Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have the following:

1. Server Requirements:

   • CPU: 4+ cores

   • RAM: 8GB or more

   • Storage: 100GB SSD or higher

   • OS: Ubuntu 20.04 or higher

2. Tools Installed:

   • curl

   • git

   • docker

   • docker-compose

To install these tools, run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl git docker.io docker-compose
sudo systemctl enable docker --now

Step 1: Clone the Aptos Repository

Clone the Aptos Networks repository:

git clone https://github.com/aptos-labs/aptos-networks.git
cd aptos-networks

Step 2: Install Aptos CLI

The Aptos CLI is necessary to interact with the network. Install it by running:

# Download the Aptos CLI binary
curl -sSfL https://aptos.dev/cli-tools/install-cli.sh | sh

# Verify installation
aptos --version

Step 3: Generate Keys and Configuration

Generate a key pair and configuration file for your node:

aptos genesis generate-keys --output-dir $HOME/aptos
aptos genesis set-validator-configuration \
  --keys-dir $HOME/aptos \
  --validator-host <YOUR_VALIDATOR_IP>:6180 \
  --full-node-host <YOUR_VALIDATOR_IP>:6182 \
  --output-dir $HOME/aptos

Replace <YOUR_VALIDATOR_IP> with your server's public IP address.

Step 4: Join the Aptos Network

Fetch the latest configuration files from the Aptos testnet or mainnet (depending on your goal):

# Example: For testnet
wget -qO $HOME/aptos/testnet.yaml https://testnet.aptos.dev/genesis.yaml

Step 5: Run Your Node

Use Docker to launch your Aptos node:

1. Create a docker-compose.yml file in the aptos-networks directory:

   version: "3.8"
   services:
     aptos-node:
       image: aptoslab/validator:latest
       container_name: aptos-node
       restart: always
       ports:
         - "6180:6180" # Validator communication
         - "6182:6182" # Full node communication
       volumes:
         - $HOME/aptos:/opt/aptos
       command: [
         "--config",
         "/opt/aptos/testnet.yaml",
         "--genesis",
         "/opt/aptos/genesis.blob",
       ]
   

2. Start the node:

   docker-compose up -d
   

3. Verify that your node is running:

   docker logs -f aptos-node
   

Step 6: Monitor Your Node

Check Sync Status

Use the CLI to check the node's sync status:

curl http://<YOUR_VALIDATOR_IP>:6180/metrics | grep aptos_state_sync_version

Logs

For real-time logs:

docker logs -f aptos-node

Step 7: Update Your Node

Regular updates ensure compatibility with the Aptos network:

1. Pull the latest Docker image:

   docker pull aptoslab/validator:latest
   

2. Restart your node:

   docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d
   

Troubleshooting

Node Is Not Syncing

• Ensure your ports 6180 and 6182 are open:

  sudo ufw allow 6180/tcp
  sudo ufw allow 6182/tcp
  

• Verify connectivity to peers.

Logs Show Errors

• Check Docker logs for specific issues:

  docker logs aptos-node