To set up a validator node on MANTRA Chain, follow these steps:

1. Prepare Your Environment:

   • System Requirements: Ensure your hardware meets the necessary specifications. Detailed requirements can be found in the Node System Requirements section.

   • Operating System: A Linux-based system is recommended for optimal performance.

2. Install the mantrachaind Application:

   • Download the Latest Release: Obtain the latest mantrachaind binary from the official releases page.

   • Verify the Binary: After downloading, verify the integrity of the binary using the provided .sha256 file.

   • Build from Source (Optional): If you prefer, you can compile the application from source. Ensure you have Go installed, then run:

     make install
     

3. Initialize the Node:

   • Set Up Configuration Files: Initialize the node with your chosen moniker (a human-readable name for your node) and the appropriate chain ID:

     mantrachaind init <moniker> --chain-id <chain-id>
     

     Replace <moniker> with your desired node name and <chain-id> with the target chain ID (e.g., mantra-1 for mainnet or mantra-dukong-1 for testnet).

4. Configure the Node:

   • Genesis File: Download the appropriate genesis.json file for your chosen network and place it in the ~/.mantrachain/config/ directory.

   • Peers: Update the persistent_peers and seeds fields in the config.toml file located in the same directory to include the necessary peer nodes.

5. Start the Node:

   • Run the Node: Start the node to begin the synchronization process:

     mantrachaind start
     

   • Systemd Integration (Optional): For better process management, consider setting up mantrachaind as a systemd service. Guidance on this can be found here.

6. Create a Validator:

   • Initialize Wallet Keyring: Create a new wallet or import an existing one:

     mantrachaind keys add <key_name>
     

     Replace <key_name> with your preferred wallet name.

   • Fund Your Wallet: Ensure your wallet has a sufficient amount of OM tokens to cover the staking amount and transaction fees.

   • Obtain Validator Public Key: Retrieve your validator's public key:

     mantrachaind tendermint show-validator
     

   • Submit Create-Validator Transaction: Execute the following command, replacing the placeholders with your specific details:

     mantrachaind tx staking create-validator \
       --from=<key_name> \
       --amount=<amount>uom \
       --pubkey=$(mantrachaind tendermint show-validator) \
       --moniker="<validator_moniker>" \
       --security-contact="<security_contact_email>" \
       --chain-id="<chain_id>" \
       --commission-rate="<commission_rate>" \
       --commission-max-rate="<max_commission_rate>" \
       --commission-max-change-rate="<max_commission_change_rate>" \
       --min-self-delegation="<min_self_delegation>" \
       --gas="auto" \
       --gas-prices="<gas_price>uom"
     

     Ensure all parameters are correctly set to reflect your validator's configuration.