Welcome to this guide on running a Node on Taiko Alpha 3 Incentivized Testnet using a VPS! Before we delve into the technicalities, let's clarify what Taiko is and why we're interested in running a node on it.

Taiko is a decentralized Layer 2 blockchain protocol that uses a Zero Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (ZK-EVM). It is designed to be the most Ethereum-equivalent and general-purpose Zero Knowledge Rollup (ZK-Rollup).

The main objective of Taiko is to provide a scalable and efficient platform for decentralized applications (dApps) developers and users, allowing them to leverage the power of Ethereum Layer 1 (L1) without having to make any changes to their existing dApps.

Running a node on the Taiko Alpha 3 Testnet offers several enticing benefits. Firstly, the testnet is designed as an incentivized platform, meaning that participants who run a node have the opportunity to be eligible for the Taiko airdrop. By actively engaging in the testnet, individuals can increase their chances of receiving a rewarding airdrop.

Moreover, participating in the testnet allows users to familiarize themselves with the intricacies of the Taiko network and gain valuable experience in operating a node. This hands-on involvement not only enhances one's understanding of the ecosystem but also positions participants to potentially contribute to the development and stability of the network in the future.

Now that we understand the significance of Taiko and the motivations behind running a node, let's dive into the practical aspects of setting up a node on the Taiko Alpha 3 testnet using a Virtual Private Server (VPS).

To run a node, we can divide the whole process into 2 parts:

1. Buy a VPS

2. Run Node

You can buy a VPS server from any service provider. But in this tutorial, we are using, PQ Hosting.

• First, create an account: Click here

• Once registered, go to “Products/Services” > “Virtual private servers”

• Now click on “Order” 👇🏻

• Now select any country and order “Rhodium, vCore x16, 16 GB RAM ECC, 200 GB SSD NVME”.

• You can select a lower configuration as well, but as per Taiko’s announcement, we need 16GB+ RAM for the best result.

• Now select “Ubuntu 22.04” as the operating system and click on “Add to cart”.

• Now enter our promo code AIRDROP_ADV to get 15% OFF and click on “Pay”

• Finally, make the payment. You can pay using different options which include crypto as well.

• Once you made the payment, go to the “Products/Services” > “Virtual private servers” section.

• There you’ll first see “Ordered”.

• After a few minutes, it will change to “Active”.

• If it has been more than an hour or so, and the status still does not show as 'Active', please contact support. They will assist you.

• Once activated, open the server details by double-clicking on the server name.

• Now copy the IP Address and Password and save it securely.

Now it’s time to run the node. For this, we will use the “PuTTY” software for Windows.

You can download it here:

If you’re a Mac user, you can use Termius:

• Once downloaded, install and open the software.

• Paste the IP Address of your VPS 👇🏻

• Then go to “Connections” >

• In the field beside Seconds between keepalives, enter 5 >

• Check to Enable TCP Keepalives (SO_KEEPALIVE option) and click on “Open” 👇🏻

• Now a new window will open

• Here, login as “root” 👇

• And paste the password (which you saved from your VPS details).

• Keep in mind, to paste any text within the PuTTY terminal, you just need to right-click and press “Enter” on your keyboard.

• Once you enter the password correctly, you will see a window like this 👇🏻

Now run these commands one by one:

• sudo apt update && apt upgrade -y

• sudo apt install pkg-config curl git-all build-essential libssl-dev libclang-dev ufw

If asked Y/N, type “Y” and hit enter.

• sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

• sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyringscurl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

• echo \"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \$(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

• sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpgsudo apt-get update

• sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin

• sudo apt install docker-compose

If asked Y/N, type “Y” and hit enter.

To check the Docker Engine installation is successful, use this command:

sudo docker run hello-world

You should see something like this 👇

Now go to Alchemy:

Sign in or Sign up if you don’t have an account already.

And click on “CREATE APP” 👇

Name: Set any random name (does not matter)

Chain: Ethereum

Network: Ethereum Sepolia

And create the app.

Now click on “View Key” 👇

You’ll need this in the next steps.

Now claim ETH faucet on Sepolia chain:

Now it’s time to install and run the node:

Use this command to download the node:

• git clone https://github.com/taikoxyz/simple-taiko-node.gitcd simple-taiko-node

Configure the node:

• cp .env.sample .env

Then use vim .env if you’re on Linux or nano .env if you’re on Mac.

This page will appear 👇

Now scroll down and delete the false in ENABLE_PROVER and replace with true.

If you’re not able to type directly in Putty, just type in Notepad, copy and right-click to paste.

Now go to Alchemy and copy the HTTP & WS and paste the links as shown below 👇

Now go to your Metamask wallet, and copy your private key (not the seed phase).

And paste at L1_PROVER_PRIVATE_KEY, as shown below 👇

To save the changes and exit Vim, press the Esc key.

Then, type the following command: :wq and hit enter.

Finally, use this command to run the node: docker compose up

Once entered, the node should start running and you will see a window like this 👇

Congrats!!! 🎉 You’ve successfully set up the node for Taiko Alpha 3 Testnet.

If you face any error while setting up the node, I recommend you to message on the Taiko Discord channel.

Now you can check the status of your node at:

http://localhost:3000/d/L2ExecutionEngine/l2-execution-engine-overview

Make sure to replace the localhost with your VPS IP address.

Here is the status page of the node 👇

Some commands you may need in future:

Stop a node: docker compose down

Remove a node: docker compose down -v rm -f .env

Update a node: docker compose pull

View the node's logs: docker compose logs -f

FAQs:

❓Can we close the Putty window after the setup is completed?

• Of course, you can close right after the setup is completed. You can even turn off your PC. This is why we used a VPS.

❓How long do we need to run the node?

• There is no specific guideline as we are not sure when Taiko provides a new update. But my plan is to run this node for 2 months.

❓Can we run this node with the same VPS we run for other nodes?

• No. Have to set up a brand new VPS.

That’s it for now. Make sure to join us on Telegram to remain updated with Starknet airdrop.