Keepers

What is a Keeper?

A keeper is any off-chain process that monitors pending MultiHopper hops and orchestrator steps, then submits the corresponding on-chain transaction when the scheduled time arrives. Keepers are the “automation layer” of the protocol — they bridge the gap between on-chain timelock enforcement and real-world execution timing.

What Keepers Execute

Keepers interact with two programs:

MultiHopper Core — Hop Execution

Keeper monitors route state (via API or on-chain)
A hop's execute_at time is reached
Keeper submits trigger_hop transaction to the Core program
Program validates: timing, sequencing, prepaid_hops limit
On success: wrapper tokens transfer to next recipient, hop marked complete
On failure: transaction reverts, no state change

Orchestrator — Step Execution

1. Keeper monitors OrchestratorStep accounts
2. A step's execute_at time is reached
3. Keeper submits the appropriate step instruction:
   - execute_step_transfer     → move lamports between accounts
   - execute_step_wrap_sol     → wrap SOL into the route vault
   - execute_step_token_transfer / execute_step_wrap_token → SPL token operations
4. On success: step marked complete, keeper earns keeper_share_bps of deposited funds
5. remaining_steps on OrchestratorConfig decrements

The keeper has no authority over funds. Both programs enforce all constraints — keepers only provide the trigger.

Permissionless Execution

Execution is permissionless: any wallet can submit a valid step or hop execution. The programs validate correctness independently of who submits.

If a designated keeper goes offline, any other executor can pick up pending steps and hops. Routes and orchestrators do not expire due to keeper failures.

Keeper Incentives

The OrchestratorConfig account includes a keeper_share_bps field (basis points). When a keeper successfully executes an orchestrator step, they earn a proportional share of the lamports deposited for that step. This creates an open, competitive market for route deployment execution — anyone can run a keeper and earn fees for timely execution.

Current Keeper Infrastructure

MultiHopper operates a scheduler service (a Node.js cron process) that automatically monitors all active routes and orchestrators and submits executions at the scheduled time. This scheduler is:

Non-custodial — it can trigger steps and hops but cannot redirect funds
Redundant — execution remains possible without it since any keeper can act
Observable — execution history is indexed and queryable via the API

Failure Recovery

If an orchestrator step fails on-chain:

refund_failed_step — returns deposited funds to the route creator
rescue_step — admin escape hatch for permanently stuck steps (requires privileged authority)
close_step — closes a completed or refunded step account to reclaim rent

After all steps are resolved, close_orchestrator reclaims the OrchestratorConfig account rent.

Orchestrator

Learn how the Orchestrator program coordinates multi-step route deployment.

Getting started

Protocol

Concepts

Guides

What is a Keeper?

What Keepers Execute

MultiHopper Core — Hop Execution

Orchestrator — Step Execution

Permissionless Execution

Keeper Incentives

Current Keeper Infrastructure

Failure Recovery

Orchestrator

​What is a Keeper?

​What Keepers Execute

​MultiHopper Core — Hop Execution

​Orchestrator — Step Execution

​Permissionless Execution

​Keeper Incentives

​Current Keeper Infrastructure

​Failure Recovery

Orchestrator

What is a Keeper?

What Keepers Execute

MultiHopper Core — Hop Execution

Orchestrator — Step Execution

Permissionless Execution

Keeper Incentives

Current Keeper Infrastructure

Failure Recovery