# vocdoni-node
This repository contains a set of libraries and tools for the **Vocdoni** decentralized protocol, as described [in the documentation](https://developer.vocdoni.io/protocol).
It is written in golang and comprises the core of Vocdoni's distributed node architecture. Vocdoni-node is uniquely designed to run all components within a single process, giving full control and eliminating the need for local RPC or IPC connections. This is in contrast to other projects, as Vocdoni-node incorporates go-ethereum, go-ipfs, and tendermint directly as GoLang libraries.
The latest release is available at https://github.com/vocdoni/vocdoni-node/tree/v1.10.1
### Table of Contents
- [Getting Started](#getting-started)
- [Reference](#reference)
- [Examples](#examples)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [License](#license)
## Getting Started
There are two operational modes available for the node:
- Gateway: This mode runs a full block validation node and serves as an access point for the API and other services.
- Miner: In this mode, the node can validate blocks or run as a full node. It does not offer external services but can propose and validate new blocks.
### Gateway mode
The gateway mode is the most frequently used and likely the one you need.
To run a Vocdoni-node as a gateway, it's recommended to have at least 4 GiB of RAM and 40 GiB of disk space.
#### Compile and run
Compile from source in a golang environment (Go>1.23 required):
```bash
git clone https://github.com/vocdoni/vocdoni-node.git -b release-lts-1
cd vocdoni-node
go build ./cmd/node
./node --help
./node --mode=gateway --logLevel=info
```
#### Docker
You can run vocdoni node as a standalone container with docker compose (recommended).
It is recommended to also start `watchtower` to automatically update the container when a new version is released.
```bash
git clone https://github.com/vocdoni/vocdoni-node.git -b release-lts-1
cd vocdoni-node/dockerfiles/vocdoninode
cp env.example env # see env file for config options
COMPOSE_PROFILES=watchtower docker compose up -d
```
All data will be stored in the shared volume `run` and the API will be available at `http://127.0.0.1:9090/v2`. Once the node has finished the blockchain sync process, you can connect query the API at this address.
If the computer has the port 443 available and mapped to a public IP, you might want to enable TLS support (HTTPS) using letsencrypt by setting the environment variable `VOCDONI_TLS_DOMAIN=your.domain.io` in the `env` file.
To stop the container:
```bash
docker compose down
```
### Miner mode
Miners, also known as validators, play a crucial role in proposing and validating new blocks on the blockchain, ensuring the network operates correctly.
The process of becoming a validator is selective to mitigate the risk of malicious activity. Although the role is not currently compensated, those interested in supporting the open-source protocol are encouraged to apply.
To become a validator, there is a manual verification process in place. If you're interested, please follow these steps and reach out to our team via Discord or email for further instructions.
Generate a private key: `hexdump -n 32 -e '4/4 "%08x" 1 ""' /dev/urandom`
Clone and prepare environment:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/vocdoni/vocdoni-node.git -b release-lts-1
cd vocdoni-node/dockerfiles/vocdoninode
echo "VOCDONI_NODE_TAG=release-lts-1" > .env
```
Create the config `env` file.
```bash
VOCDONI_DATADIR=/app/run
VOCDONI_MODE=miner
VOCDONI_CHAIN=lts
VOCDONI_LOGLEVEL=info
VOCDONI_VOCHAIN_LOGLEVEL=error
VOCDONI_DEV=True
VOCDONI_ENABLEAPI=False
VOCDONI_ENABLERPC=False
VOCDONI_LISTENHOST=0.0.0.0
VOCDONI_LISTENPORT=9090
VOCDONI_VOCHAIN_MINERKEY=
