Indexer and validator dependency
Why every Atomicals answer is version scoped, and how to handle two sources that disagree.
Protocol behavior Verified 2026-08-31
Describes the Atomicals protocol itself at the pinned reference revision. It does not promise that any product exposes it.
- Page ID
-
protocol/core/indexer-dependency - Normative authority
- Atomicals reference implementation
- Networks
- mainnet
- Documentation version
- 2026.08
- Audience
- developer, operator, integrator
- Owner
- bitcoin-universe-docs
- Sources
-
- Atomicals ElectrumX
at
v1.5.2.0 - Universe Atomicals NFT, Realm, and Subrealm index
at
1d9109c68d95private repository
- Atomicals ElectrumX
at
- Known limitations
-
- Two sources agreeing does not prove either is right. It proves they share an interpretation.
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Bitcoin does not know what an Atomical is. Every Atomicals answer comes from software that reads blocks and applies rules. That software has a version, a network, a chain position, and a set of active rules.
What every answer is scoped to
Section titled “What every answer is scoped to”| Scope | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Validator revision | Decides how the transaction is interpreted |
| Network | Decides which activation conditions apply |
| Block height | Decides which rules were active for that transaction |
| Generation | Decides which consistent snapshot you are reading |
| Projection | Decides which asset kinds are even included |
A source that does not tell you all five is not usable for a value decision.
Projections exclude things on purpose
Section titled “Projections exclude things on purpose”An index can deliberately cover a subset. The Universe NFT and Realm read model projects plain NFTs, Realms, and Subrealms, and excludes fungible tokens, Containers, and DMINT items. Asking it about a Container is not a bug when it returns nothing. It is out of scope by declaration.
Always read the projection declaration before concluding that an asset does not exist.
When two sources disagree
Section titled “When two sources disagree”Do not vote. Investigate in this order:
- Are they on the same network?
- Are they at the same chain position, or is one behind?
- Are they at the same validator revision?
- Is the behavior in question activation sensitive at the height involved?
- Do they cover the same projection?
Only after all five match does a disagreement mean one of them is wrong.
Practical rule
Section titled “Practical rule”For anything with value at stake, compare more than one compatible source, and treat any disagreement as a hold, not a tie-break. Record the revision and generation of each answer so the difference can be explained afterwards.