Welcome to this guide on running a Node on Taiko Alpha 3 Incentivized Testnet using a VPS! Before we delve into the technicalities, let's clarify what Taiko is and why we're interested in running a node on it.

What is Taiko?

Taiko is a decentralized Layer 2 blockchain protocol that uses a Zero Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (ZK-EVM). It is designed to be the most Ethereum-equivalent and general-purpose Zero Knowledge Rollup (ZK-Rollup).

The main objective of Taiko is to provide a scalable and efficient platform for decentralized applications (dApps) developers and users, allowing them to leverage the power of Ethereum Layer 1 (L1) without having to make any changes to their existing dApps.

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Why would you want to run a node on Taiko Aplha 3 Testnet?

Running a node on the Taiko Alpha 3 Testnet offers several enticing benefits. Firstly, the testnet is designed as an incentivized platform, meaning that participants who run a node have the opportunity to be eligible for the Taiko airdrop. By actively engaging in the testnet, individuals can increase their chances of receiving a rewarding airdrop.

Moreover, participating in the testnet allows users to familiarize themselves with the intricacies of the Taiko network and gain valuable experience in operating a node. This hands-on involvement not only enhances one's understanding of the ecosystem but also positions participants to potentially contribute to the development and stability of the network in the future.

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Now that we understand the significance of Taiko and the motivations behind running a node, let's dive into the practical aspects of setting up a node on the Taiko Alpha 3 testnet using a Virtual Private Server (VPS).

To run a node, we can divide the whole process into 2 parts:

1. Buy a VPS

2. Run Node

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1. Buy a VPS

You can buy a VPS server from any service provider. But in this tutorial, we are using, PQ Hosting.

• First, create an account: Click here

• Once registered, go to “Products/Services” > “Virtual private servers”

• Now click on “Order” 👇🏻

• Now select any country and order “Rhodium, vCore x16, 16 GB RAM ECC, 200 GB SSD NVME”.

• You can select a lower configuration as well, but as per Taiko’s announcement, we need 16GB+ RAM for the best result.

• Now select “Ubuntu 22.04” as the operating system and click on “Add to cart”.

• Now enter our promo code AIRDROP_ADV to get 15% OFF and click on “Pay”

• Finally, make the payment. You can pay using different options which include crypto as well.

• Once you made the payment, go to the “Products/Services” > “Virtual private servers” section.

• There you’ll first see “Ordered”.

• After a few minutes, it will change to “Active”.

• If it has been more than an hour or so, and the status still does not show as 'Active', please contact support. They will assist you.

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• Once activated, open the server details by double-clicking on the server name.

• Now copy the IP Address and Password and save it securely.

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2. Run Node:

Now it’s time to run the node. For this, we will use the “PuTTY” software for Windows.

You can download it here:

If you’re a Mac user, you can use Termius:

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• Once downloaded, install and open the software.

• Paste the IP Address of your VPS 👇🏻

• Then go to “Connections” >

• In the field beside Seconds between keepalives, enter 5 >

• Check to Enable TCP Keepalives (SO_KEEPALIVE option) and click on “Open” 👇🏻

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• Now a new window will open

• Here, login as “root” 👇

• And paste the password (which you saved from your VPS details).

• Keep in mind, to paste any text within the PuTTY terminal, you just need to right-click and press “Enter” on your keyboard.

• Once you enter the password correctly, you will see a window like this 👇🏻

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Now run these commands one by one:

• sudo apt update && apt upgrade -y

• sudo apt install pkg-config curl git-all build-essential libssl-dev libclang-dev ufw

If asked Y/N, type “Y” and hit enter.

• sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

• sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

• echo \
"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
$(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

• sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo apt-get update

• sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin

• sudo apt install docker-compose

If asked Y/N, type “Y” and hit enter.

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To check the Docker Engine installation is successful, use this command:

sudo docker run hello-world

You should see something like this 👇

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Now go to Alchemy:

Sign in or Sign up if you don’t have an account already.

And click on “CREATE APP” 👇

Name: Set any random name (does not matter)

Chain: Ethereum

Network: Ethereum Sepolia

And create the app.

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Now click on “View Key” 👇

You’ll need this in the next steps.

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Now claim ETH faucet on Sepolia chain:

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Now it’s time to install and run the node:

Use this command to download the node:

• git clone https://github.com/taikoxyz/simple-taiko-node.git
cd simple-taiko-node

Configure the node:

• cp .env.sample .env

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Then use vim .env if you’re on Linux or nano .env if you’re on Mac.

This page will appear 👇

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Now scroll down and delete the false in ENABLE_PROVER and replace with true.

If you’re not able to type directly in Putty, just type in Notepad, copy and right-click to paste.

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Now go to Alchemy and copy the HTTP & WS and paste the links as shown below 👇

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Now go to your Metamask wallet, and copy your private key (not the seed phase).

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And paste at L1_PROVER_PRIVATE_KEY, as shown below 👇

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To save the changes and exit Vim, press the Esc key.

Then, type the following command: :wq and hit enter.

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Finally, use this command to run the node: docker compose up

Once entered, the node should start running and you will see a window like this 👇

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Congrats!!! 🎉 You’ve successfully set up the node for Taiko Alpha 3 Testnet.

If you face any error while setting up the node, I recommend you to message on the Taiko Discord channel.

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Now you can check the status of your node at:

http://localhost:3000/d/L2ExecutionEngine/l2-execution-engine-overview

Make sure to replace the localhost with your VPS IP address.

Here is the status page of the node 👇

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Some commands you may need in future:

Stop a node: docker compose down

Remove a node: docker compose down -v rm -f .env

Update a node: docker compose pull

View the node's logs: docker compose logs -f

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FAQs:

❓Can we close the Putty window after the setup is completed?

• Of course, you can close right after the setup is completed. You can even turn off your PC. This is why we used a VPS.

❓How long do we need to run the node?

• There is no specific guideline as we are not sure when Taiko provides a new update. But my plan is to run this node for 2 months.

❓Can we run this node with the same VPS we run for other nodes?

• No. Have to set up a brand new VPS.

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That’s it for now. Make sure to join us on Telegram to remain updated with Starknet airdrop.

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