ipld-eth-server/documentation/data-syncing.md

Syncing commands

These commands are used to sync raw Ethereum data into Postgres, with varying levels of data granularity.

headerSync

Syncs block headers from a running Ethereum node into the VulcanizeDB table headers.

• Queries the Ethereum node using RPC calls.
• Validates headers from the last 15 blocks to ensure that data is up to date.
• Useful when you want a minimal baseline from which to track targeted data on the blockchain (e.g. individual smart contract storage values or event logs).

Usage

1. Start Ethereum node.
2. In a separate terminal start VulcanizeDB: ./vulcanizedb headerSync --config <config.toml> --starting-block-number <block-number>

sync

Syncs blocks, transactions, receipts and logs from a running Ethereum node into VulcanizeDB tables named blocks, uncles, full_sync_transactions, full_sync_receipts and logs.

• Queries the Ethereum node using RPC calls.
• Validates headers from the last 15 blocks to ensure that data is up to date.
• Useful when you want to maintain a broad cache of what's happening on the blockchain.

Usage

1. Start Ethereum node (if fast syncing your Ethereum node, wait for initial sync to finish).
2. In a separate terminal start VulcanizeDB: ./vulcanizedb sync --config <config.toml> --starting-block-number <block-number>

coldImport

Syncs VulcanizeDB from Geth's underlying LevelDB datastore and persists Ethereum blocks, transactions, receipts and logs into VulcanizeDB tables named blocks, uncles, full_sync_transactions, full_sync_receipts and logs respectively.

Usage

1. Assure node is not running, and that it has synced to the desired block height.
2. Start vulcanize_db
   • ./vulcanizedb coldImport --config <config.toml>
3. Optional flags:
   • --starting-block-number <block number>/-s <block number>: block number to start syncing from
   • --ending-block-number <block number>/-e <block number>: block number to sync to
   • --all/-a: sync all missing blocks