Guide to Setting Up a Fully Functional Prysm Beacon Node and Validator For Ethereum PoA Testnet (October 2024 Update)
Since The Merge (EIP-3675) and the implementation of Proto-Danksharding (EIP-4844), Geth has undergone significant upgrades. However, due to a lack of updated guides and tutorials, many networks and nodes continue to rely on outdated Proof-of-Work configurations, consuming excessive memory and processing power.
This article will walk you through setting up a fully functional Proof-of-Authority (PoA) node using the Prysm beacon chain and validator. We've addressed numerous issues, including the common error, "could not set config params: version 0x05000000 for fork electra in config." Follow this guide and configuration closely to launch your PoA node in minutes.
Download the latest binaries
# Create a new folder
mkdir devnet && cd devnet
# Download latest geth
wget https://gethstore.blob.core.windows.net/builds/geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa.tar.gz
# Extract geth and move it to main folder
tar -xzf geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa.tar.gz && mv geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa/geth .
# Download beacon-chain, rename & change permission
wget https://github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/releases/download/v5.1.0/beacon-chain-v5.1.0-linux-amd64 && mv beacon-chain-v5.1.0-linux-amd64 beacon-chain && chmod 0755 beacon-chain
# Download prysmctl and rename & change permission
wget https://github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/releases/download/v5.1.0/prysmctl-v5.1.0-linux-amd64 && mv prysmctl-v5.1.0-linux-amd64 prysmctl && chmod 0755 prysmctl
# Download validator and rename & change permission
wget https://github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/releases/download/v5.1.0/validator-v5.1.0-linux-amd64 && mv validator-v5.1.0-linux-amd64 validator && chmod 0755 validator
The transition from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Authority (PoA) changes the role of the Ethereum node. It no longer handles block validation but instead focuses on the execution layer, where it manages the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), processes transactions, runs smart contracts, and stores the blockchain state. Meanwhile, the beacon chain operates as the consensus layer, managing staking and block validation. With Prysm, additional validation tools are required for synchronising the network and performing block attestations.
Prepare the necessary configurations and secrets
# Create shared token
echo "0xfad2709d0bb03bf0e8ba3c99bea194575d3e98863133d1af638ed056d1d59345" >> jwt.hex
# Create private key
echo "2e0834786285daccd064ca17f1654f67b4aef298acbb82cef9ec422fb4975622" >> secret.txt
Create genesis.json and input the following content:
{
"config": {
"chainId": 141319,
"homesteadBlock": 0,
"daoForkSupport": true,
"eip150Block": 0,
"eip155Block": 0,
"eip158Block": 0,
"byzantiumBlock": 0,
"constantinopleBlock": 0,
"petersburgBlock": 0,
"istanbulBlock": 0,
"muirGlacierBlock": 0,
"berlinBlock": 0,
"londonBlock": 0,
"arrowGlacierBlock": 0,
"grayGlacierBlock": 0,
"shanghaiTime": 1728524693,
"cancunTime": 1747933589,
"terminalTotalDifficulty": 0,
"terminalTotalDifficultyPassed": true
},
"nonce": "0x0",
"timestamp": "0x67073195",
"extraData": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000123463a4b065722e99115d6c222f267d9cabb5240000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
"gasLimit": "0x1c9c380",
"difficulty": "0x1",
"mixHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
"coinbase": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
"alloc": {
"123463a4b065722e99115d6c222f267d9cabb524": {
"balance": "0x43c33c1937564800000"
},
"14dc79964da2c08b23698b3d3cc7ca32193d9955": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"15d34aaf54267db7d7c367839aaf71a00a2c6a65": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"1cbd3b2770909d4e10f157cabc84c7264073c9ec": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"23618e81e3f5cdf7f54c3d65f7fbc0abf5b21e8f": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"2546bcd3c84621e976d8185a91a922ae77ecec30": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"3c44cdddb6a900fa2b585dd299e03d12fa4293bc": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"4242424242424242424242424242424242424242": {
"code": "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"balance": "0x0"
},
"4e59b44847b379578588920ca78fbf26c0b4956c": {
"code": "0x7fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffe03601600081602082378035828234f58015156039578182fd5b8082525050506014600cf3",
"balance": "0x0"
},
"5678e9e827b3be0e3d4b910126a64a697a148267": {
"balance": "0x43c33c1937564800000"
},
"70997970c51812dc3a010c7d01b50e0d17dc79c8": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"71be63f3384f5fb98995898a86b02fb2426c5788": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"8626f6940e2eb28930efb4cef49b2d1f2c9c1199": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"90f79bf6eb2c4f870365e785982e1f101e93b906": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"976ea74026e726554db657fa54763abd0c3a0aa9": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"9965507d1a55bcc2695c58ba16fb37d819b0a4dc": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"a0ee7a142d267c1f36714e4a8f75612f20a79720": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"bcd4042de499d14e55001ccbb24a551f3b954096": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"bda5747bfd65f08deb54cb465eb87d40e51b197e": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"cd3b766ccdd6ae721141f452c550ca635964ce71": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"dd2fd4581271e230360230f9337d5c0430bf44c0": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"df3e18d64bc6a983f673ab319ccae4f1a57c7097": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"f39fd6e51aad88f6f4ce6ab8827279cfffb92266": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
},
"fabb0ac9d68b0b445fb7357272ff202c5651694a": {
"balance": "0x21e19e0c9bab2400000"
}
},
"number": "0x0",
"gasUsed": "0x0",
"parentHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
"baseFeePerGas": null,
"excessBlobGas": null,
"blobGasUsed": null
}
领英推荐
Create config.yml and input the following content:
CONFIG_NAME: interop
PRESET_BASE: interop
# Genesis
GENESIS_FORK_VERSION: 0x20000089
# Electra
# Important!
ELECTRA_FORK_VERSION: 0x15000000
# Altair
ALTAIR_FORK_EPOCH: 0
ALTAIR_FORK_VERSION: 0x20000090
# Merge
BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH: 0
BELLATRIX_FORK_VERSION: 0x20000091
TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY: 0
# Capella
CAPELLA_FORK_EPOCH: 0
CAPELLA_FORK_VERSION: 0x20000092
MAX_WITHDRAWALS_PER_PAYLOAD: 16
DENEB_FORK_VERSION: 0x20000093
# Time parameters
SECONDS_PER_SLOT: 12
SLOTS_PER_EPOCH: 6
# Deposit contract
DEPOSIT_CONTRACT_ADDRESS: 0x4242424242424242424242424242424242424242
The node and the beacon chain must communicate securely, which is facilitated by using a JWT token. The private key is essential for unlocking and starting the node. Additionally, genesis.json is created to provide the genesis configuration required by each node. In this context, it allows Prysm to generate genesis.ssz, a binary file that enables the beacon node to start with the exact settings of the node. Finally, the config.yml file is utilised by Prysm to specify the parameters for forking.
Final configurations
# Rewrite genesis.json & generate genesis.ssz
./prysmctl testnet generate-genesis --fork capella --num-validators 64 --genesis-time-delay 600 --chain-config-file config.yml --geth-genesis-json-in genesis.json --geth-genesis-json-out genesis.json --output-ssz genesis.ssz
# Create staker's account
./geth --datadir=gethdata account import secret.txt
# Create node information
./geth --datadir=gethdata init genesis.json
Prysmctl uses the genesis.json file to create a binary genesis.ssz file for the Prysm process to run. It also modifies the genesis.json file accordingly. The staker's private key is stored earlier in secret.txt. If a different address is used, ensure that you update the data and alloc keys in genesis.json. Initialising the node is crucial, as it allows the node to take values from genesis.json. If initialisation is not specified, it will default to the Ethereum mainnet.
Start the PoA
# Run geth
./geth --http --http.api eth,net,web3 --ws --ws.api eth,net,web3 --authrpc.jwtsecret jwt.hex --datadir gethdata --nodiscover --syncmode full --allow-insecure-unlock --unlock 0x123463a4b065722e99115d6c222f267d9cabb524
# Run beacon-chain
./beacon-chain --datadir beacondata --min-sync-peers 0 --genesis-state genesis.ssz --bootstrap-node= --interop-eth1data-votes --chain-config-file config.yml --contract-deployment-block 0 --chain-id 141319 --accept-terms-of-use --jwt-secret jwt.hex --suggested-fee-recipient 0x123463a4B065722E99115D6c222f267d9cABb524 --minimum-peers-per-subnet 0 --enable-debug-rpc-endpoints --execution-endpoint gethdata/geth.ipc
# Run validator
./validator --datadir validatordata --accept-terms-of-use --interop-num-validators 64 --chain-config-file config.yml
That's it! These are the three essential services needed for the PoA node to operate correctly. You can run them in the background using nohup followed by an ampersand (&) at the end of the command.
Alternatively if you want to download a ready version of this: https://github.com/aloycwl/poa