Base Blockchain Latency Test

This Python script measures the average latency between block confirmation and event reception from a Base blockchain RPC endpoint using WebSocket methods.

Features

• Real-time Monitoring: Uses WebSocket connections for real-time block and event monitoring
• Latency Measurement: Calculates precise latency between block confirmation and event reception
• Statistical Analysis: Provides comprehensive statistics including mean, median, min, max, and standard deviation
• Detailed Logging: Comprehensive logging for debugging and monitoring
• Configurable: Customizable endpoint, duration, and block limits

Installation

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Install the required dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

Basic Usage

Run the script with default settings (5 minutes test on mainnet):

python base_latency_test.py

Advanced Usage

# Test for 10 minutes on mainnet
python base_latency_test.py --duration 600

# Test on a custom endpoint
python base_latency_test.py --endpoint wss://your-base-endpoint.com

# Test for 2 minutes on testnet
python base_latency_test.py --endpoint wss://goerli.base.org --duration 120

# Test with maximum block limit
python base_latency_test.py --duration 300 --blocks 50

Command Line Arguments

• --endpoint: Base RPC WebSocket endpoint (default: wss://mainnet.base.org)
• --duration: Test duration in seconds (default: 300)
• --blocks: Maximum number of blocks to test (optional)

How It Works

1. Connection: Establishes WebSocket connection to the Base RPC endpoint
2. Subscription: Subscribes to new block headers (newHeads) and logs/events
3. Monitoring: Listens for incoming messages and tracks:
   • Block confirmation timestamps
   • Event reception timestamps
   • Calculates latency between them
4. Statistics: Computes comprehensive latency statistics
5. Reporting: Displays detailed results with measurements

Output Example

============================================================
BASE BLOCKCHAIN LATENCY TEST RESULTS
============================================================
Total Measurements: 15
Average Latency: 245.67ms
Median Latency: 238.45ms
Min Latency: 189.23ms
Max Latency: 312.89ms
Standard Deviation: 34.56ms

Detailed Measurements:
------------------------------------------------------------
Block #12345678 | Hash: 0x1a2b3c4d5e... | Latency: 234.56ms | Time: 2024-01-15 14:30:25
Block #12345679 | Hash: 0x6f7g8h9i0j... | Latency: 267.89ms | Time: 2024-01-15 14:30:30
...
============================================================

Supported Endpoints

• Mainnet: wss://mainnet.base.org
• Testnet: wss://goerli.base.org
• Custom: Any WebSocket-enabled Base RPC endpoint

Technical Details

WebSocket Methods Used

• eth_subscribe with newHeads - Subscribe to new block headers
• eth_subscribe with logs - Subscribe to contract events/logs
• eth_getBlockByHash - Get detailed block information

Latency Calculation

The script measures latency as:

Latency = Event Reception Time - Block Confirmation Time

Error Handling

• Automatic reconnection on connection failures
• Graceful handling of malformed messages
• Timeout protection for message reception
• Comprehensive error logging

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Connection Failed: Check if the endpoint is correct and accessible
2. No Events Received: Some blocks may not contain events; the script will continue monitoring
3. High Latency: Network conditions or endpoint performance may affect latency

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging by modifying the logging level in the script:

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• websockets library
• Internet connection to Base RPC endpoint

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.