Fixing Shapeshift Relay: Handling Chain Disabled Errors

In the ever-evolving world of decentralized finance (DeFi), Shapeshift plays a crucial role as a non-custodial platform that facilitates seamless cryptocurrency swaps. However, like any complex system, it can encounter unexpected issues. This article dives into a specific problem: unhandled "Chain Disabled" errors within Shapeshift's Relay service. These errors, currently causing issues with Gnosis sells, lead to failed swaps and a less-than-ideal user experience. We'll explore the root cause of the problem, the proposed solutions, and their implications for the platform.

The "Chain Disabled" Dilemma and Its Impact

The core of the problem lies in the "Chain Disabled" errors originating from the Relay service. These errors manifest as HTTP 400 responses, indicating a problem on the server side. Specifically, the error message is {"message":"Chain Disabled","errorCode":"CHAIN_DISABLED"}. When these errors occur, the Shapeshift swapper fails silently. This means that users might initiate a swap, but it won't go through, and they might not even receive a clear indication of what went wrong. This lack of clear error handling can be frustrating for users, as they are left wondering why their transaction didn't complete. Furthermore, the absence of proper error handling in the code can lead to inefficiencies and potential financial losses for users. A broken or non-functional swapping mechanism is a major drawback for any platform. The platform's reliability is affected, which affects the credibility of the platform as a whole. Resolving these issues is important for increasing the trustworthiness of Shapeshift and other platforms that depend on it.

Shapeshift and Relay play key roles in enabling the swapping of crypto assets. The current issue undermines the reliability of the platform. Therefore, this issue must be fixed to improve the user experience and maintain the integrity of Shapeshift. Currently, when the "Chain Disabled" error occurs, the swapper doesn't handle it gracefully. It misses important error handling mechanisms. The absence of these mechanisms results in failed swaps, which affects the user experience.

Unveiling the Technical Details: Code and Error Handling

Looking deeper into the technical aspects, the problem involves the lack of appropriate error handling within the swapper's code. Specifically, the existing code doesn't account for the "Chain Disabled" error. This oversight leads to the silent failure of swaps. The existing code lacks proper error handling. This absence is critical. This means that the swapper fails without alerting the user or taking corrective actions. The error handling mechanism is missing a crucial component. This component is essential for detecting, managing, and resolving the "Chain Disabled" errors. This oversight can lead to confusion and frustration for users who are unable to complete their swaps. The swapper code needs to be updated to detect and manage the "Chain Disabled" errors.

The original code is missing monadic error handling. This means that the code does not correctly handle the errors that are returned. Moreover, the Relay service is not correctly integrated into the swapper's error reporting. These shortcomings cause failed transactions and a frustrating user experience. The images provided highlight the issue. The code needs to be updated to integrate the Relay service correctly into the error-handling mechanism.

Proposed Solutions and Acceptance Criteria

To address this issue, two primary solutions are proposed:

1. Testing with Gnosis (Temporarily Disabled): The first step involves testing the system with Gnosis, a blockchain that is currently disabled. This allows developers to simulate the "Chain Disabled" error and observe how the system responds. This testing phase is crucial to verify that the implemented solutions effectively handle the error. The goal is to simulate the errors and see how the system responds. This step ensures that the implemented solutions function correctly. Testing is essential. This is a common practice in software development to ensure the quality and stability of the code.
2. Monkey Patching the Error: The second solution involves "monkey patching" the error. This means modifying the code to handle the "Chain Disabled" error. The aim is to handle this error across the board. The goal is to ensure that the error is managed correctly across the entire system. This action involves modifying the code to include error handling. This is critical for preventing silent failures and improving the user experience.

Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criteria for this fix are straightforward:

• Success with Gnosis: The system should successfully handle the "Chain Disabled" error when testing with Gnosis. This confirms the effectiveness of the implemented solutions.
• Comprehensive Error Handling: The Relay disabled chain error should be properly handled across the entire system. This ensures that the error is managed consistently, preventing silent failures and improving the user experience.

Impact and Importance of Resolution

The successful resolution of these "Chain Disabled" errors is paramount for several reasons:

• Improved User Experience: By handling these errors, Shapeshift can provide a more reliable and user-friendly experience. Users will receive clear error messages and understand why their swaps might fail.
• Enhanced Reliability: Proper error handling increases the reliability of the platform. Users can trust that their transactions will either succeed or provide clear feedback if they encounter a problem.
• Increased Trust: Addressing these issues fosters trust in the Shapeshift platform. Users are more likely to use the platform if they know that their transactions will be handled professionally.
• Reduced Support Requests: Better error handling reduces the number of support requests. Users will be able to resolve common problems without assistance.

Conclusion: Navigating the Path to a More Robust Shapeshift

Addressing the "Chain Disabled" errors is essential to improving Shapeshift's user experience and reliability. By implementing the proposed solutions, developers can enhance the error-handling capabilities of the platform, ensuring smooth and transparent transactions for all users. The proposed solution is to test with Gnosis, which is currently disabled. This step enables the developers to simulate the errors. This crucial step is crucial for verifying that the implemented solutions effectively handle the error. The second solution involves "monkey patching" the error. This means modifying the code to handle the "Chain Disabled" error across the board. The aim is to ensure that the error is managed correctly across the entire system.

The development team should focus on ensuring that error messages are clear and helpful for users. It is also important to implement robust error-handling mechanisms that can gracefully manage different types of issues. By prioritizing these improvements, Shapeshift can ensure that its users have a seamless experience. This approach will contribute to the growth and success of the platform.

In summary, addressing the "Chain Disabled" errors is a crucial step towards creating a more resilient and user-friendly Shapeshift platform.

For more information on handling errors in decentralized applications, you might find resources on Web3 error handling helpful. Web3.js Documentation provides comprehensive guides on handling errors within the Web3.js library, a common tool for interacting with Ethereum and other blockchain networks. This can be very useful for understanding the technicalities behind error handling in the context of DeFi platforms like Shapeshift.