# Arbitrum One Node By [GLCstaked](https://paragraph.com/@glcstaked) · 2022-11-08 --- **Setup an Arbitrum One (or Nova) full Node, for direct access to the Arbitrum chain.** _document last updated: 4/8/23_ [ How to run a full node for an Arbitrum or Arbitrum chain | Arbitrum Docs ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Learn how to run an Arbitrum node on your local machine https://docs.arbitrum.io ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/aac95af995884d444a5ff9a00729a9015f772dde756c80bdc716323b8fc42c52.png) ](https://developer.offchainlabs.com/node-running/running-a-node) A connection to an Ethereum node is required. Arbitrum is an Optimistic Rollup protocol that inherits Ethereum-level security, Arbitrum chain state is forwarded to Ethereum thus requires access to Ethereum node. **Arbitrum Full Node:** a full node, this is the L2 equivalent of a full node on Ethereum, which connects to other full nodes via peer-to-peer networking, stores full blockchain data and verifies all blocks and states. All states can be regenerated from a full node. Arbitrum One node is now built with nitro. **What is Nitro:** Arbitrum One has now been fully migrated to the Nitro stack. This was an upgrade to the roll up architecture resulting in increased throughput and lower fees. [ Arbitrum Nitro: one small step for L2, one giant leap for Ethereum. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Arbitrum Nitro: one small step for L2, one giant leap for Ethereum. The time has come Arbinauts. Arbitrum One has now been fully migrated to the Nitro stack! Ahhhhh! Yes, it's true, Arbitrum One is ... https://medium.com ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/1e62238be0da1f3e7b13ae6d9d0c97a660e5827174e4e09a4b2adb4513b1de0e.png) ](https://medium.com/offchainlabs/arbitrum-nitro-one-small-step-for-l2-one-giant-leap-for-ethereum-bc9108047450) **Hardware Requirements** Recommended Specs: RAM 8GB, CPU 4core, Storage: Minimum 1.2TB SSD (make sure it is extendable) _Estimated Growth Rate: around 3 GB per day_ Ubuntu 20.04 LTS installed [ Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS (Focal Fossa) -------------------------------- CD images for Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS (Focal Fossa) https://www.releases.ubuntu.com ](https://www.releases.ubuntu.com/focal/) Access to an Ethereum Full Node Important Ports: RPC: `8547`, WebSocket: `8548`, Sequencer Feed: `9642`, ETH RPC: `8545` **Method 1: Deployment Script (Easy)** -------------------------------------- for easy deployment, you can run this script (based of this guide), installs dependencies, select Arbitrum network and Ethereum endpoint and auto configures the node for you based on client selection [https://github.com/GLCNI/RPC-node-deployments/tree/main#arbitrum](https://github.com/GLCNI/RPC-node-deployments/tree/main#arbitrum) **Method 2: Manual Build with Docker** -------------------------------------- 1\. Initial Setup ----------------- **Install Prerequisite software** Update System sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y **Install Docker & Docker-compose** Remove any existing installation sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io containerd runc Install Docker & Docker-compose via script sudo apt install curl -y curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh sh get-docker.sh Remove the script, and add your user to the docker group, for use without `sudo` sudo rm -r get-docker.sh sudo usermod -aG docker $USER Requires a **Restart** to work, then check installed with docker --version docker compose version 2\. Get Ethereum Endpoint ------------------------- Arbitrum requires a connection to an Ethereum Node, as it is a layer 2 on top of Ethereum. There are a few ways to achieve this ### Option 1. Use your own Node (recommended) **Set up an Ethereum full node** If you don’t have access to a full node for Ethereum, which consists of and Execution and Consensus client, You can use an easy node deployment tool such as [Nethermind Sedge](https://docs.sedge.nethermind.io/). [https://mirror.xyz/0xf3bF9DDbA413825E5DdF92D15b09C2AbD8d190dd/n0AOGKh6Ck068icgY78i9DA3xPYWlWLGlE8HXnJeSl0](https://mirror.xyz/0xf3bF9DDbA413825E5DdF92D15b09C2AbD8d190dd/n0AOGKh6Ck068icgY78i9DA3xPYWlWLGlE8HXnJeSl0) Note: it may take a while to sync depending on hardware used (quality of SSD & RAM), from 12 hours to a few days. **Sedge:** http rpc port is exposed to the docker network by default, but the default port may be different than `8545` find the port here under `//docker-compose.yml` ![Under \`service: execution\` ](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/df728a1ddaabc019418e76f66893c12893a11dbfc96f1311a76b38470e2afcfa.png) Under \\\`service: execution\\\` **Rocketpool:** If you want to use a full node within the rocketpool stack, you can expose the EL endpoint in `rocketpool service config` default port is `8545` ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/7be616c9929d000360ee11aa5dc72cb1d8982fd500033108d93c3f31499d3cb5.png) **Host node on the same device** You shouldn’t have to do anything for ports or on firewall. The following are the arguments and changes to the `docker-compose.yml` file for later in Step 3. - --l1.url= http://localhost:8545 # or - --l1.url=http://0.0.0.0:8545 Add under nitro-node service network_mode: host _NOTE: 8545 is the default RPC port, if Ethereum node is configured for a different port then change accordingly._ **Node on a separate (local) device** _Normally: Keep 8545 (or 8000-9000 for CL) closed except for the trusted machines - this is the JSON RPC port which gives admin access to the node._ You are advised to open the port to your Arbitrum node IP like so, from your Ethereum Node. were going to allow only to our own IP. What this does is exposes our Ethereum node only to a trusted device hosting the L2 node. sudo ufw allow 8545 from sudo ufw enable If you still have problems connecting, you may need to Port forward `8545` from your router. This will vary based on your ISP and router, check the manual. ### Option 2. Using a 3rd party service (not recommended) RPC services such as [Infura](https://www.infura.io/)/[Alchemy](https://www.alchemy.com/) can provide Endpoints though the resource limits will likely be reached. For Infura it will look something like this. Create an account and copy the Endpoint ID (make sure it is mainnet) into --l1.url=https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/ 3. Configure Arbitrum Node **Make our working Directory** mkdir -p /home/$USER/arbitrum-node/data **Grant Permissions** chmod -fR 777 /home/$USER/arbitrum-node/data **Create docker-compose config file** nano /home/$USER/arbitrum-node/docker-compose.yml **Paste into terminal** version: '3.3' services: nitro-node: network\_mode: host image: 'offchainlabs/nitro-node:v2.0.11-8e786ec' user: 1000:1000 restart: always stop\_grace\_period: 30s volumes: - '/home/$USER/arbitrum-node/data/:/home/user/.arbitrum' # - '/home/$USER/arbitrum-node/snapdata/:/arbitrum-node/snapdata/' ports: - '0.0.0.0:8547:8547' - '0.0.0.0:8548:8548' command: - --init.url=https://snapshot.arbitrum.io/mainnet/nitro.tar - --l1.url=http://localhost:8545 - --l2.chain-id=42161 - --http.api=net,web3,eth,debug - --http.corsdomain=\* - --http.addr=0.0.0.0 - --http.vhosts=\* logging: driver: json-file options: max-size: 10m max-file: "10" Optional Configurations Optional: download snapshot data Arbitrum requires a snapshot of Nitro Genesis Database, this will be downloaded when your node starts (using the configuration above) It may be quicker to manually download the data before starting the node, and host it locally. To do this wget -P /home/$USER/arbitrum-node/snapdata/ https://snapshot.arbitrum.io/mainnet/nitro.tar change the flag - --init.url=file:///home/$USER/arbitrum-node/snapdata/nitro.tar Optional: Opening RPC should you want to access the node externally sudo ufw allow 8547 and port forward if needed **To change the default RPC port**: If you wish to change this, add the argument to `docker-compose.yml` under `command:`, the port must also be changed under `ports:` --http.port= Optional: Enable watchtower Validator anyone can run a validator in watchtower mode, this means your node will log an error if an on-chain assertion deviates from locally computed chain state. _However the ability to post on-chain assertions is currently whitelisted._ Add the arguments to `docker-compose.yml` under `command:` --node.validator.enable --node.validator.strategy=Watchtower More information [here](https://developer.arbitrum.io/node-running/running-a-node#running-watchtower-validator): 4. Run Node cd arbitrum-node docker compose up -d view logs docker compose logs -f nitro-node If your Endpoint is Synced and Reachable you should see at the start of the logs `connected to L1 chain` and your Endpoint It will start by downloading the historical Arbitrum One database from snapshot before Nitro upgrade. This part takes a while and you may not see much updated in the logs until it starts syncing Once Synced it will look like this, you should see L2 blocks with the corresponding L1 block Useful commands **Check running containers** docker ps -a **Stop the node** docker compose down #from working dir # or docker stop && docker rm **View additional CLI options** Go into the Docker terminal, from the working directory docker exec -it sh help command nitro --help this will display all additional cli options, to exit the container just enter `exit` **Check space** sudo du -sh /home/$USER/arbitrum-node/data Run on Arbitrum Nova Arbitrum Nova: a Rollup chain that aims for ultra low transaction fees. Nova differs from Arbitrum One by not posting transaction data on chain, but to Data Availability Committee. Nova is built using our AnyTrust Technology, sharing a codebase with Arbitrum Nitro. [https://nova.arbitrum.io/](https://nova.arbitrum.io/) Edit the Chain ID to Nova ID, chain IDs can be found [here](https://developer.offchainlabs.com/public-chains) - --l2.chain-id=42161 Remove the following line from `docker-compose.yml` - --init.url="https://snapshot.arbitrum.io/mainnet/nitro.tar" no genesis db is needed as it wasn't migrated from Arbitrum one (before Nitro upgrade) chain --- *Originally published on [GLCstaked](https://paragraph.com/@glcstaked/arbitrum-one-node)*