Runtime api execute_block doesn't trigger

Question

Currently, I am trying to test how frame-executive is working in this repo

I add some logs in executive interface impl_runtime_apis! : https://github.com/paritytech/substrate/blob/master/bin/node/runtime/src/lib.rs#L1811

Code:

impl sp_api::Core<Block> for Runtime {
    ...

    fn execute_block(block: Block) {
        log::info!("RUNTIME : GO IN EXECUTE BLOCK");
        Executive::execute_block(block);
    }

    fn initialize_block(header: &<Block as BlockT>::Header) {
        log::info!("RUNTIME : GO IN INITIALIZE BLOCK");
        Executive::initialize_block(header)
    }
}

  ...

impl sp_block_builder::BlockBuilder<Block> for Runtime {
    fn apply_extrinsic(extrinsic: <Block as BlockT>::Extrinsic) -> ApplyExtrinsicResult {
        log::info!("RUNTIME : GO IN APPLY EXTRINSIC");
        Executive::apply_extrinsic(extrinsic)
    }

    fn finalize_block() -> <Block as BlockT>::Header {
        log::info!("RUNTIME : GO IN FINALIZE BLOCK");
        Executive::finalize_block()
    }

Result:

Problem:

Executive::execute_block(block); API doesn't trigger and display in the terminal (although I executed a simple transfer extrinsic)

How should I understand? How do I trigger this execute_block() API?

Answer 1

I assume you are running a one-validator network. execute_block is only called when importing blocks from the network. Blocks that the node builds itself are directly imported into the database and will not use execute_block. This should explain what you see.

When you start a second node that syncs from your first node, you should see your log message.