Bittensor SDK Skill

Comprehensive Bittensor blockchain interaction skill for agents. Enables seamless interaction with the Bittensor decentralized AI network through the Python SDK.

Overview

Bittensor is a decentralized machine learning network where independent subnets compete for TAO token emissions. This skill provides agents with full access to:

• Wallet Management: Coldkey/hotkey operations, proxy relationships
• Staking Operations: Stake/unstake TAO, auto-staking, safe staking
• Subnet Management: Query subnet info, hyperparameters, registration
• Neuron Operations: Register neurons, query metagraphs, weight management
• Emissions & Rewards: Track emissions, claim root dividends, reward distribution

Key Concepts

Core Terminology

• Coldkey: User's main wallet key for transfers and overall wallet management
• Hotkey: Key used for neuron operations (mining/validation)
• Netuid: Unique identifier for a subnet (0 = Root Subnet)
• UID: Unique identifier for a neuron on a specific subnet
• Metagraph: Complete state of a subnet at a given block
• TAO: Base network token (1 TAO = 1e9 Rao)
• Alpha: Subnet-specific token representing staked TAO
• Rao: Smallest unit of TAO

Network Types

• finney: Bittensor mainnet
• test: Bittensor test network
• local: Locally deployed blockchain

Installation

Prerequisites

pip install bittensor>=8.0.0

Opencode Installation

cp -r skills/bittensor-sdk ~/.opencode/skills/

How It Works

1. Initialization

The skill initializes the Subtensor interface for blockchain interaction:

import bittensor as bt

# Connect to mainnet
subtensor = bt.Subtensor(network="finney")

# Connect to testnet
subtensor = bt.Subtensor(network="test")

# Custom network with fallback endpoints
subtensor = bt.Subtensor(
    network="finney",
    fallback_endpoints=["wss://entrypoint-finney.opentensor.ai:443"],
    retry_forever=True
)

2. Wallet Setup

from bittensor import wallet

# Load existing wallet
wallet = bt.Wallet()

# Create new wallet
wallet = bt.Wallet(name="my_wallet", hotkey="miner1")

# Check balances
coldkey_balance = wallet.coldkey_balance
print(f"Coldkey balance: {coldkey_balance}")

3. Core Operations

Query Subnet Information

# Get all subnet netuids
netuids = subtensor.get_all_subnets_netuid()
print(f"Available subnets: {netuids}")

# Get detailed subnet info
subnet_info = subtensor.get_subnet_info(netuid=1)
print(f"Subnet 1 info: {subnet_info}")

Stake TAO

from bittensor import Balance

# Stake TAO to a hotkey
amount = Balance.from_tao(10.0)  # 10 TAO
result = subtensor.add_stake(
    wallet=wallet,
    netuid=1,
    hotkey_ss58="5Hx...",  # Hotkey SS58 address
    amount=amount,
    safe_staking=True,     # Enable price protection
    allow_partial_stake=True
)
print(f"Stake result: {result}")

Register Neuron

# Burned registration (recycle TAO)
result = subtensor.burned_register(
    wallet=wallet,
    netuid=1
)

# POW registration (computational proof)
result = subtensor.register(
    wallet=wallet,
    netuid=1
)

Query Metagraph

# Get metagraph for a subnet
metagraph = subtensor.metagraph(netuid=1)

print(f"Number of neurons: {metagraph.n}")
print(f"Stake per neuron: {metagraph.S}")
print(f"Rewards: {metagraph.R}")
print(f"Hotkeys: {metagraph.hotkeys}")

Set Weights

import numpy as np

# Validator sets weights for miners
uids = np.array([0, 1, 2, 3, 4])  # Miner UIDs
weights = np.array([0.2, 0.3, 0.2, 0.15, 0.15])  # Normalized weights

result = subtensor.set_weights(
    wallet=validator_wallet,
    netuid=1,
    uids=uids,
    weights=weights,
    wait_for_inclusion=True,
    wait_for_finalization=True
)

Usage Examples

Example 1: Complete Miner Setup

import bittensor as bt
from bittensor import Balance
import numpy as np

# Initialize
subtensor = bt.Subtensor(network="finney")
wallet = bt.Wallet(name="miner_wallet", hotkey="miner1")

# Check balance
balance = subtensor.get_balance(wallet.coldkey.ss58_address)
print(f"Balance: {balance.tao} TAO")

# Register on subnet 1
print("Registering neuron...")
result = subtensor.register(
    wallet=wallet,
    netuid=1,
    wait_for_inclusion=True
)

# Get metagraph info
metagraph = subtensor.metagraph(netuid=1)
print(f"Neurons on subnet 1: {metagraph.n}")

# Check my neuron
my_uid = metagraph.hotkeys.index(wallet.hotkey.ss58_address)
my_neuron = metagraph.neurons[my_uid]
print(f"My UID: {my_uid}")
print(f"My stake: {my_neuron.stake}")
print(f"My emission: {my_neuron.emission}")

Example 2: Validator Operations

import bittensor as bt
from bittensor import Balance
import numpy as np

# Initialize
subtensor = bt.Subtensor(network="finney")
validator_wallet = bt.Wallet(name="validator", hotkey="val1")

# Get metagraph
metagraph = subtensor.metagraph(netuid=1)
print(f"Total miners: {metagraph.n}")

# Calculate weights based on performance
weights = np.zeros(metagraph.n)
for i in range(metagraph.n):
    weights[i] = metagraph.R[i] * 0.7 + metagraph.S[i] * 0.3

# Normalize weights
weights = weights / weights.sum()

# Set weights
result = subtensor.set_weights(
    wallet=validator_wallet,
    netuid=1,
    uids=np.arange(metagraph.n),
    weights=weights,
    wait_for_inclusion=True,
    wait_for_finalization=True
)

print(f"Weights set: {result.success}")

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Problem: Unable to connect to network Solution:

# Use fallback endpoints
subtensor = bt.Subtensor(
    network="finney",
    fallback_endpoints=[
        "wss://entrypoint-finney.opentensor.ai:443",
        "wss://finney.opentensor.io:443"
    ],
    retry_forever=True
)

Rate Limiting

Problem: Too many requests error Solution:

import time
time.sleep(1)  # Rate limit delays

Registration Failures

Problem: Registration fails repeatedly Solutions:

1. Check balance (need > 1 TAO for burn registration)
2. Verify POW solution is correct
3. Check network connectivity
4. Try different registration method

Wallet Issues

Problem: Wallet not found Solution:

# Create new wallet
wallet = bt.Wallet(name="new_wallet", hotkey="new_hotkey")
wallet.create_if_non_existing()

Best Practices

1. Always close connections: Use subtensor.close() when done
2. Handle errors gracefully: Use try-except blocks
3. Implement rate limiting: Don't exceed network limits
4. Use MEV protection: Enable for large transactions
5. Monitor emissions: Track network health
6. Use safe staking: Enable price protection
7. Keep keys secure: Never expose private keys

Security Considerations

1. Private keys: Never expose or log private keys
2. Seed phrases: Store securely, never share
3. Transaction signing: Always verify before signing
4. MEV protection: Enable for large transactions
5. Proxy permissions: Understand proxy types before delegating
6. Rate limiting: Prevent DoS by respecting limits

Present Results to Users

When presenting Bittensor SDK results to users:

1. Format TAO amounts clearly: Show both TAO and Rao when relevant
2. Explain network concepts: Clarify coldkey/hotkey, netuid, UID for non-technical users
3. Highlight key metrics: Emphasize important values like stake, emission, registration costs
4. Include relevant links: Link to documentation for deeper exploration
5. Note risks: Highlight potential issues like deregistration risk, rate limits

Example output format:

=== Subnet 1 Status ===
Neurons: 256 registered
Total Stake: 125,450.5 TAO
Emission: 0.123 TAO/block
Registration Cost: 5.2 TAO
Validator Take: 18%
═══════════════════════════════════

References

• Bittensor Documentation
• Bittensor SDK Reference
• Learn Bittensor
• Taostats API
• Bittensor GitHub

Detailed Documentation

For complete API reference, extended examples, and comprehensive troubleshooting, see:

• API Reference - Complete method documentation
• Extended Examples - Advanced usage patterns
• Quick Reference - Common operations summary