[DOCS] document the clique RPC API (#20317)

docs/_rpc/ns-clique.md

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+---
+title: clique Namespace
+sort_key: C
+---
+
+The `clique` API provides access to the state of the clique consensus engine. You can use
+this API to manage signer votes and to check the health of a private network.
+
+* TOC
+{:toc}
+
+### clique_getSnapshot
+
+Retrieves a snapshot of all clique state at a given block.
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                                          |
+|:--------|------------------------------------------------------------|
+| Console | `clique.getSnapshot(blockNumber)`                          |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_getSnapsnot", "params": [blockNumber]}` |
+
+Example:
+
+```javascript
+> clique.getSnapshot(5463755)
+{
+  hash: "0x018194fc50ca62d973e2f85cffef1e6811278ffd2040a4460537f8dbec3d5efc",
+  number: 5463755,
+  recents: {
+    5463752: "0x42eb768f2244c8811c63729a21a3569731535f06",
+    5463753: "0x6635f83421bf059cd8111f180f0727128685bae4",
+    5463754: "0x7ffc57839b00206d1ad20c69a1981b489f772031",
+    5463755: "0xb279182d99e65703f0076e4812653aab85fca0f0"
+  },
+  signers: {
+    0x42eb768f2244c8811c63729a21a3569731535f06: {},
+    0x6635f83421bf059cd8111f180f0727128685bae4: {},
+    0x7ffc57839b00206d1ad20c69a1981b489f772031: {},
+    0xb279182d99e65703f0076e4812653aab85fca0f0: {},
+    0xd6ae8250b8348c94847280928c79fb3b63ca453e: {},
+    0xda35dee8eddeaa556e4c26268463e26fb91ff74f: {},
+    0xfc18cbc391de84dbd87db83b20935d3e89f5dd91: {}
+  },
+  tally: {},
+  votes: []
+}
+```
+
+### clique_getSnapshotAtHash
+
+Retrieves the state snapshot at a given block.
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                                        |
+|:--------|----------------------------------------------------------|
+| Console | `clique.getSnapshotAtHash(blockHash)`                    |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_getSnapshotAtHash", "params": [blockHash]}` |
+
+### clique_getSigners
+
+Retrieves the list of authorized signers at the specified block.
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                                          |
+|:--------|------------------------------------------------------------
+| Console | `clique.getSigners(blockNumber)`                           |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_getSigners", "params": [blockNumber]}` |
+
+### clique_proposals
+
+Returns the current proposals the node is voting on.
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                              |
+|:--------|------------------------------------------------|
+| Console | `clique.proposals()`                           |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_proposals", "params": []}` |
+
+### clique_propose
+
+Adds a new authorization proposal that the signer will attempt to push through. If the
+`auth` parameter is true, the local signer votes for the given address to be included in
+the set of authorized signers. With `auth` set to `false`, the vote is against the
+address.
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                                         |
+|:--------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
+| Console | `clique.propose(address, auth)`                           |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_propose", "params": [address, auth]}` |
+
+### clique_discard
+
+This method drops a currently running proposal. The signer will not cast
+further votes (either for or against) the address.
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                                   |
+|:--------|-----------------------------------------------------|
+| Console | `clique.discard(address)`                           |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_discard", "params": [address]}` |
+
+### clique_status
+
+This is a debugging method which returns statistics about signer activity
+for the last 64 blocks. The returned object contains the following fields:
+
+- `inturnPercent`: percentage of blocks signed in-turn
+- `sealerActivity`: object containing signer addresses and the number
+  of blocks signed by them
+- `numBlocks`: number of blocks analyzed
+
+| Client  | Method invocation                                   |
+|:--------|-----------------------------------------------------|
+| Console | `clique.status()`                                   |
+| RPC     | `{"method": "clique_status", "params": [}` |
+
+Example:
+
+```
+> clique.status()
+{
+  inturnPercent: 100,
+  numBlocks: 64,
+  sealerActivity: {
+    0x42eb768f2244c8811c63729a21a3569731535f06: 9,
+    0x6635f83421bf059cd8111f180f0727128685bae4: 9,
+    0x7ffc57839b00206d1ad20c69a1981b489f772031: 9,
+    0xb279182d99e65703f0076e4812653aab85fca0f0: 10,
+    0xd6ae8250b8348c94847280928c79fb3b63ca453e: 9,
+    0xda35dee8eddeaa556e4c26268463e26fb91ff74f: 9,
+    0xfc18cbc391de84dbd87db83b20935d3e89f5dd91: 9
+  }
+}
+```