# Validator Guide for laconic_81337-6 Testnet
## Hardware Prerequisites
### Supported
- **Operating System (OS):** Ubuntu 20.04
- **CPU:** 2 core
- **RAM:** 8GB
- **Storage:** 25GB SSD
### Recommended
- **Operating System (OS):** Ubuntu 20.04
- **CPU:** 2 core
- **RAM:** 8GB
- **Storage:** 50GB SSD
## Network Prerequisites
- **TCP 26656** for Peer-to-Peer Network Communication
- **TCP 26660** for Prometheus Metrics (doesn't have to be exposed publicly)
# Blockchain client Setup
There are two options of running a laconicd
1. As a systemd service
2. In a docker container
## Systemd service
Skip this section if you use docker
### Install required software packages
```sh
# Update Ubuntu
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
# Install required software packages
sudo apt install git curl build-essential make jq -y
```
---
### Install Go
```sh
# Remove any existing installation of `go`
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
# Install Go version 1.19.7
curl https://dl.google.com/go/go1.19.7.linux-amd64.tar.gz | sudo tar -C/usr/local -zxvf -
# Update env variables to include go
cat <<'EOF' >>$HOME/.profile
export GOROOT=/usr/local/go
export GOPATH=$HOME/go
export GO111MODULE=on
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin:$HOME/go/bin
EOF
source $HOME/.profile
```
Check the version of go installed
```sh
go version
# Should return something like: go version go1.19.7 linux/amd64
```
---
### Install `laconic`
```sh
git clone https://github.com/cerc-io/laconicd.git
cd laconicd
# Checkout main branch
git fetch --all
git checkout v0.8.0
# Build and install laconic
make VERSION=v0.8.0 install
```
Verify your installation
```sh
laconicd version --long
```
On running the above command, you should see a similar response like this. Make sure that the *version* and commit
hash_ are accurate
```sh
name: laconic
server_name: laconicd
```
---
## Docker container
There are different commands to initialize a validator and to run a validator node.
See "Docker" section in corresponding chapters.
It is important to mount a host directory (`~/.laconicd` in this documentation) to `/root/.laconicd` directory inside the container, so all blockchain data, configuration and keys persist between container restarts.
For running a validator node it is also required to publish container's port 26656 and (optionally) 26660 to the host.
---
# Initialize Validator Node
**Not required if you have already initialized before**
Make sure the directory `~/.laconicd` does not exist or is empty
---
>**Docker**
>In order to run the below commands in a docker container:
>
>```sh
>docker run -ti -v ~/.laconicd:/root/.laconicd \
>git.vdb.to/cerc-io/laconicd/laconicd:v0.8.0 /bin/sh
>```
>
---
```sh
# Initialize the validator node
laconicd init --chain-id laconic_81337-6
```
Running the above commands will initialize the validator node with default configuration. The config files will be saved in the default location (`~/.laconicd/config`).
**NOTE:** Backup your node and validator keys. You will need to use these keys at a later point in time.
---
## Create Account keys
If you have participated in a previous testnet and have a mnemonic phrase, use below command to recover your account:
```sh
laconicd keys add --recover
```
To create a new account use:
```sh
laconicd keys add
```
**NOTE:** Save the `mnemonic` and related account details (public key). You will need to use the mnemonic and / or private key to recover accounts at a later point in time.
---
## Add Genesis Account
**NOTE:** Don't add more than 12,900 CHK , if you add more than that, your gentx will be ignored.
```sh
laconicd add-genesis-account 12900000000000000000000achk --keyring-backend os
```
Create Your `gentx` transaction file
```sh
laconicd gentx 12900000000000000000000achk \
--pubkey=$(laconicd tendermint show-validator) \
--chain-id="laconic_81337-6" \
--moniker="" \
--website="" \
--details="" \
--identity="" \
--ip="" \
--commission-rate="0.10" \
--commission-max-rate="0.20" \
--commission-max-change-rate="0.01" \
--min-self-delegation="1"
```
**NOTE:**
- `` and `chain-id` are required. other flags are optional
- Don't change the amount value while creating your gentx
- Genesis transaction file will be saved in `~/.laconicd/config/gentx` folder
---
## Submit Your gentx
Submit your `gentx` file to the [https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet](https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet) repository in the following format:
`-gentx.json`
**NOTE:** (Do NOT use spaces in the file name)
To submit the gentx file, follow the below process:
- Fork the [https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet](https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet) repository
- Upload your gentx file in the `laconic_81337-6/config/gentxs` folder
- Submit Pull Request to [https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet](https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet) with name `ADD gentx`
The genesis file will be published in the `laconic_81337-6/config/` folder within the [https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet](https://github.com/cerc-io/laconic-testnet) repository.
# CONTINUE WITH BELOW STEPS ONLY AFTER GENESIS FILE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
## Adjust validator node configuration
```sh
# Set seed & peers variable
seeds=""
peers=""
external_address=""
moniker=""
# Update seeds, persistent_peers and prometheus parameters in config.toml
sed -i.bak -e "s/^seeds *=.*/seeds = \"$seeds\"/; s/^persistent_peers *=.*/persistent_peers = \"$peers\"/; s/^prometheus *=.*/prometheus = true/; s/^moniker *=.*/moniker = \"$moniker\"/; s/^external_address *=.*/external_address = \"tcp:\/\/$external_address:26656\"/" $HOME/.laconicd/config/config.toml
```
---
## Create systemd validator service (skip for Docker)
```sh
sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/laconicd.service > /dev/null <