{
  "schema_version": "protocol.v1",
  "slug": "helios",
  "name": "Helios",
  "status": "production-ready",
  "website": "https://github.com/a16z/helios",
  "summary": "Fast, secure, portable multichain Ethereum light client that turns an untrusted centralized RPC endpoint into a locally verifiable RPC for wallets and dapps.",
  "categories": [
    "privacy",
    "rpc",
    "light-client",
    "wallets"
  ],
  "chains": [
    "ethereum",
    "base",
    "optimism"
  ],
  "best_for": [
    "wallets and dapps reducing dependency on trusted RPC responses",
    "privacy-sensitive clients that want local verification before using RPC data",
    "Kohaku-style wallet provider abstraction"
  ],
  "avoid_for": [
    "hiding network metadata by itself; pair with private networking or user-controlled RPC policy",
    "chains or RPC providers that do not expose required proof APIs"
  ],
  "integration_difficulty": "medium",
  "tags": [
    "helios",
    "light-client",
    "private-rpc",
    "wallet-privacy"
  ],
  "composition": [
    {
      "slug": "kohaku",
      "role": "privacy_layer",
      "direction": "supports",
      "relationship": "Kohaku-style wallet stacks can use Helios for locally verified RPC reads and provider abstraction."
    },
    {
      "slug": "fluidkey",
      "role": "privacy_layer",
      "direction": "supports",
      "relationship": "Wallets using stealth-address receiving flows can pair Helios with user-controlled RPC verification policy."
    },
    {
      "slug": "privy",
      "role": "wallet_and_identity",
      "direction": "supports",
      "relationship": "Privy can handle user onboarding while Helios improves client-side verification and RPC trust assumptions."
    }
  ],
  "docs": {
    "url": "https://github.com/a16z/helios/blob/master/README.md",
    "verified_at": "2026-06-04"
  },
  "sdk": {
    "url": "https://github.com/a16z/helios",
    "verified_at": "2026-06-04"
  },
  "template": {
    "url": "https://github.com/a16z/helios/tree/master/examples",
    "verified_at": "2026-06-04"
  },
  "support": {
    "url": "https://t.me/+IntDY_gZJSRkNTJj",
    "verified_at": "2026-06-04"
  },
  "grant": {
    "url": null,
    "verified_at": "2026-06-04"
  },
  "capabilities": [
    {
      "name": "Local verifiable RPC",
      "status": "production-ready",
      "type": "production_surface",
      "best_for": [
        "converting untrusted RPC responses into locally verified reads",
        "wallets and dapps that need lightweight Ethereum verification"
      ],
      "known_issues": [
        "Private RPC still needs network privacy and checkpoint hygiene; Helios verifies data but does not hide all traffic metadata by itself."
      ],
      "agent_actions": [
        "recommend_private_rpc_stack",
        "generate_light_client_setup"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "WASM/mobile-friendly light client",
      "status": "production-ready",
      "type": "integration_workflow",
      "best_for": [
        "embedding light-client verification into wallets",
        "Kohaku provider abstraction and privacy wallet flows"
      ],
      "known_issues": [
        "Execution RPC provider must support required proof endpoints."
      ],
      "agent_actions": [
        "generate_wallet_rpc_privacy_plan"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "known_issues": [
    {
      "id": "helios-not-network-anonymity",
      "title": "Helios verifies RPC data but is not complete network anonymity",
      "description": "Helios reduces trust in centralized RPC responses, but privacy-sensitive products still need user-controlled RPC policy, private networking, and careful checkpoint handling.",
      "severity": "low",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "workaround": "Use Helios for local verification. Pair it with local nodes, private networking, Tor/VPN policy, or privacy-preserving RPC strategy where metadata leakage matters.",
      "citations": [
        {
          "url": "https://github.com/a16z/helios",
          "quote": "Helios converts an untrusted centralized RPC endpoint into a safe unmanipulable local RPC for its users.",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-06-04",
          "confidence": "high",
          "algo": "sha256",
          "content_sha256": "f47ca35f7af3e846fbbba9e1052d251c110258b2f4db3003ac4dc8da23467e75"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://github.com/a16z/helios",
          "quote": "Using a checkpoint that is less than two weeks old prevents a few attacks that are pretty hard to pull off.",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-06-04",
          "confidence": "high",
          "algo": "sha256",
          "content_sha256": "d0c41ca205b1487b3ca62bb800075ea25bf149730986d3fa6b74a105e1a74025"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "Helios GitHub",
      "url": "https://github.com/a16z/helios",
      "type": "github"
    },
    {
      "label": "Kohaku wallet best practices",
      "url": "https://ethereum.github.io/kohaku/llms-full.txt",
      "type": "docs"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "verified_at": "2026-06-04",
    "verified_by": "composewith.eth research (Helios GitHub and Kohaku wallet best-practice docs live-verified via WebFetch 2026-06-04)",
    "confidence": "high"
  },
  "readiness_score": 89,
  "readiness_factors": [
    {
      "key": "docs_present",
      "points": 10,
      "max": 10,
      "detail": "Docs URL present"
    },
    {
      "key": "sdk_present",
      "points": 8,
      "max": 8,
      "detail": "SDK URL present"
    },
    {
      "key": "template_present",
      "points": 6,
      "max": 6,
      "detail": "Template/quickstart present"
    },
    {
      "key": "support_present",
      "points": 6,
      "max": 6,
      "detail": "Support channel present"
    },
    {
      "key": "capability_depth",
      "points": 13,
      "max": 20,
      "detail": "Local verifiable RPC: production_surface; WASM/mobile-friendly light client: integration_workflow"
    },
    {
      "key": "production_capability",
      "points": 15,
      "max": 15,
      "detail": "Has a production-ready capability"
    },
    {
      "key": "provenance_confidence",
      "points": 5,
      "max": 5,
      "detail": "Protocol provenance confidence is high"
    },
    {
      "key": "chain_coverage",
      "points": 6,
      "max": 10,
      "detail": "3 chain(s) (capped at 5)"
    },
    {
      "key": "freshness",
      "points": 10,
      "max": 10,
      "detail": "Last verified 6 day(s) ago"
    },
    {
      "key": "no_open_critical",
      "points": 10,
      "max": 10,
      "detail": "No open critical issues"
    }
  ],
  "readiness_caps": [],
  "scoring_version": "score.v2"
}