node_key missing in /status endpoint for non-validator nodes

[kucharskim]

Under /status endpoint, .node_key is missing for an RPC node. At present, from my observation, only Validators have .node_key present. I think all nodes should have that json entry, no matter are they validator, or not.

$ curl -s validator:3030/status | jq -r .version  
{
  "version": "1.29.0",
  "build": "1.29.0",
  "rustc_version": "1.62.1"
}

$ curl -s validator:3030/status | jq -r .node_key
ed25519:5Y9hW8cKBb5RnsJBqttHHC5ujz5zcZZ5xnrJPwkCWmGQ

$ curl -s rpc:3030/status | jq -r .version  
{
  "version": "1.29.0",
  "build": "1.29.0",
  "rustc_version": "1.62.1"
}

$ curl -s rpc:3030/status | jq -r .node_key
null

From above output my expectation from operational perspective would be that all nodes would return public part of node key via curl -s rpc:3030/status | jq -r .node_key however non-validators return null.

[mina86]

It looks like, node_key is a misnomer. It shows the validator public key not the node key. I wonder if we should rename the field and if we do how many people’s scripts will break.

[kucharskim]

Shoot. I didn't even notice. I would change this and drop node_key for 2 mainnet releases and scream out loud on Telegram, Discord, email and release notes that node_key is renamed to validator_key (names based on settings in config.json without _file suffix). Then 2 releases later would introduce node_key back as content of the node key. However the question is then, what do expect people to put into public_addrs - the node key or validator key? I thought all this time that node key was added to /status endpoint because of public_addrs content.

[kucharskim]

This is super confusing and in long run, as painful as it is, I would break people scripts, but scream loud that this is going to happen.

[mina86]

I think node key should go into public_addrs but in reality I think it might not matter. The node will connect, notice node key is different and update its bookkeeping. @pompon0, any thoughts on what to do here?

[kucharskim]

Then why you created public_addrs in the first place? Keep it simple then and drop the req of node key there.