Q Contract Registry & Decentralized Upgrade Mechanism

Smart Contract Registry

The Q blockchain hosts a range of native applications and core system contracts that power its governance, DeFi ecosystem, and protocol operations. These include the Root Node panel, expert panels, proxy contracts, governance contracts for proposals and voting, and more.

To maintain clarity and prevent mismatches between outdated and updated contract versions, Q employs a native Smart Contract Registry. This registry acts as the authoritative reference for all system contract addresses on the network.

Whenever contracts are upgraded or new components are introduced, the registry ensures that every part of the ecosystem interacts with the correct contract version. By keeping the system organized and transparent, the registry helps maintain network integrity as the protocol evolves.

Decentralized Contract Upgrade Process

Q's upgrade mechanism is designed for flexibility and security, balancing decentralization with procedural rigor.

There are two main upgrade paths: - Proxy-based upgrades: System contracts often follow the proxy pattern, allowing the contract logic to be updated while preserving existing data and state. - Direct registry updates: In some cases, the contract address linked in the registry is updated to point to an entirely new contract.

Regardless of the method, both follow a multi-step, decentralized governance process:

  1. Proposal Stage: A Q Improvement Proposal (QIP) is submitted, detailing the intended contract changes.
  2. Development: A technical team develops and tests the new contract logic.
  3. Community Vote: The Q community votes on the QIP, following the governance parameters defined in the Q constitution.
  4. Registry Maintainers: If approved, the registry maintainers (operating via multisig) submit an onchain proposal to implement the changes.
  5. Root Node Approval: Root nodes verify that the proposal matches the community-approved QIP.
  6. Finalization: Once a majority of Root Nodes approve onchain, the upgrade is automatically executed. If the required majority is not reached within the designated time window, the proposal expires, ensuring that unapproved or neglected upgrades do not linger.

This process ensures that contract upgrades are not only technically sound but also democratically legitimate and legally accountable. By integrating community governance, technical review, and Root Node oversight, Q’s upgrade mechanism preserves network integrity while enabling continuous innovation.

Note: This concept of checks and balances, and the Root Node oversight in particular, are not limited to the native Q protocol. Third party applications managed by decentralized autonomous organisations (DAOs) can integrate their own DAO governance into the Q governance framework, putting their treasury or code upgrades under Root Node oversight protection.