Skip to main content

IBC Relayers

Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) is the protocol that lets Sentinel Hub move tokens and messages between Cosmos SDK chains. Relayers are the off-chain operators that watch packets on one chain and submit them on the other, keeping channels alive and tokens flowing.

Running a relayer is a separate role from operating a full node. It doesn't sign blocks (so it isn't a validator) and it doesn't serve client queries (so it isn't an RPC/API). A relayer needs:

  • An RPC endpoint on each chain it relays between (your own full node, or a public one).
  • A funded wallet on each chain to pay relay fees.
  • 24/7 uptime; packets that aren't relayed in time will time out.

This section covers two operational topics:

  • List of relayers: who's currently running Sentinel Hub relays.
  • Restoring an IBC channel: the procedure when a channel goes stale and needs reactivation.