Join DevNet as Validator

WARNING

Attention! At the DevNet stage, ASI:Chain works in dev mode. To retrieve data from the blockchain, you can use the unbonded validator as an observer, using the same methods as for the observer node. On the Testnet and Mainnet stages - it will change: only observer node will be available to retrieve data from the blockchain.

This guide will help you join the ASI:Chain DevNet as a validator and participate in network consensus.

ASI:Chain Workflows

What is a Validator?

Validators are nodes that:

Participate in consensus
Validate and propose blocks
Sign transactions
Maintain network security

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you meet the system requirements and have necessary software installed.

System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

CPU: 4 cores
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: 250+ GB free space
Network: Stable internet connection, open ports

Recommended Requirements:

CPU: 8 cores
RAM: 32 GB
Storage: 250+ GB free space
Network: Stable internet connection, dedicated server

Software Requirements

Verify you have the required software:

bash

docker --version          # Need: 20.10+
docker compose version    # Need: 2.0+
git --version             # Need: 2.0+
cargo --version           # Need: 1.70+ (for transaction testing)

Installation

macOS:

bash

brew install docker docker-compose rust

Ubuntu:

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker.io docker-compose
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

Validator Setup Flow

This section describes the standard process for deploying your validator on ASI:Chain DevNet.
You can either generate credentials automatically or use existing wallet credentials.

Step 1: Clone Repository

Clone the complete ASI:Chain repository with all submodules:

bash

git clone https://github.com/asi-alliance/asi-chain.git
cd asi-chain/chain/validator

Important

Work from the chain/validator/ directory for all validator operations.

Step 2: Prepare Configuration

Copy the template configuration:

bash

cp conf/validator.env .env

The template contains two sections:

Chain config — Network parameters (pre-filled, don't change unless connecting to different shard)
Validator config — Automatically configured by the configurator in the next step

Understanding the Stake Parameter

The STAKE parameter in .env determines the bonding amount (default: 100000000).

The connector utility handles funding automatically:

If wallet balance is sufficient for the stake amount, bonding proceeds
If balance is insufficient, connector requests funds from the faucet
If faucet limits are exceeded and balance remains insufficient, connector exits with error

Step 3: Run Configurator

The configurator automatically sets up your validator environment. Choose one option:

Option A — Auto-generate everything (recommended for testing)

Leave all validator parameters empty in .env and run:

bash

docker compose -f ./configurator.yml up

The configurator will automatically:

Detect your server's public IP and set VALIDATOR_HOST
Generate new credentials (VALIDATOR_PRIVATE_KEY, VALIDATOR_PUBLIC_KEY, VALIDATOR_ADDRESS)
Write all parameters to .env
Display the generated values in container logs

Save Your Credentials

Once generated, save your credentials securely. You'll need them to restart your validator.

How It Works

The configurator uses curl ifconfig.me to detect your public IP automatically. If you need to use a different IP address, you can set VALIDATOR_HOST manually in .env before running the configurator.

Option B — Use existing wallet credentials

If you want to use existing credentials from the Wallet:

Get credentials from Wallet:
- Visit wallet.dev.asichain.io
- Create or access your account (see Wallet docs for details)
- Export your credentials (private key, public key, and address)

Fill .env with your credentials:

env

VALIDATOR_ADDRESS=<your-address>
VALIDATOR_PUBLIC_KEY=<your-public-key>
VALIDATOR_PRIVATE_KEY=<your-private-key>

Run the configurator:
bash
```
docker compose -f ./configurator.yml up
```

The configurator will:

Detect and set your VALIDATOR_HOST (or use the one you specified)
Write VALIDATOR_HOST to .env

Step 4: Verify Configuration

After running the configurator, check your .env file:

bash

cat .env

You should see all validator parameters filled:

env

VALIDATOR_HOST=<your-ip>
VALIDATOR_PRIVATE_KEY=<generated-or-provided>
VALIDATOR_PUBLIC_KEY=<generated-or-provided>
VALIDATOR_ADDRESS=<generated-or-provided>

Step 5: Start Validator

Run both bonding and validation with a single command:

bash

docker compose -f ./validator.yml up -d

This starts two services:

connector — Utility container that sends the bonding transaction (runs once and exits)
validator — Your validator node (runs continuously)

The -d flag runs services in detached mode.

Images & Bonding

Compose files reference public images by default:

Configurator: public.ecr.aws/f6y9h6x4/asi-chain/validator-configurator:latest
Connector: public.ecr.aws/f6y9h6x4/asi-chain/validator-connector:latest
Node: public.ecr.aws/f6y9h6x4/asi-chain/node:latest

The connector will:

Check your wallet balance
Request funds from faucet if needed
Send bonding transaction
Exit after successful bonding

Alternative: Manual Bonding

If you prefer to bond separately before starting the validator:

Step 1: Run bonding utility

bash

docker compose -f ./connector.yml up

Wait for confirmation: Validator bonded successfully

The container will exit automatically after successful bonding.

Step 2: Start validator

bash

docker compose -f ./validator.yml up -d

Step 6: Verify Synchronization

6.1 Check Validator Logs

Monitor your validator's synchronization progress:

bash

docker logs validator -f

6.2 Check Network Status

Check the observer's latest finalized block:

http://54.235.138.68:40403/api/last-finalized-block

If the response contains at least one block, the network is operational.

Check your validator's latest finalized block:

Replace with your validator's host and HTTP API port (40443):

http://<YOUR_VALIDATOR_HOST>:40443/api/last-finalized-block

6.3 Evaluate Synchronization

If your validator shows at least one block, synchronization has started
When your validator's last block approximately matches the observer's (within ~50 blocks), synchronization is successful
If the validator is behind, allow time for it to catch up

Synchronization Time

Initial synchronization may take several minutes to hours depending on blockchain size and network speed.

Step 7: Transaction Deployment Test

Verify your validator can submit transactions to the network.

7.1 Install Rust CLI Client

Clone and build the Rust client:

bash

git clone https://github.com/singnet/rust-client.git
cd rust-client
cargo build --release

7.2 Deploy Test Transaction

From the rust-client directory, deploy a test transaction:

bash

cargo run -- full-deploy -f ./rho_examples/stdout.rho --private-key <YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY> -p 40442

Replace <YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY> with your validator's private key.

Expected Response

Response: Success!
DeployId is: 304402206c435cee64d97d123f0c1b4552b3568698e64096a29fb50ec38f11a6c5f7758b022002e05322156bf5ed878ce20cef072cd8faf9e8bb15b58131f2fee06053b5d1c5

This confirms your validator can successfully send transactions to the network.

Step 8: Monitor & Maintain

Check Container Status

bash

docker ps

You should see your validator container running.

View Recent Logs

bash

docker logs validator --tail 50 -f

Verify on Block Explorer

Visit explorer.dev.asichain.io and look for your validator's public key in the validators list.

Stop Validator

To stop your validator:

bash

docker compose -f ./validator.yml stop

This stops the container without deleting it, preserving state for future restarts.

Data Persistence

The validator stores blockchain data in the ./data directory. This data persists after stopping, which means:

You can restart the validator without re-synchronizing
The validator will resume from its last state
Blockchain data is preserved during container updates

Complete Reset

To completely restart with fresh synchronization, remove the data directory:

bash

rm -rf ./data

Port Configuration

The validator uses the following ports (configured in validator.yml):

Port	Purpose
40440	Protocol port
40441	API port gRPC external
40442	API port gRPC internal
40443	API port HTTP
40444	Discovery port
40445	API port admin HTTP

Firewall Configuration

Ensure these ports are open in your firewall for the validator to function properly.

Configuration Files Reference

File	Description
`conf/validator.env`	Configuration template with chain and validator parameters
`.env`	Active configuration file (created from template)
`conf/validator.conf`	RNode configuration
`conf/logback.xml`	Logging configuration

Docker Compose Files

File	Purpose
`configurator.yml`	Runs configurator for environment setup
`validator.yml`	Main validator with automatic bonding
`connector.yml`	Standalone bonding utility (optional)

Key Parameters in .env

Chain Config:

BOOTSTRAP — Bootstrap node connection string
FAUCET_API_URL — Testnet faucet URL for automatic funding
BOOTSTRAP_PUBLIC_GRPC_PORT — Bootstrap gRPC port (40401)
OBSERVER_INTERNAL_GRPC_PORT — Observer internal port (40452)
STAKE — Amount to stake when bonding (100000000)

Validator Config:

VALIDATOR_HOST — Your validator's public IP address
VALIDATOR_PRIVATE_KEY — Private key for signing blocks
VALIDATOR_PUBLIC_KEY — Public key for validator identity
VALIDATOR_ADDRESS — Validator wallet address

Troubleshooting

Node Won't Start

Check Docker status:

bash

docker ps -a
docker logs validator

Common issues:

Ports already in use
Insufficient system resources
Network connectivity problems

Synchronization Issues

Reset and restart:

bash

docker compose -f ./validator.yml stop
rm -rf ./data
docker compose -f ./validator.yml up -d

Connection Problems

Verify ports are open:

bash

sudo ufw status

Allow required ports:

bash

sudo ufw allow 40440:40445/tcp

Connector Fails to Bond

Check wallet balance: Visit faucet.dev.asichain.io to get test tokens.

Check connector logs:

bash

docker logs validator-connector-job

More Help

See Troubleshooting Guide for detailed solutions to common problems.

Network Endpoints

Bootstrap Node: rnode://e5e6faf012f36a30176d459ddc0db81435f6f1dc@54.152.57.201?protocol=40400&discovery=40404
Observer API: http://54.235.138.68:40403/api/last-finalized-block
Faucet: https://faucet.dev.asichain.io
Wallet: https://wallet.dev.asichain.io
Explorer: https://explorer.dev.asichain.io

Security Best Practices

Key Management
- Store private keys securely, never in plain text
- Create encrypted backups
- Never share private keys
Firewall Configuration
- Only open necessary ports (40440-40445)
- Use UFW or iptables for port management
- Consider additional security layers
Regular Updates
- Keep Docker images updated
- Monitor security advisories
- Update validator software regularly
Monitoring
- Set up alerts for node downtime
- Monitor resource usage
- Track peer connections
Backups
- Regular backups of configuration files
- Secure storage of wallet credentials
- Test restore procedures

Maintenance

Update Your Validator

To update to the latest version:

bash

cd asi-chain/chain/validator
git pull origin main
docker compose -f ./validator.yml down
docker compose -f ./validator.yml pull
docker compose -f ./validator.yml up -d

Regular Checks

Monitor these metrics regularly:

Disk space usage in ./data directory
Memory consumption
Network bandwidth
CPU load
Peer connections
Block synchronization status

Optional: Build Images from Source (Advanced)

Use this only if you want to build from sources. The main flow uses public images referenced in compose files.

All operations are performed from the chain/validator directory.

Build Configurator Image

bash

docker build -f configurator.Dockerfile -t configurator:latest ../..

Build Context

The build context must be the project root (../..) to access the wallet-generator utility.

Build Connector Image

bash

docker build -f connector.Dockerfile -t connector:latest .

Verify Images

bash

docker image ls

Expected output should include:

REPOSITORY	TAG
configurator	latest
connector	latest

Use Local Images in Compose (optional)

You can use these public images directly, or build local images as described above and update the compose files to use configurator:latest and connector:latest.

Next Steps

Now that your validator is running:

Monitor Performance — Keep an eye on logs and resource usage
Explore the Network — Use the Block Explorer
Deploy Contracts — Try deploying your own smart contracts via Wallet
Join the Community — Connect with other validators and developers

Support

If you need help:

Documentation: Browse this site for detailed guides
GitHub Repository: asi-alliance/asi-chain
GitHub Issues: Report issues on GitHub
FAQ: Check FAQ section for common questions

Feedback form

Join DevNet as Validator ​

What is a Validator? ​

Prerequisites ​

System Requirements ​

Software Requirements ​

Installation ​

Validator Setup Flow ​

Step 1: Clone Repository ​

Step 2: Prepare Configuration ​

Understanding the Stake Parameter ​

Step 3: Run Configurator ​

Option A — Auto-generate everything (recommended for testing) ​

Option B — Use existing wallet credentials ​

Step 4: Verify Configuration ​

Step 5: Start Validator ​

Alternative: Manual Bonding ​

Step 6: Verify Synchronization ​

6.1 Check Validator Logs ​

6.2 Check Network Status ​

6.3 Evaluate Synchronization ​

Step 7: Transaction Deployment Test ​

7.1 Install Rust CLI Client ​

7.2 Deploy Test Transaction ​

Step 8: Monitor & Maintain ​

Check Container Status ​

View Recent Logs ​

Verify on Block Explorer ​

Stop Validator ​

Data Persistence ​

Port Configuration ​

Configuration Files Reference ​

Docker Compose Files ​

Key Parameters in .env ​

Troubleshooting ​

Node Won't Start ​

Synchronization Issues ​

Connection Problems ​

Connector Fails to Bond ​

More Help ​

Network Endpoints ​

Security Best Practices ​

Maintenance ​

Update Your Validator ​

Regular Checks ​

Optional: Build Images from Source (Advanced) ​

Build Configurator Image ​

Build Connector Image ​

Verify Images ​

Use Local Images in Compose (optional) ​

Next Steps ​

Support ​

Join DevNet as Validator

What is a Validator?

Prerequisites

System Requirements

Software Requirements

Installation

Validator Setup Flow

Step 1: Clone Repository

Step 2: Prepare Configuration

Understanding the Stake Parameter

Step 3: Run Configurator

Option A — Auto-generate everything (recommended for testing)

Option B — Use existing wallet credentials

Step 4: Verify Configuration

Step 5: Start Validator

Alternative: Manual Bonding

Step 6: Verify Synchronization

6.1 Check Validator Logs

6.2 Check Network Status

6.3 Evaluate Synchronization

Step 7: Transaction Deployment Test

7.1 Install Rust CLI Client

7.2 Deploy Test Transaction

Step 8: Monitor & Maintain

Check Container Status

View Recent Logs

Verify on Block Explorer

Stop Validator

Data Persistence

Port Configuration

Configuration Files Reference

Docker Compose Files

Key Parameters in .env

Troubleshooting

Node Won't Start

Synchronization Issues

Connection Problems

Connector Fails to Bond

More Help

Network Endpoints

Security Best Practices

Maintenance

Update Your Validator

Regular Checks

Optional: Build Images from Source (Advanced)

Build Configurator Image

Build Connector Image

Verify Images

Use Local Images in Compose (optional)

Next Steps

Support