--- title: Run Besu and Teku on Mainnet sidebar_position: 1 description: Run Besu and Teku on Ethereum Mainnet. --- > For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any documentation URL to get the markdown source. import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs'; import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem'; # Run Besu and Teku on Mainnet Run Besu as an [execution client](../concepts/node-clients.md#execution-clients) and [Teku](https://docs.teku.consensys.net/) as a [consensus client](../concepts/node-clients.md#consensus-clients) on Ethereum Mainnet. ## 1. Install Besu and Teku Install [Besu](../get-started/install/binary-distribution.md) and [Teku](https://docs.teku.consensys.net/HowTo/Get-Started/Installation-Options/Install-Binaries/). Ensure you meet the prerequisites for the installation option you use. For example, you must have Java 25+ if using the Besu and Teku binary distributions. Ensure you meet the [system requirements for Besu on public networks](../get-started/system-requirements.md). ## 2. Generate the shared secret Run the following command: ```bash openssl rand -hex 32 | tr -d "\n" > jwtsecret.hex ``` You will specify `jwtsecret.hex` when starting Besu and Teku. This is a shared JWT secret the clients use to authenticate each other when using the [Engine API](../how-to/use-engine-api.md). ## 3. Generate validator keys If you're running Teku as a beacon node only, skip to the [next step](#4-start-besu). If you're also running Teku as a validator client, have a funded Ethereum address ready (32 ETH and gas fees for each validator). Generate validator keys and stake your ETH for one or more validators using the [Staking Launchpad](https://launchpad.ethereum.org/en/). :::info Save the password you use to generate each key pair in a `.txt` file. You should also have a `.json` file for each validator key pair. ::: ## 4. Start Besu Run the following command or specify the options in a [configuration file](../how-to/configure-besu/index.md): ```bash besu \ --sync-mode=SNAP \ --data-storage-format=BONSAI \ --rpc-http-enabled=true \ --p2p-host= \ --host-allowlist=,127.0.0.1,localhost \ --engine-host-allowlist=,127.0.0.1,localhost \ --engine-rpc-enabled \ --engine-jwt-secret= ``` Specify: - The path to the `jwtsecret.hex` file generated in [step 2](#2-generate-the-shared-secret) using the [`--engine-jwt-secret`](../reference/cli/options.md#engine-jwt-secret) option. - The public IP address of your Besu node using the [`--host-allowlist`](../reference/cli/options.md#host-allowlist) and [`--engine-host-allowlist`](../reference/cli/options.md#engine-host-allowlist) options. Also, in the command: - [`--sync-mode`](../reference/cli/options.md#sync-mode) specifies using [snap sync](../concepts/node-sync.md#snap-synchronization). - [`--data-storage-format`](../reference/cli/options.md#data-storage-format) specifies using [Bonsai Tries](../concepts/data-storage-formats.md#bonsai-tries). - [`--rpc-http-enabled`](../reference/cli/options.md#rpc-http-enabled) enables the HTTP JSON-RPC service. - [`--engine-rpc-enabled`](../reference/cli/options.md#engine-rpc-enabled) enables the [Engine API](../reference/engine-api/index.md). You can modify the option values and add other [command line options](../reference/cli/options.md) as needed. ## 5. Start Teku Open a new terminal window. ### Beacon node only To run Teku as a beacon node only (without validator duties), run the following command or specify the options in the [Teku configuration file]: ```bash teku \ --ee-endpoint=http://localhost:8551 \ --ee-jwt-secret-file= \ --metrics-enabled=true \ --rest-api-enabled=true \ --p2p-advertised-ip= \ --checkpoint-sync-url= ``` Specify: - The path to the `jwtsecret.hex` file generated in [step 2](#2-generate-the-shared-secret) using the [`--ee-jwt-secret-file`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#ee-jwt-secret-file) option. - The public IP address of your Teku node using the [`--p2p-advertised-ip`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#p2p-advertised-ip) option. - The URL of a checkpoint sync endpoint using the [`--checkpoint-sync-url`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#checkpoint-sync-url) option. Also, in the command: - [`--ee-endpoint`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#ee-endpoint) is set to the default URL of Besu's Engine API. - [`--metrics-enabled`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#metrics-enabled) enables Teku's metrics exporter. - [`--rest-api-enabled`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#rest-api-enabled) enables Teku's REST API service. You can modify the option values and add other [Teku command line options] as needed. ### Beacon node and validator client To run Teku as a beacon node and validator in a single process, run the following command or specify the options in the [Teku configuration file]: ```bash teku \ --ee-endpoint http://localhost:8551 \ --ee-jwt-secret-file \ --metrics-enabled=true \ --rest-api-enabled=true \ --checkpoint-sync-url= \ --validators-proposer-default-fee-recipient= \ --validator-keys=:[,:,...] ``` Specify: - The path to the `jwtsecret.hex` file generated in [step 2](#2-generate-the-shared-secret) using the [`--ee-jwt-secret-file`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#ee-jwt-secret-file) option. - The URL of a checkpoint sync endpoint using the [`--checkpoint-sync-url`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#checkpoint-sync-url) option. - An Ethereum address you own as the default fee recipient using the [`--validators-proposer-default-fee-recipient`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#validators-proposer-default-fee-recipient) option. - The paths to the keystore `.json` file and password `.txt` file created in [step 3](#3-generate-validator-keys) for each validator using the [`--validator-keys`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#validator-keys) option. Separate the `.json` and `.txt` files with a colon, and separate entries for multiple validators with commas. Also, in the command: - [`--ee-endpoint`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#ee-endpoint) is set to the default URL of Besu's Engine API. - [`--metrics-enabled`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#metrics-enabled) enables Teku's metrics exporter. - [`--rest-api-enabled`](https://docs.teku.consensys.io/reference/cli#rest-api-enabled) enables Teku's REST API service. You can modify the option values and add other [Teku command line options] as needed. ## 6. Wait for Besu and Teku to sync After starting Besu and Teku, your node starts syncing and connecting to peers. ```json {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:43:49,555","level":"INFO","thread":"main","class":"DefaultSynchronizer","message":"Starting synchronizer.","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:43:49,556","level":"INFO","thread":"main","class":"FastSyncDownloader","message":"Starting sync","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:43:49,559","level":"INFO","thread":"main","class":"Runner","message":"Ethereum main loop is up.","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:43:53,106","level":"INFO","thread":"Timer-0","class":"DNSResolver","message":"Resolved 2409 nodes","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:45:04,803","level":"INFO","thread":"nioEventLoopGroup-3-10","class":"SnapWorldStateDownloader","message":"Downloading world state from peers for pivot block 16545859 (0x616ae3c4cf85f95a9bce2814a7282d75dc2eac36 cb9f0fcc6f16386df70da3c5). State root 0xa7114541f42c62a72c8b6bb9901c2ccf4b424cd7f76570a67b82a183b02f25dc pending requests 0","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:46:04,834","level":"INFO","thread":"EthScheduler-Services-3 (batchPersistAccountData)","class":"SnapsyncMetricsManager","message":"Worldstate download progress: 0.08%, Peer count: 8","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:48:01,840","level":"INFO","thread":"EthScheduler-Services-3 (batchPersistAccountData)","class":"SnapsyncMetricsManager","message":"Worldstate download progress: 0.23%, Peer count: 8","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:49:09,931","level":"INFO","thread":"EthScheduler-Services-3 (batchPersistAccountData)","class":"SnapsyncMetricsManager","message":"Worldstate download progress: 0.41%, Peer count: 11","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:50:12,466","level":"INFO","thread":"EthScheduler-Services-3 (batchPersistAccountData)","class":"SnapsyncMetricsManager","message":"Worldstate download progress: 0.61%, Peer count: 10","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:51:20,977","level":"INFO","thread":"EthScheduler-Services-3 (batchPersistAccountData)","class":"SnapsyncMetricsManager","message":"Worldstate download progress: 0.75%, Peer count: 10","throwable":""} {"@timestamp":"2023-02-03T04:51:28,985","level":"INFO","thread":"EthScheduler-Services-29 (importBlock)","class":"FastImportBlocksStep","message":"Block import progress: 180400 of 16545859 (1%)","throwable":""} ``` ```bash 2022-03-21 20:43:24.355 INFO - Syncing *** Target slot: 76092, Head slot: 2680, Remaining slots: 73412, Connected peers: 8 2022-03-21 20:43:36.363 INFO - Syncing *** Target slot: 76093, Head slot: 2879, Remaining slots: 73214, Connected peers: 10 2022-03-21 20:43:48.327 INFO - Syncing *** Target slot: 76094, Head slot: 3080, Remaining slots: 73014, Connected peers: 8 2022-03-21 20:44:00.339 INFO - Syncing *** Target slot: 76095, Head slot: 3317, Remaining slots: 72778, Connected peers: 6 2022-03-21 20:44:12.353 INFO - Syncing *** Target slot: 76096, Head slot: 3519, Remaining slots: 72577, Connected peers: 9 ``` If you're running Teku as a beacon node only, you're all set. If you're also running Teku as a validator client, ensure Besu and Teku are fully synced before submitting your staking deposit in the next step. Syncing Besu can take several days. ## 7. Stake ETH Stake your ETH for one or more validators using the [Staking Launchpad](https://launchpad.ethereum.org/en/). You can check your validator status by searching your Ethereum address on the [Beacon Chain explorer](https://beaconcha.in/). It may take up to multiple days for your validator to be activated and start proposing blocks. [Teku configuration file]: https://docs.teku.consensys.net/HowTo/Configure/Use-Configuration-File/ [Teku command line options]: https://docs.teku.consensys.net/Reference/CLI/CLI-Syntax/