1.

Understanding What a Node Is and Why It Matters

A Kaspa node is software that runs on your computer and participates in the Kaspa network. Unlike a wallet, which is primarily focused on managing your KAS tokens, a node maintains a complete copy of the Kaspa BlockDAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) and helps validate and relay transactions and blocks across the network.

What Actually Happens When You Run a Node

When you run a Kaspa node, your computer connects to other nodes on the network. It receives new transactions and blocks, validates them according to Kaspa’s consensus rules, and then forwards them to other nodes. Your node maintains its own copy of the entire BlockDAG, which means it can independently verify that all transactions are valid without trusting any third party.

Think of it this way: the Kaspa network is made up of thousands of nodes worldwide, all communicating with each other. Each node is like a librarian who maintains their own complete copy of all the records. When someone wants to verify information, they can check with any librarian (any node) and get the same answer. This distributed nature is what makes cryptocurrencies decentralized and secure.

Full Nodes vs. Light Nodes

A full node, which is what we’re discussing in this guide, maintains a complete copy of the BlockDAG and participates in validating all transactions and blocks. This requires significant storage space and computational resources but provides the highest level of security and independence.

Light nodes (or lightweight clients) connect to full nodes and trust them to provide accurate information. Wallets like Kaspa NG can run in light mode, where they don’t download the entire BlockDAG but instead query full nodes for the information they need. Light nodes are faster to set up and use less storage, but they don’t contribute to network security in the same way full nodes do.

Why This Matters

Running your own full node means you’re contributing to the decentralization and security of the Kaspa network. Every additional node makes the network more resilient, more secure, and more decentralized. Without enough nodes, the network becomes vulnerable to attacks or centralization. Your node helps ensure that Kaspa remains a truly decentralized cryptocurrency.

2.

Benefits of Running Your Own Node

There are several compelling reasons to run your own Kaspa node, beyond just supporting the network:

Trustless Verification

When you run your own node, you don’t need to trust anyone else to tell you about the state of the BlockDAG. Your node independently verifies every transaction and block according to Kaspa’s consensus rules. This is especially important for businesses or individuals handling significant amounts of KAS, where trusting a third-party node could be a security risk.

If you’re using a wallet that connects to your own node, you know that the information you’re seeing is accurate because your node has verified it. You’re not relying on a third-party service that could potentially be compromised, censored, or provide incorrect information.

Privacy and Security

When you connect your wallet to a third-party node, that node operator can see your wallet addresses and transaction queries. While they can’t steal your funds, they can track your activity. By running your own node, you maintain complete privacy because all queries stay on your local network.

Additionally, running your own node means you’re not vulnerable to attacks on third-party node providers. If a service you depend on goes down or gets compromised, your node continues operating independently.

Supporting Network Decentralization

Every node you run makes the Kaspa network more decentralized. Decentralization is crucial for security and censorship resistance. The more nodes exist in diverse geographic locations, the harder it becomes for any entity to control or attack the network.

Your node helps propagate transactions and blocks across the network, making the network faster and more reliable for everyone. You’re not just benefiting yourself-you’re contributing to the health and resilience of the entire ecosystem.

Mining and Development

If you’re interested in mining Kaspa, running your own node is essential. Solo miners need their own node to generate block templates, and even pool miners benefit from running their own node to verify their earnings independently.

For developers building applications on Kaspa, running a local node provides the best development experience. You have full control over the environment and can test your applications without rate limits or dependency on external services.

Learning and Understanding

Running your own node is one of the best ways to understand how Kaspa actually works. You can see transactions propagating in real-time, observe how blocks are created and validated, and gain a deep understanding of the network’s behavior. This knowledge is invaluable whether you’re an investor, developer, or just curious about how cryptocurrency networks operate.

3.

Prerequisites and Requirements

Before setting up your Kaspa node, you need to ensure your system meets the necessary requirements. The requirements vary depending on the type of node you want to run and how long it’s been running.

Hardware Requirements

For a standard full node (non-archival), you’ll need:

• Storage: At least 30-50 GB of free disk space. The BlockDAG grows over time, with approximately 30GB needed after 25 days of operation. Plan for additional growth.
• RAM: Minimum 4 GB, though 8 GB or more is recommended for smoother operation, especially during initial synchronization.
• CPU: Any modern processor from the last 5 years should work. Kaspa nodes are not extremely CPU-intensive for regular operation, though they do require processing power during synchronization.
• Network: A stable internet connection with at least 10 Mbps download speed. Faster connections will speed up initial synchronization significantly.
• Uptime: While not a hardware requirement, keeping your node running 24/7 is ideal for the best network participation. Intermittent uptime is fine for personal use, but continuous operation benefits the network more.

Note for Archival Nodes: Archival nodes store complete historical data and require significantly more resources-at least 2.5 TB of SSD storage and 32 GB of RAM. We’ll cover archival nodes in the advanced topics section.

Software Requirements

Operating System: Kaspa nodes run on Windows, macOS, and Linux. All major distributions are supported. Linux is often preferred for servers due to better performance and stability.

For CLI Installation: No additional software is required beyond the node binary itself, which is self-contained.

Network and Firewall Considerations

Your Kaspa node needs to communicate with other nodes on the network. This means:

• Port 16111 (TCP) should be open for P2P connections. This allows other nodes to connect to yours.
• Port 16110 (TCP) is used for RPC connections if you want to allow remote access (not required for basic operation).
• If you're behind a router, you may need to configure port forwarding for optimal connectivity.
• While nodes can work behind strict firewalls using only outbound connections, opening ports allows your node to accept incoming connections, which is better for the network.

Don’t worry if you can’t open ports-your node will still work, it just won’t accept incoming connections. Many home users run nodes successfully without port forwarding.

4.

Choosing Your Node Implementation

Kaspa’s recommended node implementation is Rusty-Kaspa, a modern, high-performance node implementation written in Rust. It represents the current state-of-the-art for Kaspa nodes.

Rusty-Kaspa (Recommended for Most Users)

Rusty-Kaspa is the modern, high-performance Kaspa node implementation written in Rust. It represents the current state-of-the-art for Kaspa nodes and is the recommended implementation for all users.

Official Repository: github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa

Rusty-Kaspa offers significantly better performance than the original implementation, with the ability to process up to 3000 transactions per second on relatively modest hardware. It’s more efficient in terms of CPU and memory usage, making it the recommended choice for most users.

Key advantages of Rusty-Kaspa:

• Superior performance and efficiency
• Lower resource requirements
• Active development and regular updates
• Future-proof as it's the primary focus of development
• Better synchronization speed

4.

Installation Methods

This guide covers installing and running a Kaspa node using the CLI method, which gives you the most control and best performance.

4.1.

Rusty-Kaspa (CLI - Recommended)

Installing Rusty-Kaspa via command line gives you the most control and best performance. This method is recommended for users comfortable with terminal commands.

Official Releases: github.com/kaspanet/rusty-kaspa/releases

Linux Installation

Step 1: Download the Latest Release

Visit the Rusty-Kaspa releases page and download the appropriate binary for your Linux distribution. The releases are typically named something like rusty-kaspa-x.x.x-linux-x86_64.tar.gz.

Step 2: Extract and Install

Extract the downloaded file and move the binary to a location in your PATH (such as /usr/local/bin):

tar -xzf rusty-kaspa-*.tar.gz
sudo mv rusty-kaspa /usr/local/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/rusty-kaspa

Step 3: Create a Systemd Service (Optional but Recommended)

For automatic startup and better management, create a systemd service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rusty-kaspa.service

Add the following content (adjust paths and options as needed):

[Unit]
Description=Rusty Kaspa Node
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=your-username
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/rusty-kaspa --utxoindex
Restart=always
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start the service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable rusty-kaspa
sudo systemctl start rusty-kaspa

Windows Installation

Step 1: Download the Latest Release

Download the Windows binary (typically named rusty-kaspa-x.x.x-windows-x86_64.zip) from the releases page.

Step 2: Extract to a Folder

Extract the ZIP file to a folder of your choice, such as C:\Program Files\Rusty-Kaspa.

Step 3: Run the Node

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell, navigate to the extraction folder, and run:

.\rusty-kaspa.exe —utxoindex

Step 4: Create a Windows Service (Optional)

To run as a Windows service, you can use tools like NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) to install the node as a service that starts automatically with Windows.

macOS Installation

The process is similar to Linux. Download the macOS binary, extract it, and either run it directly or install it as a launchd service for automatic startup.

5.

Configuration and First Startup

Once you’ve installed your Kaspa node, you’ll want to configure it properly for your needs. The configuration options allow you to customize how your node operates.

Configuration File Location

Rusty-Kaspa stores its configuration in a configuration file. The location depends on your operating system:

• Linux/macOS: Configuration is typically stored in the data directory (usually ~/.rusty-kaspa/ or similar)
• Windows: Configuration is stored in the data directory (typically in %LOCALAPPDATA%)

Note: Configuration file locations and names may vary by Rusty-Kaspa version. Check the Rusty-Kaspa documentation or run your node with the —help flag to see the exact configuration file location for your installation.

On first run, the node will create a default configuration file. You can then edit this file to customize your node’s behavior.

Important Configuration Options

UTXO Index (—utxoindex): This flag enables the UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) index, which is essential if you want to use your node with wallets or for mining. Always include this flag when starting your node.

Data Directory: By default, the node stores BlockDAG data in a standard location, but you can specify a custom directory if you want to use a specific drive or have more control.

RPC Settings: The node’s RPC (Remote Procedure Call) interface allows other applications to interact with it. You can configure:

• RPC username and password for authentication
• Which IP addresses can access RPC (default is localhost only)
• RPC port (default is 16110)

Network Settings: Configure peer connections, listen addresses, and other network-related options. Most users can leave these at defaults.

First Startup and What to Expect

When you first start your node, it needs to synchronize with the network. This process can take several hours or even days, depending on:

• Your internet connection speed
• Your hardware (CPU, storage speed)
• How long the network has been running
• Network activity levels

During initial synchronization, you’ll see log messages indicating progress. The node will:

• Connect to other nodes on the network
• Download and verify blocks
• Build its local copy of the BlockDAG
• Gradually catch up to the current network state

Patience is key: Initial sync is a one-time process. Once your node is synchronized, it only needs to process new blocks as they’re created (approximately 10 per second on Kaspa), which is very fast.

6.

Understanding Synchronization

Synchronization is the process by which your node downloads and verifies all blocks in the Kaspa BlockDAG to match the current state of the network. Understanding this process helps you know what to expect and how to troubleshoot issues.

What Is Synchronization?

When your node starts, it needs to have a complete and accurate copy of the BlockDAG. If it’s a new node, it starts from the genesis block (the very first block) and downloads every subsequent block, verifying each one according to Kaspa’s consensus rules.

This verification is crucial: your node doesn’t just trust that blocks are valid-it independently verifies every transaction, every signature, and every consensus rule. This is what makes running your own node valuable: you’re not trusting anyone else’s validation.

Synchronization Stages

Synchronization happens in several stages, and your node will display different log messages during each stage:

Stage 1: Connecting to Peers

Your node first needs to find and connect to other nodes on the network. You’ll see messages about discovering peers and establishing connections.

Stage 2: Header Synchronization

The node downloads block headers first. Headers are small and contain metadata about blocks. This gives the node an overview of the BlockDAG structure.

Stage 3: Block Download and Verification

After headers are synchronized, the node downloads the full block data and verifies each block. This is the most time-consuming stage for initial sync.

Stage 4: UTXO Set Building

If you’re using the —utxoindex flag, the node builds the UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) index. This index tracks which outputs are available to be spent, which is necessary for wallet operations and mining.

Stage 5: Synced and Ready

Once synchronized, your node processes new blocks as they’re created (approximately 10 per second on Kaspa). At this point, your node is fully operational.

Monitoring Synchronization Progress

You can monitor your node’s synchronization progress through:

• Log messages showing blocks being processed
• Block height increasing toward the network's current height
• UTXO count stabilizing (if using UTXO index)
• Peer connection count stabilizing

Most node implementations provide RPC calls to query the current sync status, which you can use with monitoring tools or custom scripts.

Common Synchronization Issues

Slow Synchronization: If synchronization is very slow, it could be due to slow internet, slow storage (especially if not using an SSD), or insufficient CPU resources. Ensure your system meets the requirements.

Stuck Synchronization: If synchronization appears stuck, try restarting the node. Sometimes nodes get stuck on problematic blocks, and a restart allows them to reconnect to different peers.

High CPU Usage During Sync: High CPU usage during initial synchronization is normal. Once synchronized, CPU usage drops significantly as the node only processes new blocks.

7.

Monitoring Your Node

Once your node is running, you’ll want to monitor it to ensure it’s operating correctly, staying synchronized, and performing well. Regular monitoring helps you catch issues early and optimize performance.

What to Monitor

Key metrics to watch for your Kaspa node:

• Sync Status: Is your node synchronized with the network?
• Block Height: Does it match the current network block height?
• Peer Connections: How many peers is your node connected to?
• Resource Usage: CPU, memory, and disk usage
• Network Activity: Blocks and transactions being processed
• Uptime: How long has your node been running?

Built-in Monitoring Methods

Log Files: The most basic monitoring method is checking your node’s log files. Logs show blocks being processed, peer connections, errors, and warnings. Log locations vary by installation method but are typically in the data directory.

RPC Queries: You can query your node’s status using RPC calls. This allows you to programmatically check sync status, block height, peer count, and other metrics. Various tools and scripts can be built to automate this monitoring.

Kaspa Node Monitor

The Kaspa Node Monitor is a community-developed tool that provides a user-friendly web interface for monitoring your Kaspa node. It displays real-time metrics including:

• Block count and header count
• Number of connected peers
• DAA Score and blue score
• Node version and sync status
• Network difficulty and node network
• System resource usage (CPU, memory, disk, system load)
• Hardware information (hostname, location, CPU model, RAM)

Official Repository: github.com/imalfect/KaspaNodeMonitor

Kaspa Node Monitor features a CLI tool called KasNodeMon that simplifies setup and configuration. You can install it using npx kasnodemon@latest init, which will guide you through the setup process. Alternatively, you can clone the repository and build it manually.

The Node Monitor can be especially helpful if you’re running multiple nodes or want a dashboard-style view of your node’s health. Note that Kaspa Node Monitor is still in beta and may contain bugs.

Command-Line Monitoring

For advanced users, you can monitor your node using command-line tools:

System Resources: Use system monitoring tools like htop (Linux), Task Manager (Windows), or Activity Monitor (macOS) to check CPU and memory usage.

Network Connections: Tools like netstat or ss can show your node’s network connections to peers.

Disk Usage: Monitor disk space usage as the BlockDAG grows. Use df (Linux/macOS) or check disk properties (Windows).

What Normal Operation Looks Like

A healthy, synchronized node typically shows:

• Steady stream of new blocks being processed (approximately 10 per second)
• Stable peer connections (typically 8-20 peers)
• Low to moderate CPU usage (except during initial sync)
• Stable memory usage
• Gradual disk space growth as new blocks are stored
• No error messages in logs (occasional warnings are normal)

If you notice your node falling behind the network, losing peer connections, or showing errors, it may indicate a problem that needs attention.

8.

Maintenance and Updates

Regular maintenance ensures your node continues operating reliably and benefits from the latest improvements and security fixes. Here’s what you need to know about maintaining your Kaspa node.

Keeping Your Node Updated

The Kaspa development team regularly releases updates that include:

• Performance improvements
• Bug fixes
• Security patches
• New features
• Network protocol updates

Why Updates Matter: Keeping your node updated ensures compatibility with the network. If your node falls too far behind, it may become unable to connect to updated peers. Additionally, updates often include important security fixes.

Update Procedures

For CLI installations, updating typically involves:

1. Stop the running node
2. Download the latest release from GitHub
3. Replace the old binary with the new one
4. Restart the node

If you’re using a systemd service, you’ll need to update the binary file and restart the service.

Regular Maintenance Tasks

Check Logs Regularly: Review your node’s logs periodically to catch warnings or errors early. Most issues show up in logs before they cause major problems.

Monitor Disk Space: The BlockDAG grows over time. Ensure you have enough free space. If space is getting low, consider:

• Expanding storage
• Using a pruning node (if supported in future versions)
• Moving BlockDAG data to a larger drive

Verify Synchronization: Periodically check that your node is synchronized with the network. A desynchronized node isn’t providing the full benefits of running a node.

Backup Configuration: Back up your node’s configuration file. While losing it isn’t catastrophic (the node will recreate defaults), having a backup saves time if you need to restore settings.

Handling Downtime

Your node doesn’t need to run 24/7 to be useful, though continuous operation is ideal. If your node goes offline:

• It will simply miss blocks created during the downtime
• When restarted, it will quickly catch up (much faster than initial sync)
• No data is lost-the BlockDAG is still stored locally
• The node will reconnect to peers and resume operation

Extended downtime is fine for personal use, but if you’re running a public node that others depend on, try to minimize downtime.

Troubleshooting Common Maintenance Issues

Node Won’t Start After Update: Ensure you downloaded the correct binary for your system. Check logs for error messages. Sometimes configuration file formats change between versions.

High Disk Usage: This is normal as the BlockDAG grows. If you’re running low on space, consider the options mentioned above.

Node Falling Behind: If your node consistently falls behind, it may need more CPU resources or faster storage. Check system resource usage during operation.

9.

Advanced Topics

Once you have a basic node running, you may want to explore advanced configurations and use cases. This section covers specialized node setups for specific purposes.

9.1.

Running on Raspberry Pi

Running a Kaspa node on a Raspberry Pi is an excellent way to create a low-cost, low-power node that can run 24/7. Raspberry Pi nodes are popular for their energy efficiency and compact size.

Requirements: Use a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B with at least 8 GB of RAM. The extra RAM is important for node operation, especially during synchronization. You’ll also need a quality microSD card (32 GB minimum, 64 GB+ recommended) or better yet, an external SSD connected via USB.

Performance Considerations: Raspberry Pi nodes work well but may be slower during initial synchronization compared to more powerful hardware. Once synchronized, they handle normal operation (processing ~10 blocks per second) without issues.

Power Efficiency: One of the main advantages of Raspberry Pi nodes is their low power consumption, making them ideal for 24/7 operation without high electricity costs.

9.2.

Running an Archival Node

An archival node stores complete historical data for the entire BlockDAG, including all historical UTXOs and transaction data. This is different from a regular node, which may prune or summarize older data.

When You Need an Archival Node: Archival nodes are necessary for certain use cases:

• Historical BlockDAG analysis and research
• Providing historical data services
• Full BlockDAG explorers
• Specialized applications requiring complete history

Requirements: Archival nodes require significantly more resources:

• Storage: At least 2.5 TB of SSD storage (as of early 2025, with growth expected)
• RAM: Minimum 32 GB
• Implementation: Currently requires the original Go-based Kaspad (not Rusty-Kaspa)
• Bandwidth: Significant bandwidth for initial data synchronization

Important Note: Archival node setup is significantly more complex than regular node setup. It typically involves syncing data from an existing archival node using rsync, as the initial sync from the network would take prohibitively long.

For detailed archival node setup instructions, refer to the official Kaspa wiki or contact the Kaspa development community for guidance.

9.3.

Making Your Node Stratum-Compatible

If you want to use your node for solo mining or need ASIC compatibility, you may need to make your node Stratum-compatible. Stratum is a protocol used by mining hardware to communicate with mining pools and nodes.

What Is Stratum? Stratum is a mining protocol that allows ASIC miners and other mining hardware to communicate with nodes or pools. Kaspa nodes natively use a different protocol, so a bridge or adapter is needed to convert between them.

Kaspa-Stratum-Bridge

The most commonly used solution for making a Kaspa node Stratum-compatible is the Kaspa-Stratum-Bridge. This software acts as a proxy, converting between Kaspa’s native protocol and the Stratum protocol that ASICs understand.

Official Repository: github.com/coderofstuff/kaspa-stratum-bridge

This bridge software runs alongside your node and provides a Stratum interface that ASIC miners can connect to. It’s maintained by core Kaspa developers and kept up-to-date with network changes.

When You Need This: You need Stratum compatibility if you:

• Want to solo mine with ASIC hardware
• Are setting up a mining operation
• Need ASIC compatibility for any reason

Note: If you’re just running a node for network support or wallet operations, you don’t need Stratum compatibility. This is only necessary for mining use cases.

10.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with proper setup, you may encounter issues while running your Kaspa node. This section covers common problems and their solutions.

Node Won’t Start

Symptoms: The node fails to start or exits immediately after starting.

Possible Causes and Solutions:

• Port Already in Use: Another process may be using port 16110 or 16111. Check what's using these ports and stop that process, or change your node's ports in the configuration.
• Insufficient Permissions: Ensure the node has permission to write to its data directory. On Linux, check file permissions and ownership.
• Corrupted Data: Rarely, BlockDAG data can become corrupted. Try deleting the data directory and resynchronizing (this will take time).
• Configuration Error: Check your configuration file for syntax errors. A malformed config file can prevent startup.
• Insufficient Resources: Ensure you have enough disk space, memory, and CPU resources available.

Node Not Synchronizing

Symptoms: Node starts but doesn’t appear to be downloading blocks or falls behind the network.

Possible Causes and Solutions:

• No Peer Connections: Check if your node is connecting to peers. Firewall issues or network problems can prevent peer connections. Verify ports are open if possible.
• Slow Internet Connection: Synchronization requires good internet. If your connection is slow, be patient-it will eventually sync, just slower.
• Slow Storage: If you're using a mechanical hard drive instead of an SSD, synchronization will be very slow. SSDs are strongly recommended.
• Outdated Node Software: Ensure you're running a current version. Very old versions may be incompatible with the network.
• Network Issues: Try restarting the node. Sometimes nodes get stuck and need to reconnect to different peers.

High Resource Usage

Symptoms: Node uses excessive CPU, memory, or disk I/O.

During Initial Sync: High resource usage during initial synchronization is normal. The node is processing many blocks quickly. Once synchronized, usage should drop significantly.

After Sync: If resource usage remains high after synchronization:

• Check Block Height: Ensure your node is actually synchronized. A node still syncing will use more resources.
• Too Many Peers: Some node configurations allow too many peer connections, which can increase resource usage. Check your configuration.
• System Issues: Other processes on your system may be competing for resources.
• Hardware Limitations: Your hardware may be insufficient for node operation. Consider upgrading or using lighter node settings.

Connection Issues

Symptoms: Node can’t connect to peers or maintains very few connections.

Possible Causes and Solutions:

• Firewall Blocking: Ensure your firewall allows outbound connections and, ideally, inbound connections on ports 16110 and 16111.
• NAT/Router Configuration: If behind a router, configure port forwarding for optimal connectivity. This isn't strictly necessary but improves peer connectivity.
• Network Outages: Check your internet connection. Network problems will prevent peer connections.
• DNS Issues: Some node configurations rely on DNS for peer discovery. Ensure DNS is working correctly.
• ISP Restrictions: Some ISPs may throttle or block P2P traffic. This is rare but possible.

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here:

• Check Logs: Node logs often contain detailed error messages that point to the problem.
• Kaspa Discord: The Kaspa community Discord is an excellent resource for getting help from experienced node operators.
• GitHub Issues: If you believe you've found a bug, report it on the node's GitHub repository.
• Documentation: Check the official Kaspa wiki and node documentation for additional information.

When seeking help, provide:

• Your node implementation and version
• Your operating system
• Relevant log messages (especially errors)
• What you've already tried
• System specifications if relevant

Conclusion

Running your own Kaspa node is a rewarding way to participate in the network, contribute to decentralization, and gain deeper understanding of how Kaspa works. By following this guide and setting up your CLI node, you’re making an important contribution to the Kaspa ecosystem.

The most important thing is to get started-every node strengthens the network.

Remember that initial synchronization takes time, but it’s a one-time process. Once your node is running and synchronized, maintenance is minimal. Regular updates, log monitoring, and basic system maintenance will keep your node running smoothly.

Thank you for running a Kaspa node. Your participation helps ensure that Kaspa remains decentralized, secure, and resilient. Welcome to the network, and welcome to true network participation.