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Run Beacon Node + Validator: Nimbus

Nimbus is a client implementation that strives to be as lightweight as possible in terms of resources used. Nimbus has consensus layer clients for Ethereum and Gnosis Chain.

Learn More about Nimbus
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Option 1: Run as System Process​

We currently do not release Gnosis compatible binaries for Nimbus, nor do we intend to for the time being.

Option 2: Run using Docker​

This tutorial runs Nimbus beacon node and validator on the same container, please make sure you have your generated validator key and jwtsecret before moving to the next step.

1. Folder Structure​

Folder structure

/home/$USER/gnosis/
├── jwtsecret/
├── execution/
└── consensus/
    └── data/
    └── validator_key/

2. Docker Compose​

Modify your docker-compose file with your favorite text editor and add the consensus container. The file should now look like:

Create docker-compose.yml and insert the configuration below.

/home/$USER/gnosis/docker-compose.yml
version: "3"
services:
    execution:
        # From Step 2
        # ...
    consensus:
        container_name: consensus
        image: ghcr.io/gnosischain/gnosis-nimbus-eth2:latest
        restart: unless-stopped
        networks:
          - gnosis_net
        volumes:
        - ./consensus/data:/data
        - ${Path_to_jwtsecret}:/jwt:ro
        - ${Path_to_keystore}:/validators
        ports:
        - 9100:9100
        - 9100:9100/udp
        command: |
        --data-dir=/data
        --web3-url=http://localhost:8551
        --jwt-secret=/jwt
        --light-client-data-serve=true
        --light-client-data-import-mode=full
        --tcp-port:9100
        --udp-port:9100
        --validators-dir=/validators
        --suggested-fee-recipient=${Fee address}
        --graffiti=${Graffiti}
        --rest
        --rest-address=0.0.0.0
        --network=gnosis
        --history=prune
    logging:
      driver: "local"

networks:
  gnosis_net:
    name: gnosis_net

Replace suggested-fee-recipient with your Gnosis address. This fee recipient address will receive tips from user transactions from the block the validator proposed. If not set, the tips will be sent to zero address, that is burnt competely. It is strongly recommended that you configure this value in your setup. Learn more about suggested fee recipient flag in Nimbus docs.

Replace graffiti with your own graffiti. It is an optional field that can be used to add a message to the block by the proposer.

3. Start Containers​

Start the consensus layer client listed in the compose file:

cd /home/$USER/gnosis
docker-compose up -d

4. Monitor Logs​

Check your logs for each service (execution and consensus) with:

docker logs -f --tail 500 execution

5. Updating your Node​

To update, just pull the new images, then stop and restart your docker-compose file:

cd /home/$USER/gnosis
docker-compose pull
docker-compose stop
docker-compose up -d