only way to query blockchain data for subgraphs on networks in this phase will be through the decentralized network. Test queries will still be available in Subgraph Studio via the Development Query URL.

Networks will not move to Phase 3 until successfully moving to Phase 2 and giving developers ample time to migrate to the decentralized network.

Note: This diagram reflects the per-network sunsetting process. Hosted service sunsetting times will vary and will not sunset all at once.

What happens to test networks like Goerli, Mumbai, etc?#Link to this section

All networks and test networks are eligible for a free Deployment Query URL in the Subgraph Studio. This URL is rate limited and intended for test and development traffic. Production traffic will require a subgraph published to The Graph Network in order to have production grade redundancy and stability.

Does The Graph Network have the same functionalities as the hosted service?#Link to this section

Indexers on The Graph Network run the most recent network-approved release of Graph Node, and can support any subgraph features supported in that release.

Sometimes unreleased features which are still under development might be available first on the Developer Preview URL, which runs the latest main commit of Graph Node. These features will then become available on the network with the next Graph Node release.

Certain subgraph features are not eligible for indexing rewards, if they are not deterministic or verifiable on the network. Specific examples are fetching files from IPFS, and indexing networks not yet supported on The Graph Network.

Subgraphs with these features can be published to the network, but they may not be picked up by Indexers. However, subgraphs with sufficient signal may still attract Indexers interested in collecting query fees, which any subgraph is eligible for.

How much does The Graph Network cost in comparison to running my own infrastructure?#Link to this section

The Graph's decentralized network is 60-90% less expensive than running dedicated infrastructure, as shown in these case studies.

Is there anything I should do with my hosted service subgraph after I migrate to the network?#Link to this section

Hiding your hosted service subgraph is strongly recommended to avoid confusion. This video walks through the process.

When will the decentralized network support my preferred network?#Link to this section

There is no set timeline per network, they will be dictated by Indexer readiness via the MIPs program where new networks are tested by Indexers. As new networks are supported on the network, users will receive ample notification to prepare for migration. Core devs and contributors to The Graph ecosystem are working to implement support for more networks as soon as possible.

Is Ethereum mainnet entering Phase 1 of the network transition process?#Link to this section

While Ethereum was initially anticipated to begin transition off of the hosted service by the end of Q3 2022, this has been postponed to address user feedback. Additional improvements to user experience, billing, and other fulfillments of user requests will drive Ethereum's hosted service transition timeline. Stay up to date on when Ethereum will enter The Sunray phase via the integration status tracker below and via The Graph Twitter.

The Graph Network integration status tracker#Link to this section

The table below illustrates where each network is in the network integration process. If your preferred network is not yet listed, integration has not yet begun, and that network is still fully supported by The Graph's hosted service.

This table will not include test networks, which remain free in Subgraph Studio.

* The network is currently in beta on The Graph's decentralized network.

Query Fees, API Keys, and Billing FAQs#Link to this section

How are query fees priced?#Link to this section

Query fee prices are impacted by query demand on the decentralized network. Core developers created a query pricing cost model language called Agora. It enables Indexers to price queries efficiently. Learn more in the Agora documentation.

How can I set a maximum query budget?#Link to this section

Users can set a max query budget in the Subgraph Studio API Key section, under the Budget tab. Watch this video for an overview of that process, as well as adjusting other parts of your API Key.

Please note that setting your max query budget too low will exclude Indexers, potentially leading to poor quality service in the form of failed queries, slow queries, etc.

As of the end of September 2022, it's best practice to stay within the $0.00035-$0.0004 range as the lowest max query budget.

How can I protect my API Key?#Link to this section

Users are encouraged to restrict the API key by both subgraph and domain in the Subgraph Studio:

How do I fill up my API key to pay for query fees?#Link to this section

You can fill up your billing balance in the Subgraph Studio Billing Dashboard by pressing the "Add GRT" button. There is ongoing work to improve this experience to add more seamless and recurring payments.

This video has an overview of that process.

How do I set alerts for low billing balances in my API key?#Link to this section

Users should set a billing alert to their email address here.

Also, a banner will flash within a user's UI to warn when a billing balance is getting low.

What are the best practices for managing my API key settings?

A max query budget of $0.0004 is recommended to maintain low average query prices while maintaining high quality of service. This can be done in the budget billing tab of the API Key section.

Migration FAQs#Link to this section

How can I migrate my subgraph to The Graph's decentralized network?#Link to this section

Learn how to migrate your subgraph to The Graph Network with this simple step-by-step guide or this video.

Are there migration grants for subgraphs that migrate early to The Graph Network?#Link to this section

Yes. To apply for a grant, reach out here.

Is there any financial/technical/marketing support through the migration process from The Graph ecosystem?#Link to this section

There are migration grants for projects to use to curate subgraphs (to attract Indexers) and pay for initial query fees (apply here), a direct channel to engineers to help every step of the way, and prioritized marketing campaigns to showcase your project after migration, exampled in these Twitter threads: 1, 2, & 3.

How long do queries take?#Link to this section

Queries take an average of 150-300 milliseconds on the decentralized network.

Is the billing process on The Graph Network more complex than on the hosted service?#Link to this section

Yes, the UX for the network is not yet at quality parity with the hosted service. The billing UX, in particular, is still in very early stages and there are many moving parts that the core dev teams are working to abstract away from the process. Much of these improvements will be made public in the near future.

Can I pay for The Graph Network queries in fiat, credit card, or stablecoins?#Link to this section

In the coming months, the number of steps that users need to take to pay for their subgraphs will be vastly reduced. While payments will still be made in GRT, efforts to implement a fiat on-ramp and automated payment systems to convert fiat and crypto into GRT to make recurring payments are already underway.

Will the network ever have the same UX as the hosted service?#Link to this section

While there is still work to do, the aim is to offer comparable if not better quality UX on The Graph Network than currently exists on the hosted service. Short term, the aim is to offer a more streamlined and predictable billing experience that helps users focus more time building high-quality dapps.

How can I ensure that my subgraph will be picked up by Indexer on The Graph Network?#Link to this section

It is recommended to curate with at least 10,000 GRT, which users can do in the same transaction as when they publish. Users can also ask the curation community to curate their subgraph here.

There are migration grants for the early migrants to cover these initial costs. Feel free to apply here.

Why does a subgraph need curation signal? What if there isn't enough signal on my subgraph from curators?#Link to this section

The higher the curation signal, the more attractive a subgraph is to Indexers, as there is a linear correlation between higher signal and higher indexing rewards. Without curation, there is no incentive for Indexers to pick up a subgraph.

What happens to the GRT a subgraph developer uses for curation signal?#Link to this section

If you are the first to signal a subgraph, your GRT signaled amount will not go down. GRT used for curation can be removed later. Also, Curators get 10% of all query fees taken in by Indexers.

What improvements are coming to the curation process?#Link to this section

Short term, the initial curation model on Arbitrum will provide principle-protection to curation signal. Longer term, the core devs will prioritize offering developers the capacity to rent curation signal, opening up a more predictable pricing experience while still ensuring subgraphs are sufficiently indexed.

How do I switch the subgraph API in the front-end?#Link to this section

After at least one Indexer has fully indexed a subgraph, a user can query the decentralized network.

In order to retrieve the query URL for your subgraph, you can copy/paste it by clicking on the symbol next to the query URL. You will see something like this:

https://gateway.thegraph.com/api/[api-key]/subgraphs/id/S9ihna8D733WTEShJ1KctSTCvY1VJ7gdVwhUujq4Ejo

Simply replace [api-key] with an API key generated in the Subgraph Studio API Key section.

How much do queries cost?#Link to this section

The average query cost within the network varies. For the month of September 2022, the average price per query fee cost ranged from $0.00012 - $0.00020.

How can I find out how much volume my subgraph has and how much it will cost?#Link to this section

Hosted service volume data is not public. Please reach out to get volume and cost estimates here.

How does the gateway work? Is it fully decentralized?#Link to this section

The gateway process queries so Indexers can serve dapps. The gateways are in an intermediate phase that is being progressively decentralized. More on this soon.

Using The Network FAQs#Link to this section

Is there a cost to upgrade my subgraph?#Link to this section

Yes, it is 1% of curation signaled. The 1% is split evenly between Curators (0.5%) and subgraph developers (0.5%). So, for every 10K GRT signaled, it costs subgraph developers 50 GRT to upgrade.

How do I speed up sync time?#Link to this section

Minimize the use of smart contract calls within the subgraph. Accessing a smart contract state requires an eth_call to the RPC, which slows down sync times.

Is there multisig support in Subgraph Studio as I migrate?#Link to this section

Yes, multisig support has recently been added. You can find more information here.

What are the contract addresses for GRT on Ethereum and Arbitrum?#Link to this section

• Ethereum: 0xc944E90C64B2c07662A292be6244BDf05Cda44a7
• Arbitrum: 0x9623063377AD1B27544C965cCd7342f7EA7e88C7

How much GRT do projects usually keep in their API Key?#Link to this section

Many projects keep 30-60 days worth of GRT in their API key, so they don't need to refill often. To understand what your 30-60 day GRT fees would be, please reach out here.

How are query payments made on the decentralized network? #Link to this section

Fees are invoiced weekly and pulled out of a user's API Key, with GRT that is bridged to and sits on Arbitrum.

How are API keys used for subgraphs on the decentralized network?#Link to this section

API Keys empower users to have a say in both the max query prices they pay and to prioritize factors like price, economic freshness, and query speed.

How does quality of service currently compare between the hosted service and the decentralized network?#Link to this section

The hosted service and decentralized network have about the same median latency, but the decentralized network tends to have higher latency at higher percentiles. 200 rates for queries are generally similar, with both > 99.9%. As a result of its decentralization, the network has not had a broad outage across subgraphs, whereas the hosted service does on rare occasions have temporary outages as a result of its centralized nature.

What if my question isn't answered by these FAQs?#Link to this section

Please reach out to [email protected] for any additional assistance.