Running a Node — Overview¶
Running a Kakitu node helps decentralize the network and provides a direct access point for systems built on top of Kakitu. Unlike proof-of-work blockchains, Kakitu has no mining rewards — incentives for running infrastructure come from participation in the network and supporting the ecosystem.
Why Run a Node?¶
- Support decentralization — The more independent nodes the network has, the more resilient and censorship-resistant it becomes
- Direct ledger access — Your applications can query the ledger without depending on a third-party API
- Become a representative — Hold delegated voting weight and participate directly in consensus
- Lower latency — Confirm transactions instantly without API rate limits
Node Types¶
Non-Voting Node¶
A non-voting node connects to the network, maintains a full copy of the ledger, and can send and receive transactions via RPC — but does not participate in voting.
This is the recommended starting point for integrations, exchanges, and services. A non-voting node has no minimum balance requirement and no obligation to be online continuously.
Representative Node¶
A representative node holds delegated voting weight below the Principal Representative threshold (less than 0.1% of online voting weight). It votes on transactions but its votes are not rebroadcast by peers.
Principal Representative Node¶
A Principal Representative (PR) holds at least 0.1% of online voting weight delegated to its account. PR votes are rebroadcast by peers across the network, meaning they directly influence confirmation speed and quorum achievement.
Running a PR node requires:
- Consistently high uptime
- Sufficient hardware resources (see below)
- A
kshs_address with significant delegated balance
Hardware Recommendations¶
| Component | Minimum | Recommended (PR) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4 cores, 2 GHz | 8 cores, 3+ GHz |
| RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB |
| Storage | 200 GB SSD | 500 GB NVMe SSD |
| Bandwidth | 100 Mbps | 500 Mbps+ |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS |
Disk I/O is Critical
Kakitu's ledger is I/O intensive. Mechanical hard drives (HDDs) will cause severe performance degradation. Use SSD or NVMe storage.
Ongoing Responsibilities¶
Running a node is an ongoing commitment. Operators should:
- Apply OS-level security patches regularly
- Upgrade to the latest Kakitu node releases
- Monitor disk usage as the ledger grows
- Protect private keys and RPC endpoints
- Ensure the node remains reachable on the correct ports
For detailed guidance, see Node Security.
Next Steps¶
- Secure your server before installing
- Set up your node with Docker or a native binary
- Configure the node for your use case
- Set up a wallet if managing funds directly
- Enable representative voting to participate in consensus
- Monitor your node with telemetry and alerts