Modules generally handle a subset of the state and, as such, they need to define the related subset of the genesis file as well as methods to initialize, verify and export it. {synopsis}
The subset of the genesis state defined from a given module is generally defined in a `genesis.proto` file ([more info](../core/encoding.md#gogoproto) on how to define protobuf messages). The struct defining the module's subset of the genesis state is usually called `GenesisState` and contains all the module-related values that need to be initialized during the genesis process.
Next we present the main genesis-related methods that need to be implemented by module developers in order for their module to be used in Cosmos SDK applications.
The `DefaultGenesis()` method is a simple method that calls the constructor function for `GenesisState` with the default value for each parameter. See an example from the `auth` module:
The `ValidateGenesis(genesisState GenesisState)` method is called to verify that the provided `genesisState` is correct. It should perform validity checks on each of the parameters listed in `GenesisState`. See an example from the `auth` module:
Other than the methods related directly to `GenesisState`, module developers are expected to implement two other methods as part of the [`AppModuleGenesis` interface](./module-manager.md#appmodulegenesis) (only if the module needs to initialize a subset of state in genesis). These methods are [`InitGenesis`](#initgenesis) and [`ExportGenesis`](#exportgenesis).
The `InitGenesis` method is executed during [`InitChain`](../core/baseapp.md#initchain) when the application is first started. Given a `GenesisState`, it initializes the subset of the state managed by the module by using the module's [`keeper`](./keeper.md) setter function on each parameter within the `GenesisState`.
The [module manager](./module-manager.md#manager) of the application is responsible for calling the `InitGenesis` method of each of the application's modules in order. This order is set by the application developer via the manager's `SetOrderGenesisMethod`, which is called in the [application's constructor function](../basics/app-anatomy.md#constructor-function).
The `ExportGenesis` method is executed whenever an export of the state is made. It takes the latest known version of the subset of the state managed by the module and creates a new `GenesisState` out of it. This is mainly used when the chain needs to be upgraded via a hard fork.
