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Already Running a Full Node?

If you're already running a full node and wish to transition to a validator node, please note that simply adding the --validator flag after your full node has synced will result in an error expecting an archive database. Follow the steps below to make the switch.

Step 1. Stop Your Full Node​

Before making any changes, safely stop your running full node.

sudo systemctl stop avail-node.service  # Replace 'avail-node.service' with your service name if different

Step 2. Purge the Database​

Since adding the --validator flag after syncing expects an archive database, you'll need to purge the existing database.

# Replace the path with your actual data path
rm -rf /path/to/your/data/directory

Step 3. Update Command Line Flags​

Modify the command line used for running your full node to include the --validator flag.

For example:

./data-avail -d ./data --chain goldberg --validator --name MyAvailNode

Step 4. Update Systemd Service File​

If you were running your full node as a systemd service, update the service file to reflect the new command with the --validator flag.

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/avail-node.service  # Replace 'avail-node.service' with your service name if different
  • Update the ExecStart line with the new command.
  • Save and exit the editor.

Step 5. Restart the Service​

Restart the systemd service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl start avail-node.service  # Replace 'avail-node.service' with your service name if different

Step 6. Verify Role​

Once your node is up and running, verify that the role displays as "Authority," confirming that you are now running a validator node.