archive_v1_finalizedHeight - Bittensor RPC Method

Returns the height (block number) of the highest finalized block known to the archive node. Finalized blocks are guaranteed to never be reverted by the GRANDPA finality gadget. This method provides a quick way to determine how far the finalized chain has progressed without needing to resolve block hashes.

Parameters

None.

Response

Code Examples

Use Cases

• Indexer checkpoints -- Determine the safe finalized height before committing indexed data to your database. Only data at or below this height is guaranteed immutable.
• Sync progress monitoring -- Compare the finalized height against the latest best block to gauge how far behind finalization is.
• Data pipeline boundaries -- Set upper bounds on block ranges for batch processing, ensuring you only process finalized blocks for analytics on Bittensor subnet activity.
• Safe state queries -- Use the finalized height to derive a block hash (via archive_v1_hashByHeight) and then query storage at that hash, ensuring the state you read cannot be reverted.

Bittensor Context

Bittensor uses GRANDPA for deterministic finality. Once a block is finalized, all extrinsics in it (TAO transfers, subnet registrations, weight updates, staking operations) are permanently committed. Indexers and analytics tools should only treat data as authoritative after finalization.

Notes

• This method is part of the new JSON-RPC v2 specification and may not be enabled on all Bittensor nodes.
• The finalized height increases monotonically and should never decrease.
• On public shared RPC endpoints the archive namespace may be disabled or rate-limited.

Related Methods

• archive_v1_hashByHeight -- Convert the finalized height to a block hash
• archive_v1_header -- Fetch the header at the finalized height
• chain_getFinalizedHead -- Legacy method returning the finalized block hash
• chainHead_v1_follow -- Follow the chain head including finality notifications