FLOP validator package 0.4.0-devnet.1 adds grant-based join and a status check

Flop has published a new validator onboarding package for its devnet. On November 9, 2026 the explorer's Validate on FLOP page listed validator-cs-be91fe83 · 0.4.0-devnet.1 · FLOP Devnet · Linux amd64, and the validator manual now says "Use 0.4.0-devnet.1 for the current administrator-assisted devnet". It replaces 0.3.0-devnet.1, which Flop republished on November 7.

What did we verify?

Check	Result (Nov 9, 2026)
Package URL	validator-cs-be91fe83-0.4.0-devnet.1.tar.gz returned HTTP 200, last modified 05:52 UTC on November 9
Archive SHA-256	95486a2b8c2471675a9c1b42ce0749aa8daeb11f2f9adaf5e9dee06ac085f7e5, matching the published checksum file and the manual
Package manifest.json	version 0.4.0-devnet.1, status "prepared; operator admission pending"
Package CHANGELOG	Section [0.4.0-devnet.1] - 2026-11-09
Older 0.3.0-devnet.1 checksum	Still online (HTTP 200). The changelog says the new release uses a new filename so the 0.3.0 archive is preserved

Verify the bytes yourself with sha256sum before you extract anything.

What changed in 0.4.0-devnet.1?

The package CHANGELOG lists these additions:

• Joining with a sponsor grant. onboard join can now use a validator-grant.json file. The README says that if operations sends this file "instead of funding your account", you save it beside the README and run the same pnpm onboard join. Join then registers the account through the sponsor lane, where "the sponsor holds the bond and pays a fee allowance". Without the file, join keeps the administrator-funded path.
• A status report. pnpm onboard status reads one finalized snapshot and reports whether a validator is queued, deferred with the exact reason, promoted or active, plus the next scheduled rotation boundary. A new ACTIVATION.md traces that path.
• A longer join wait. onboard join now waits as long as the local node keeps importing or finalizing blocks and stops only after 15 minutes without progress. It replaces a fixed one-hour limit that a full chain replay could outlast.

The package also adds an onboard sponsor --profile public-testnet command with a SPONSORSHIP.md. The changelog says it "refuses before reading a seed" because the public testnet's admission policy, sponsor funding and public identity are still unset.

Is validator onboarding self-service now?

Not yet. The explorer still reads "Administrator-assisted devnet onboarding. Self-service public testnet onboarding is not yet available." The manual tells you to coordinate enrollment with your FLOP operations contact, and the README warns not to register the account any other way first, because the sponsor lane "accepts new accounts only".

Our devnet validator guide has the full sequence. The devnet earns no rewards and no airdrop weight (why), and the testnet still has no published date (status).

There is no FLOP token yet. Never send a seed phrase, account.json, .env or private SSH key to anyone. See FLOP scams and official links.