core: switch EVM tx context in ApplyMessage (ethereum#30809)

This change relocates the EVM tx context switching to the ApplyMessage function.
With this change, we can remove a lot of EVM.SetTxContext calls before
message execution.

### Tracing API changes

- This PR replaces the `GasPrice` field of the `VMContext` struct with
  `BaseFee`. Users may instead take the effective gas price from
  `tx.EffectiveGasTipValue(env.BaseFee)`.

---------

Co-authored-by: Sina Mahmoodi <[email protected]>

cmd/evm/internal/t8ntool/execution.go

@@ -253,16 +253,13 @@ func (pre *Prestate) Apply(vmConfig vm.Config, chainConfig *params.ChainConfig,
 		statedb.SetTxContext(tx.Hash(), txIndex)
 
 		var (
-			txContext = core.NewEVMTxContext(msg)
-			snapshot  = statedb.Snapshot()
-			prevGas   = gaspool.Gas()
+			snapshot = statedb.Snapshot()
+			prevGas  = gaspool.Gas()
 		)
 		if tracer != nil && tracer.OnTxStart != nil {
 			tracer.OnTxStart(evm.GetVMContext(), tx, msg.From)
 		}
 		// (ret []byte, usedGas uint64, failed bool, err error)
-
-		evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
 		msgResult, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, gaspool)
 		if err != nil {
 			statedb.RevertToSnapshot(snapshot)

core/block_validator.go

@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func (v *BlockValidator) ValidateBody(block *types.Block) error {
 		}
 
 		// The individual checks for blob validity (version-check + not empty)
-		// happens in StateTransition.
+		// happens in state transition.
 	}
 
 	// Check blob gas usage.

core/state_prefetcher.go

@@ -65,7 +65,10 @@ func (p *statePrefetcher) Prefetch(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, c
 			return // Also invalid block, bail out
 		}
 		statedb.SetTxContext(tx.Hash(), i)
-		if err := precacheTransaction(msg, gaspool, evm); err != nil {
+
+		// We attempt to apply a transaction. The goal is not to execute
+		// the transaction successfully, rather to warm up touched data slots.
+		if _, err := ApplyMessage(evm, msg, gaspool); err != nil {
 			return // Ugh, something went horribly wrong, bail out
 		}
 		// If we're pre-byzantium, pre-load trie nodes for the intermediate root
@@ -78,14 +81,3 @@ func (p *statePrefetcher) Prefetch(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, c
 		statedb.IntermediateRoot(true)
 	}
 }
-
-// precacheTransaction attempts to apply a transaction to the given state database
-// and uses the input parameters for its environment. The goal is not to execute
-// the transaction successfully, rather to warm up touched data slots.
-func precacheTransaction(msg *Message, gaspool *GasPool, evm *vm.EVM) error {
-	// Update the evm with the new transaction context.
-	evm.SetTxContext(NewEVMTxContext(msg))
-	// Add addresses to access list if applicable
-	_, err := ApplyMessage(evm, msg, gaspool)
-	return err
-}

core/state_processor.go

@@ -140,17 +140,11 @@ func ApplyTransactionWithEVM(msg *Message, gp *GasPool, statedb *state.StateDB,
 			defer func() { hooks.OnTxEnd(receipt, err) }()
 		}
 	}
-
-	// Create a new context to be used in the EVM environment.
-	txContext := NewEVMTxContext(msg)
-	evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
-
 	// Apply the transaction to the current state (included in the env).
 	result, err := ApplyMessage(evm, msg, gp)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
 	// Update the state with pending changes.
 	var root []byte
 	if evm.ChainConfig().IsByzantium(blockNumber) {

core/state_transition.go

@@ -187,10 +187,11 @@ func TransactionToMessage(tx *types.Transaction, s types.Signer, baseFee *big.In
 // indicates a core error meaning that the message would always fail for that particular
 // state and would never be accepted within a block.
 func ApplyMessage(evm *vm.EVM, msg *Message, gp *GasPool) (*ExecutionResult, error) {
-	return NewStateTransition(evm, msg, gp).TransitionDb()
+	evm.SetTxContext(NewEVMTxContext(msg))
+	return newStateTransition(evm, msg, gp).execute()
 }
 
-// StateTransition represents a state transition.
+// stateTransition represents a state transition.
 //
 // == The State Transitioning Model
 //
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ func ApplyMessage(evm *vm.EVM, msg *Message, gp *GasPool) (*ExecutionResult, err
 //
 //  5. Run Script section
 //  6. Derive new state root
-type StateTransition struct {
+type stateTransition struct {
 	gp           *GasPool
 	msg          *Message
 	gasRemaining uint64
@@ -221,9 +222,9 @@ type StateTransition struct {
 	evm          *vm.EVM
 }
 
-// NewStateTransition initialises and returns a new state transition object.
-func NewStateTransition(evm *vm.EVM, msg *Message, gp *GasPool) *StateTransition {
-	return &StateTransition{
+// newStateTransition initialises and returns a new state transition object.
+func newStateTransition(evm *vm.EVM, msg *Message, gp *GasPool) *stateTransition {
+	return &stateTransition{
 		gp:    gp,
 		evm:   evm,
 		msg:   msg,
@@ -232,14 +233,14 @@ func NewStateTransition(evm *vm.EVM, msg *Message, gp *GasPool) *StateTransition
 }
 
 // to returns the recipient of the message.
-func (st *StateTransition) to() common.Address {
+func (st *stateTransition) to() common.Address {
 	if st.msg == nil || st.msg.To == nil /* contract creation */ {
 		return common.Address{}
 	}
 	return *st.msg.To
 }
 
-func (st *StateTransition) buyGas() error {
+func (st *stateTransition) buyGas() error {
 	mgval := new(big.Int).SetUint64(st.msg.GasLimit)
 	mgval.Mul(mgval, st.msg.GasPrice)
 	balanceCheck := new(big.Int).Set(mgval)
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ func (st *StateTransition) buyGas() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (st *StateTransition) preCheck() error {
+func (st *stateTransition) preCheck() error {
 	// Only check transactions that are not fake
 	msg := st.msg
 	if !msg.SkipNonceChecks {
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@ func (st *StateTransition) preCheck() error {
 	return st.buyGas()
 }
 
-// TransitionDb will transition the state by applying the current message and
+// execute will transition the state by applying the current message and
 // returning the evm execution result with following fields.
 //
 //   - used gas: total gas used (including gas being refunded)
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ func (st *StateTransition) preCheck() error {
 //
 // However if any consensus issue encountered, return the error directly with
 // nil evm execution result.
-func (st *StateTransition) TransitionDb() (*ExecutionResult, error) {
+func (st *stateTransition) execute() (*ExecutionResult, error) {
 	// First check this message satisfies all consensus rules before
 	// applying the message. The rules include these clauses
 	//
@@ -493,7 +494,7 @@ func (st *StateTransition) TransitionDb() (*ExecutionResult, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (st *StateTransition) refundGas(refundQuotient uint64) uint64 {
+func (st *stateTransition) refundGas(refundQuotient uint64) uint64 {
 	// Apply refund counter, capped to a refund quotient
 	refund := st.gasUsed() / refundQuotient
 	if refund > st.state.GetRefund() {
@@ -523,11 +524,11 @@ func (st *StateTransition) refundGas(refundQuotient uint64) uint64 {
 }
 
 // gasUsed returns the amount of gas used up by the state transition.
-func (st *StateTransition) gasUsed() uint64 {
+func (st *stateTransition) gasUsed() uint64 {
 	return st.initialGas - st.gasRemaining
 }
 
 // blobGasUsed returns the amount of blob gas used by the message.
-func (st *StateTransition) blobGasUsed() uint64 {
+func (st *stateTransition) blobGasUsed() uint64 {
 	return uint64(len(st.msg.BlobHashes) * params.BlobTxBlobGasPerBlob)
 }

core/tracing/hooks.go

@@ -55,9 +55,8 @@ type VMContext struct {
 	BlockNumber *big.Int
 	Time        uint64
 	Random      *common.Hash
-	// Effective tx gas price
-	GasPrice *big.Int
-	StateDB  StateDB
+	BaseFee     *big.Int
+	StateDB     StateDB
 }
 
 // BlockEvent is emitted upon tracing an incoming block.

core/vm/evm.go

@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ func (evm *EVM) GetVMContext() *tracing.VMContext {
 		BlockNumber: evm.Context.BlockNumber,
 		Time:        evm.Context.Time,
 		Random:      evm.Context.Random,
-		GasPrice:    evm.TxContext.GasPrice,
+		BaseFee:     evm.Context.BaseFee,
 		StateDB:     evm.StateDB,
 	}
 }

eth/gasestimator/gasestimator.go

@@ -217,21 +217,19 @@ func execute(ctx context.Context, call *core.Message, opts *Options, gasLimit ui
 func run(ctx context.Context, call *core.Message, opts *Options) (*core.ExecutionResult, error) {
 	// Assemble the call and the call context
 	var (
-		msgContext = core.NewEVMTxContext(call)
 		evmContext = core.NewEVMBlockContext(opts.Header, opts.Chain, nil)
-
 		dirtyState = opts.State.Copy()
 	)
 	// Lower the basefee to 0 to avoid breaking EVM
 	// invariants (basefee < feecap).
-	if msgContext.GasPrice.Sign() == 0 {
+	if call.GasPrice.Sign() == 0 {
 		evmContext.BaseFee = new(big.Int)
 	}
-	if msgContext.BlobFeeCap != nil && msgContext.BlobFeeCap.BitLen() == 0 {
+	if call.BlobGasFeeCap != nil && call.BlobGasFeeCap.BitLen() == 0 {
 		evmContext.BlobBaseFee = new(big.Int)
 	}
 	evm := vm.NewEVM(evmContext, dirtyState, opts.Config, vm.Config{NoBaseFee: true})
-	evm.SetTxContext(msgContext)
+
 	// Monitor the outer context and interrupt the EVM upon cancellation. To avoid
 	// a dangling goroutine until the outer estimation finishes, create an internal
 	// context for the lifetime of this method call.

eth/state_accessor.go

@@ -255,8 +255,6 @@ func (eth *Ethereum) stateAtTransaction(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block,
 		}
 		// Assemble the transaction call message and return if the requested offset
 		msg, _ := core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
-		txContext := core.NewEVMTxContext(msg)
-		evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
 
 		// Not yet the searched for transaction, execute on top of the current state
 		statedb.SetTxContext(tx.Hash(), idx)

eth/tracers/api.go

@@ -546,11 +546,7 @@ func (api *API) IntermediateRoots(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash, config
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		var (
-			msg, _    = core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
-			txContext = core.NewEVMTxContext(msg)
-		)
-		evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
+		msg, _ := core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
 		statedb.SetTxContext(tx.Hash(), i)
 		if _, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(msg.GasLimit)); err != nil {
 			log.Warn("Tracing intermediate roots did not complete", "txindex", i, "txhash", tx.Hash(), "err", err)
@@ -708,7 +704,6 @@ txloop:
 		// Generate the next state snapshot fast without tracing
 		msg, _ := core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
 		statedb.SetTxContext(tx.Hash(), i)
-		evm.SetTxContext(core.NewEVMTxContext(msg))
 		if _, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(msg.GasLimit)); err != nil {
 			failed = err
 			break txloop
@@ -792,12 +787,11 @@ func (api *API) standardTraceBlockToFile(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block
 	for i, tx := range block.Transactions() {
 		// Prepare the transaction for un-traced execution
 		var (
-			msg, _    = core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
-			txContext = core.NewEVMTxContext(msg)
-			vmConf    vm.Config
-			dump      *os.File
-			writer    *bufio.Writer
-			err       error
+			msg, _ = core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
+			vmConf vm.Config
+			dump   *os.File
+			writer *bufio.Writer
+			err    error
 		)
 		// If the transaction needs tracing, swap out the configs
 		if tx.Hash() == txHash || txHash == (common.Hash{}) {
@@ -820,7 +814,6 @@ func (api *API) standardTraceBlockToFile(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block
 			}
 		}
 		// Execute the transaction and flush any traces to disk
-		evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
 		statedb.SetTxContext(tx.Hash(), i)
 		if vmConf.Tracer.OnTxStart != nil {
 			vmConf.Tracer.OnTxStart(evm.GetVMContext(), tx, msg.From)
@@ -1016,7 +1009,6 @@ func (api *API) traceTx(ctx context.Context, tx *types.Transaction, message *cor
 	}
 	// The actual TxContext will be created as part of ApplyTransactionWithEVM.
 	evm := vm.NewEVM(vmctx, statedb, api.backend.ChainConfig(), vm.Config{Tracer: tracer.Hooks, NoBaseFee: true})
-	evm.SetTxContext(vm.TxContext{GasPrice: message.GasPrice, BlobFeeCap: message.BlobGasFeeCap})
 
 	// Define a meaningful timeout of a single transaction trace
 	if config.Timeout != nil {

eth/tracers/api_test.go

@@ -177,8 +177,6 @@ func (b *testBackend) StateAtTransaction(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block
 			return tx, context, statedb, release, nil
 		}
 		msg, _ := core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, block.BaseFee())
-		txContext := core.NewEVMTxContext(msg)
-		evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
 		if _, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(tx.Gas())); err != nil {
 			return nil, vm.BlockContext{}, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("transaction %#x failed: %v", tx.Hash(), err)
 		}

eth/tracers/internal/tracetest/calltrace_test.go

@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ func testCallTracer(tracerName string, dirPath string, t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("failed to prepare transaction for tracing: %v", err)
 			}
 			evm := vm.NewEVM(context, logState, test.Genesis.Config, vm.Config{Tracer: tracer.Hooks})
-			evm.SetTxContext(core.NewEVMTxContext(msg))
 			tracer.OnTxStart(evm.GetVMContext(), tx, msg.From)
 			vmRet, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(tx.Gas()))
 			if err != nil {
@@ -206,11 +205,6 @@ func benchTracer(tracerName string, test *callTracerTest, b *testing.B) {
 		b.Fatalf("failed to parse testcase input: %v", err)
 	}
 	signer := types.MakeSigner(test.Genesis.Config, new(big.Int).SetUint64(uint64(test.Context.Number)), uint64(test.Context.Time))
-	origin, _ := signer.Sender(tx)
-	txContext := vm.TxContext{
-		Origin:   origin,
-		GasPrice: tx.GasPrice(),
-	}
 	context := test.Context.toBlockContext(test.Genesis)
 	msg, err := core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, context.BaseFee)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -222,19 +216,25 @@ func benchTracer(tracerName string, test *callTracerTest, b *testing.B) {
 	b.ReportAllocs()
 	b.ResetTimer()
 
-	tracer, err := tracers.DefaultDirectory.New(tracerName, new(tracers.Context), nil, test.Genesis.Config)
-	if err != nil {
-		b.Fatalf("failed to create call tracer: %v", err)
-	}
-	evm := vm.NewEVM(context, state.StateDB, test.Genesis.Config, vm.Config{Tracer: tracer.Hooks})
-	evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
+	evm := vm.NewEVM(context, state.StateDB, test.Genesis.Config, vm.Config{})
 
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
 		snap := state.StateDB.Snapshot()
-		st := core.NewStateTransition(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(tx.Gas()))
-		if _, err = st.TransitionDb(); err != nil {
+		tracer, err := tracers.DefaultDirectory.New(tracerName, new(tracers.Context), nil, test.Genesis.Config)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("failed to create call tracer: %v", err)
+		}
+		evm.Config.Tracer = tracer.Hooks
+		if tracer.OnTxStart != nil {
+			tracer.OnTxStart(evm.GetVMContext(), tx, msg.From)
+		}
+		_, err = core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(tx.Gas()))
+		if err != nil {
 			b.Fatalf("failed to execute transaction: %v", err)
 		}
+		if tracer.OnTxEnd != nil {
+			tracer.OnTxEnd(&types.Receipt{GasUsed: tx.Gas()}, nil)
+		}
 		if _, err = tracer.GetResult(); err != nil {
 			b.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -372,12 +372,7 @@ func TestInternals(t *testing.T) {
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("test %v: failed to sign transaction: %v", tc.name, err)
 			}
-			txContext := vm.TxContext{
-				Origin:   origin,
-				GasPrice: tx.GasPrice(),
-			}
 			evm := vm.NewEVM(context, logState, config, vm.Config{Tracer: tc.tracer.Hooks})
-			evm.SetTxContext(txContext)
 			msg, err := core.TransactionToMessage(tx, signer, big.NewInt(0))
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("test %v: failed to create message: %v", tc.name, err)

eth/tracers/internal/tracetest/flat_calltrace_test.go

@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ func flatCallTracerTestRunner(tracerName string, filename string, dirPath string
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to prepare transaction for tracing: %v", err)
 	}
 	evm := vm.NewEVM(context, state.StateDB, test.Genesis.Config, vm.Config{Tracer: tracer.Hooks})
-	evm.SetTxContext(core.NewEVMTxContext(msg))
 	tracer.OnTxStart(evm.GetVMContext(), tx, msg.From)
 	vmRet, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(tx.Gas()))
 	if err != nil {

eth/tracers/internal/tracetest/prestate_test.go

@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ func testPrestateDiffTracer(tracerName string, dirPath string, t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("failed to prepare transaction for tracing: %v", err)
 			}
 			evm := vm.NewEVM(context, state.StateDB, test.Genesis.Config, vm.Config{Tracer: tracer.Hooks})
-			evm.SetTxContext(core.NewEVMTxContext(msg))
 			tracer.OnTxStart(evm.GetVMContext(), tx, msg.From)
 			vmRet, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, new(core.GasPool).AddGas(tx.Gas()))
 			if err != nil {

eth/tracers/js/goja.go

@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ func (t *jsTracer) OnTxStart(env *tracing.VMContext, tx *types.Transaction, from
 	t.activePrecompiles = vm.ActivePrecompiles(rules)
 	t.ctx["block"] = t.vm.ToValue(t.env.BlockNumber.Uint64())
 	t.ctx["gas"] = t.vm.ToValue(tx.Gas())
-	gasPriceBig, err := t.toBig(t.vm, env.GasPrice.String())
+	gasPriceBig, err := t.toBig(t.vm, tx.EffectiveGasTipValue(env.BaseFee).String())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.err = err
 		return