Node Setup
In Minutes
eth2-quickstart turns a fresh Ubuntu server into a hardened Ethereum validator or RPC node — a ~30-minute install across 13 clients, with MEV and security built in. The node then syncs for hours to days before it starts validating. Drivable by humans or AI agents.
$ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chimera-defi/eth2-quickstart/master/install.sh | sudo bash
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Eth2 Quick Start - One-Liner Setup
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[INFO] Checking system requirements...
[INFO] Cloning repository to ~/.eth2-quickstart...
[INFO] Repository ready at ~/.eth2-quickstart
[INFO] Starting configuration wizard...
Phase 1: System hardening
Phase 2: Client installation (after reboot)
Configuration complete. Run Phase 1 from the path shown above.One command, production-ready node
Copy the one-line installer to bootstrap a hardened server, then continue with the guided configuration wizard.
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chimera-defi/eth2-quickstart/master/install.sh | sudo bashTwo-phase security model
Phase one runs as root to harden the host. After reboot, phase two completes client installs as the new operator.
Prefer manual? Use the pre-existing run_1.sh and run_2.sh scripts—see Get Started.
Bootstraps safely
Runs a two-phase flow: hardened base setup, reboot, then client install.
Configurable wizard
Supports guided TUI on a real TTY and auto-falls back to non-interactive defaults for one-line piped installs.
Everything included
Sets up monitoring, firewalls, and service management automatically.
From bare metal to synced node
A streamlined workflow built for production reliability, with guardrails at every step.
Each phase is reversible and logged, so you can validate changes before proceeding.
Bootstrap the host
Run the one-line installer to clone the repo, verify requirements, and launch the wizard.
Includes firewall rules, SSH hardening, and a non-root operator user.
Reboot & validate
Reboot to confirm secure access with the new user and updated SSH settings.
The script pauses and reminds you to verify access before proceeding.
Install clients
Select execution and consensus clients, MEV relay presets, and monitoring.
The installer configures services, systemd units, and auto-start.
Go live
Start services and monitor sync progress from a dedicated dashboard.
Health checks and logs are included for ongoing ops.
A tested AI interface over the real node workflows
Agents bootstrap, run, inspect, and clean node stacks through a repo-aware skill. It does not manage validator secrets.
# packaged install after publishing to ClawHub
clawhub install eth2-quickstart
git clone https://github.com/chimera-defi/eth2-quickstart.git
cd eth2-quickstart
# or tell an agent to ingest:
# https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chimera-defi/eth2-quickstart/master/llms.txt
# native MCP path
python3 -m pip install mcp
codex mcp add eth2-quickstart ./mcp_server/run_eth2qs_mcp.sh
# inside an eth2-quickstart checkout
./scripts/eth2qs.sh phase2 --execution=geth --consensus=prysm --mev=mev-boost
./scripts/eth2qs.sh doctor --json
./scripts/eth2qs.sh clean-data --dry-runClawHub-ready, repo-aware
Install via ClawHub, operate inside a real repo checkout.
Canonical command surface
Routes through ./scripts/eth2qs.sh for install, run, update, and cleanup.
Machine-readable health
Use doctor --json for stable status checks.
Safe cleanup defaults
Dry-run first, keys and secrets preserved by design.
Raw-ingest fallback
Ingest llms.txt directly when ClawHub is unavailable.
Native MCP tools
Run the local stdio server for Claude Code and Codex with the same repo-backed commands.
Features
Everything you need to go live
A complete toolkit for running your own Ethereum infrastructure with confidence.
Choose Your Client Stack
Support for all major Ethereum clients. Mix and match for optimal performance and network diversity.
One Command Setup
No manual configuration. One command handles security, client installation, and MEV setup.
Security Out of the Box
Firewall, fail2ban, SSH hardening, and secure permissions—all configured automatically.
Maximize Rewards
Built-in MEV-Boost, Commit-Boost, and optional ETHGas support.
Your Own RPC
Run your own censorship-resistant RPC endpoint. Faster and uncensored.
From the lab
Field notes & benchmarks
Real results from running these clients for six weeks on a shared server — disk footprints, sync times, and hard-won operational lessons.
Client research
Ethereum client bake-off
Results from a six-week execution and consensus client sync campaign: disk, speed, and restart resilience across the full client roster.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up an Ethereum validator?
Run the one-line installer, complete Phase 1 (security hardening) as root, reboot, then run Phase 2 as the new non-root user to install and configure your validator — ~30m end-to-end for the install. The node then syncs over hours to days (and mainnet has an activation queue) before it actually starts validating.
How do I run an Ethereum node?
The same two-phase installer works without a validator key: Phase 1 hardens the host, Phase 2 installs your chosen execution and consensus clients so you get a synced node with your own local RPC endpoint.
Which Ethereum execution or consensus client should I choose?
eth2-quickstart supports 7 execution clients (Geth, Erigon, Reth, Nethermind, Besu, Nimbus-eth1, Ethrex) and 6 consensus clients (Prysm, Lighthouse, Teku, Nimbus, Lodestar, Grandine) — 42 possible combinations. Geth + Prysm is the well-documented default for beginners; the client bake-off measured disk-footprint and sync-time trade-offs for the rest.
How much disk, RAM, and CPU does an Ethereum node need?
Plan for 2–4TB SSD/NVMe (4TB NVMe recommended), 16–64GB RAM (32GB+ recommended), and 4–8+ cores (8+ recommended for sync). Disk is the most common constraint — a bare-metal VPS with NVMe storage is strongly preferred over cloud block storage.
Is it safe? How are validator keys and secrets handled?
Phase 1 hardens SSH (key-only auth, non-standard port, no root login), enables a strict firewall and fail2ban, and every service runs as a non-root user. Keys and JWT secrets live under $HOME/secrets with 600/700 permissions and are never touched by the agent/MCP layer.
Can an AI agent set this up for me?
Yes — the repo ships a packaged agent skill, an MCP server, and a JSON-first ./scripts/eth2qs.sh CLI that an agent can drive directly; see /agents for the copy-paste setup and the safety contract.
Launch your Ethereum node today
Start with the one-line installer, then follow the guided wizard to pick clients, MEV, and monitoring.
Bootstrap command
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chimera-defi/eth2-quickstart/master/install.sh | sudo bash