Overview

Intro

This oracle project is FREE and OPEN SOURCE for anyone to use and modify as needed. It's purpose is to give developers access to their own on-chain randomness oracle.

This is a new randomness oracle solution using the inherit randomness found in block header's using their RANDAO value. The block header's RANDAO value is used to randomly select a new proposer in PoS, we take this randomness and use it ourselves.

By using this RANDAO value directly, we do not need to generate the random number(s) ourselves! Therefore, no complex proofs are needed to verify that the random number is truly random and untampered.

We only need a simple proof that is verified on chain - Ensuring the block header for a particular block is correct. This is done by comparing the recreated block hash that was sent from the oracle to the actual block hash of that block.

Centralization

ChainLink VRF Oracle is run by ChainLink Labs. Because they have cryptographic proofs that prove their random numbers are generated properly and not tampered with, they do not need a DON (decentralized oracle network) to fulfill randomness requests. Because consensus is not needed, multiple decentralized oracles fulfilling requests is not needed.

There is only a single coordinator contract per network. If multiple oracles were listening and fulfilling request events from that coordinator, they would need a consensus mechanism or proper DON, which doesn't make any sense.

Therefore, it seems to be the case that ChainLink VRF is using a single Oracle per network to fulfill all their randomness requests. They may have a backup, but pretty much is all run by themselves.

So why can't we just do the same without the fees and complex proofs?

You run your own oracle. You connect it to your consumer contract. You use the randomness how you want. No middle man. No fees. Just pay gas to the oracle as needed, via yourself or users. Equally as centralized as ChainLink VRF Oracles.

Just like with ChainLink VRF, if you stop providing funds to the oracle, you can't get randomness. Just like with ChainLink VRF, if their oracle servers are down, you can't get randomness.