Edit

Teku

WARNING: Do not import your validator keys into multiple validator clients and run them at the same time, or you might get slashed. If moving validators to a new setup or different validator client, ensure deletion of the previous validator keys before continuing.

Storing your keystore password in a text file is required so that Teku can decrypt and load your validators automatically.

Create a temporary file to store your keystore password. Type your password in this file.

sudo nano $HOME/validators-password.txt

To exit and save, press Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter.

Confirm that your keystore password is correct.

sudo cat $HOME/validators-password.txt

When specifying directories for your validator-keys, Teku expects to find identically named keystore and password files.

For example keystore-m_12221_3600_1_0_0-11222333.json and keystore-m_12221_3600_1_0_0-11222333.txt

Run the following command to create a corresponding password file for every one of your validators.

for f in $HOME/ethstaker_deposit-cli/validator_keys/keystore*.json; do sudo cp $HOME/validators-password.txt $HOME/ethstaker_deposit-cli/validator_keys/$(basename $f .json).txt; done

Select a tab for your Teku configuration, either Standalone Validator (Recommended) or Combined Beacon Node with Validator. Running a standalone validator configuration is recommended for best modularity and redundancy.

Copy your validator_keys to the data directory.

sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys
sudo cp $HOME/ethstaker_deposit-cli/validator_keys/keystore* /var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys

Create a service user for the validator service, then create data directories and setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo adduser --system --no-create-home --group validator
sudo chown -R validator:validator /var/lib/teku_validator
sudo chmod -R 700 /var/lib/teku_validator

Verify that your validator's keystore .json files and validator's passwords .txt files are present by checking the following directory.

sudo ls -l /var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys

Example output of two validator's keystore.json files with matching password.txt files.

-rwx------ 1 validator validator 710 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_1_0_0-1695165818.json
-rwx------ 1 validator validator  43 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_1_0_0-1695165818.txt
-rwx------ 1 validator validator 710 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_2_0_0-1695165819.json
-rwx------ 1 validator validator  43 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_2_0_0-1695165819.txt

Create a systemd unit file to define your validator.service configuration.

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/validator.service

Paste the following configuration into the file. 

[Unit]
Description=Teku Validator Client service for Hoodi
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
Documentation=https://www.coincashew.com

[Service]
Type=simple
User=validator
Group=validator
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=3
KillSignal=SIGINT
TimeoutStopSec=900
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/teku/bin/teku validator-client \
  --network=hoodi \
  --data-path=/var/lib/teku_validator \
  --validator-keys=/var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys:/var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys \
  --beacon-node-api-endpoint=http://localhost:5052 \
  --validators-proposer-default-fee-recipient=<0x_CHANGE_THIS_TO_MY_ETH_FEE_RECIPIENT_ADDRESS> \
  --validators-graffiti="🏠🥩🪙🛡️" \
  --metrics-enabled=true \
  --metrics-port=8009

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

  • Replace<0x_CHANGE_THIS_TO_MY_ETH_FEE_RECIPIENT_ADDRESS> with your own Ethereum address that you control. Tips are sent to this address and are immediately spendable.

  • If you wish to customize a short message that is included when you produce a block, add your message to the --graffiti. Maximum length is 16 characters.

To exit and save, press Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter.

Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time.

Finally, start your validator client and check it's status.

Check your logs to confirm that the validator clients are up and functioning.

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

Press Ctrl + C to exit the logs.

Example of Synced Teku Validator Client Logs

  • Once the validator is active and proceeded through the validator activation queue, attestation messages will appear indicating successful attestations.

  • Notice the key words "Validator *** Published attestation".

Delete the temporary keystore password file.

Cleanup leftover validator_keys

Verify that you have backups of validator_keys directory. The contents are the keystore files.

Having backup copies of your validator_keys directory on USB media can make recovery from node problems quicker. Validator keys can always be regenerated from secret recovery mnemonic phrase.

You may safely delete the directory.

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