Automation and Keepers

Many smart contracts need periodic maintenance: harvest yield, rebalance collateral, execute limit orders, or settle expiring positions. The logic is on chain, but nothing runs automatically — someone must pay gas to call the function. Automation networks turn those chores into conditional jobs monitored by decentralized keepers.

Chainlink Automation (formerly Keepers) is the best-known option on EVM chains. Gelato, OpenZeppelin Defender, and bespoke bot fleets offer similar patterns with different payment models and decentralization profiles.

Design your perform function to be idempotent and grief-resistant. Keepers compete to run profitable or subsidized jobs — if execution can be sandwiched or reverted cheaply, you will waste fees and miss critical windows during volatility.