> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.coincashew.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.coincashew.com/spanish/coins/overview-eth/archived-guides/guide-or-how-to-setup-a-validator-on-eth2-testnet-prater-1/step-4-installing-consensus-client/nimbus.md). # Nimbus ## Overview {% hint style="info" %} [Nimbus](https://our.status.im/tag/nimbus/) is a research project and a client implementation for Ethereum designed to perform well on embedded systems and personal mobile devices, including older smartphones with resource-restricted hardware. The Nimbus team are from [Status](https://status.im/about/) the company best known for [their messaging app/wallet/Web3 browser](https://status.im) by the same name. Nimbus (Apache 2) is written in Nim, a language with Python-like syntax that compiles to C. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **Note**: Nimbus is configured to run both **validator client** and **beacon chain client** in one process. {% endhint %} #### Official Links | Subject | Links | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Releases | | | Documentation | [https://nimbus.guide](https://nimbus.guide/) | | Website | [https://our.status.im/tag/nimbus](https://our.status.im/tag/nimbus/) | ### 1. Initial configuration Create a service user for the consensus service, create data directory and assign ownership. ```bash sudo adduser --system --no-create-home --group consensus sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/nimbus sudo chown -R consensus:consensus /var/lib/nimbus ``` Install dependencies. ```bash sudo apt install curl libsnappy-dev libc6-dev jq libc6 unzip -y ``` ### 2. Install Binaries * Downloading binaries is often faster and more convenient. * Building from source code can offer better compatibility and is more aligned with the spirit of FOSS (free open source software).
Option 1 - Download binaries Run the following to automatically download the latest linux release, un-tar and cleanup. ```bash RELEASE_URL="https://api.github.com/repos/status-im/nimbus-eth2/releases/latest" BINARIES_URL="$(curl -s $RELEASE_URL | jq -r ".assets[] | select(.name) | .browser_download_url" | grep _Linux_amd64.*.tar.gz$)" echo Downloading URL: $BINARIES_URL cd $HOME # Download wget -O nimbus.tar.gz $BINARIES_URL # Untar tar -xzvf nimbus.tar.gz -C $HOME # Rename folder mv nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_* nimbus # Cleanup rm nimbus.tar.gz ``` Install the binaries. 
sudo mv nimbus/build/nimbus_beacon_node /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node
Option 2 - Build from source code Install dependencies. ```bash sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install curl build-essential git -y ``` Build the binary. ```bash mkdir -p ~/git cd ~/git git clone -b stable https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2 cd nimbus-eth2 make -j$(nproc) update make -j$(nproc) nimbus_beacon_node ``` Verify Nimbus was built properly by displaying the version. ```bash cd $HOME/git/nimbus-eth2/build ./nimbus_beacon_node --version ``` Install the binary. ```bash sudo cp $HOME/git/nimbus-eth2/build/nimbus_beacon_node /usr/local/bin ```
### **3. Setup and configure systemd** Create a **systemd unit file** to define your `consensus.service` configuration. ```bash sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/consensus.service ``` Paste the following configuration into the file. ```shell [Unit] Description=Nimbus Consensus Layer Client service for Goerli Wants=network-online.target After=network-online.target Documentation=https://www.coincashew.com [Service] Type=simple User=consensus Group=consensus Restart=on-failure RestartSec=3 KillSignal=SIGINT TimeoutStopSec=900 ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node \ --network=goerli \ --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus \ --web3-url=http://127.0.0.1:8551 \ --rest \ --metrics \ --metrics-port=8008 \ --jwt-secret="/secrets/jwtsecret" \ --suggested-fee-recipient=<0x_CHANGE_THIS_TO_MY_ETH_FEE_RECIPIENT_ADDRESS> [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. * **Not staking?** If you only want a full node, delete the whole line beginning with ``` --suggested-fee-recipient ``` To exit and save, press `Ctrl` + `X`, then `Y`, then `Enter`. Run the following to quickly sync with Checkpoint Sync. {% hint style="info" %} Checkpoint sync allows you to start your consensus layer within minutes instead of days. {% endhint %} ```bash sudo -u consensus /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node trustedNodeSync \ --network=goerli \ --trusted-node-url=https://goerli.beaconstate.info \ --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus \ --backfill=false ``` When the checkpoint sync is complete, you'll see the following message: > Done, your beacon node is ready to serve you! Don't forget to check that you're on the canonical chain by comparing the checkpoint root with other online sources. See for more information. Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time. ```bash sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable consensus ``` Finally, start your consensus layer client and check it's status. ```bash sudo systemctl start consensus sudo systemctl status consensus ``` Press `Ctrl` + `C` to exit the status. Check your logs to confirm that the consensus clients are up and syncing. ```bash sudo journalctl -fu consensus | ccze ``` **Example of Synced Consensus Client Logs** ``` nimbus_beacon_node[292966]: INF 2023-02-05 01:20:00.000+00:00 Slot start topics="beacnde" slot=31205 epoch=903 sync=synced peers=80 head=13a131:31204 finalized=1111:cdba33411 delay=69us850ns nimbus_beacon_node[292966]: INF 2023-02-05 01:20:08.000+00:00 Slot end topics="beacnde" slot=31205 nextActionWait=7m27s985ms126us530ns nextAttestationSlot=31235 nextProposalSlot=-1 syncCommitteeDuties=none head=13a131:31204 ``` ### 4. Helpful consensus client commands {% tabs %} {% tab title="View Logs" %} ```bash sudo journalctl -fu consensus | ccze ``` **Example of Synced Nimbus Consensus Client Logs** ```bash nimbus_beacon_node[292966]: INF 2023-02-05 01:20:00.000+00:00 Slot start topics="beacnde" slot=31205 epoch=903 sync=synced peers=80 head=13a131:31204 finalized=1111:cdba33411 delay=69us850ns nimbus_beacon_node[292966]: INF 2023-02-05 01:20:08.000+00:00 Slot end topics="beacnde" slot=31205 nextActionWait=7m27s985ms126us530ns nextAttestationSlot=31235 nextProposalSlot=-1 syncCommitteeDuties=none head=13a131:31204 ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="Stop" %} ```bash sudo systemctl stop consensus ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="Start" %} ```bash sudo systemctl start consensus ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="View Status" %} ```bash sudo systemctl status consensus ``` {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} Now that your consensus client is configured and started, you have a full node. Proceed to the next step on setting up your validator client, which turns a full node into a staking node. {% hint style="info" %} If you wanted to setup a full node, not a staking node, stop here! Congrats on running your own full node! :tada: {% endhint %}