Run your own blockchain node, from scratch.

Pick your node guide

Flux and Horizen nodes use each project's own installer and have collateral and tier rules that change, so follow the project's current documentation after the steps below. Your server arrives with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ready for them.

What a node is, and what it is not

• A node downloads blocks, checks every rule and relays valid data. It lets your own wallet or application talk to the network without a third party.
• A node is not a wallet. Do not keep meaningful funds in a wallet on an internet-facing server.
• A pruned node checks everything but throws away old block data, so it needs far less disk. It cannot serve old blocks to other peers.
• The first sync can take hours or days and uses a lot of bandwidth. Choose a plan with enough monthly transfer.

1. Order the right plan

1. Open the configurator and choose Blockchain under the operating system step.
2. Select your node. The smallest plan that can run it is picked for you, and smaller plans are disabled.
3. Pick a location close to the peers or services you will use, then a term and a coin.
4. Save your account access key. It is how you return to the order.

2. Connect and secure the server

Connect with SSH or the in-browser console once the server is active. Work through the hardening checklist first: a non-root user, SSH keys only, a firewall and automatic security updates. Every node guide repeats the short version.

ssh root@YOUR-SERVER-IP

nproc
free -h
df -h /
lsblk

3. Create a service account and data directory

Run each node as its own system user with a home for its data. If the node is ever compromised, the damage stays inside that account.

sudo useradd --system --create-home --home-dir /var/lib/NAME --shell /usr/sbin/nologin NAME
sudo install -d -o NAME -g NAME -m 750 /var/lib/NAME
sudo install -d -m 755 /etc/NAME

4. Download and verify the software

Only download from the project's official site or release page, and always verify the checksum and signature. A tampered binary on a node you trust with your wallet is the real risk.

1. Open the project's official download page and note the current version.
2. Download the release archive and the checksum file (and the signature file where the project publishes one).
3. Verify the checksum, and the signature after importing the project's signing keys.
4. Only then extract the archive and install the binaries.

sha256sum --check --ignore-missing SHA256SUMS
# must print: ...: OK

gpg --verify SHA256SUMS.asc SHA256SUMS
# look for "Good signature" from a key you imported from the official source

5. Run it as a systemd service

A service starts the node at boot, restarts it if it stops and keeps its log in the journal. Each guide gives a ready unit file.

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now NAME
sudo systemctl status NAME
journalctl -u NAME -f      # live log, Ctrl+C to leave

6. Watch the first sync

• Expect hours to days. Do not restart the node unless it stops making progress.
• Watch disk with df -h and memory with free -h. A full disk corrupts a node database.
• Watch bandwidth. The first sync downloads the whole chain once.
• Wait until the node reports it is fully synced before you point a wallet or application at it.

df -h /var/lib
free -h
sudo ss -tlnp | grep -E 'LISTEN'
top -o %MEM

7. Keep it healthy

• Enable automatic security updates for the operating system.
• Check the project's release notes and upgrade the node when a new release fixes security bugs.
• Back up wallet files and configuration off the server. Do not back up the chain: it can be downloaded again.
• Consider encrypting the data disk if wallet data lives on the server.

Troubleshooting

Common questions