Run a validator node on macOS

This guide describes how to set up the node to run as a validator node on a macOS node that participates in the Concordium network. A node receives blocks and transactions from other nodes and propagates information about blocks and transactions to the nodes in the Concordium network. In addition, a validator node also participates in the lottery and produces its own blocks.

Prerequisites

• Have the administrator password to your computer.

• Install and run the node

• If you want to run the node as a validator, you must have generated validator keys. How you generate validator keys depends on which wallet you are using. For an overview of the process, see Validators.

Configure a node as a validator

Once you have generated validator keys, you then need to move the generated validator keys file to a location accessible by the node, and finally specify this location in the service file for the Concordium Node.

Note

Validator credentials registered on mainnet will not work with a testnet node and vice versa.

Mainnet

1. Move the validator-credentials.json file to the node’s config folder:

   $sudo cp "/path/to/mainnet/validator-credentials.json" "/Library/Application Support/Concordium Node/Mainnet/Config/validator-credentials.json"
   

   (replacing /path/to/mainnet/validator-credentials.json with the actual file path to your validator credentials for mainnet).

2. Edit the service file as an administrator. The service file is found here: "/Library/Concordium Node/LaunchDaemons/software.concordium.mainnet.node.plist"

3. Underneath the <dict> tag in the EnviromentVariables section of the file add the following:

   <!-- Path to the validator credentials file. -->
   <key>CONCORDIUM_NODE_BAKER_CREDENTIALS_FILE</key>
   <string>/Library/Application Support/Concordium Node/Mainnet/Config/validator-credentials.json</string>
   

4. Restart your node by running Concordium Node Stop Mainnet (if running) and then Concordium Node Start Mainnnet.

Testnet

1. Move the validator-credentials.json file to the node’s config folder:

   $sudo cp "/path/to/testnet/validator-credentials.json" "/Library/Application Support/Concordium Node/Testnet/Config/validator-credentials.json"
   

   (replacing /path/to/testnet/validator-credentials.json with the actual file path to your validator credentials for testnet).

2. Edit the service file as an administrator. The service file is found here: "/Library/Concordium Node/LaunchDaemons/software.concordium.testnet.node.plist"

3. In the EnviromentVariables section of the file add the following:

   <!-- Path to the validator credentials file. -->
   <key>CONCORDIUM_NODE_BAKER_CREDENTIALS_FILE</key>
   <string>/Library/Application Support/Concordium Node/Testnet/Config/validator-credentials.json</string>
   

4. Restart your node by running Concordium Node Stop Testnet (if running) and then Concordium Node Start Testnet.

In the wallets, a badge is added to the account associated with the validator node. The badge appears as soon as the transaction has been submitted. That is, before the two epochs have elapsed.