Run a Full Node (Testnet)

Testnets are testing instances of the Nibiru blockchain. Testnet tokens are separate and distinct from real assets. In order to join a network, you'll need to use its corresponding version of the binary to run a full node.

In this Section	Description
Available Networks	Overview of Nibiru testnets: chain IDs, descriptions, genesis versions, upgrade history, and status.
Running a node in a network that underwent upgrade(s)	Four upgrade workflows: manual binary swaps, Cosmovisor automation, state sync, and snapshot downloads.
Block Explorers	Links to block explorers for viewing transactions, blocks, addresses, and other on‑chain data.
Full Node: Pre‑requisites	Hardware requirements, system updates, nibid installation options, and version verification.
Init the Chain	Steps to initialize: download genesis file, configure peers, set gas prices, and enable optional fast‐sync methods.
Next Steps	Tips on validator participation and pointers to related docs.
Example nibid commands	Sample CLI commands for querying balances and exploring module references.

Available Networks

On Nibiru Chain, the term "network" encompasses a collective system of interconnected nodes. These nodes, which are essentially individual computers or servers, collaboratively maintain and validate the blockchain's ongoing operations.

You can find a table of each Nibiru testnet and its current status below.

Chain ID	Description	Genesis Version	Upgrade History	Status
nibiru-testnet-1	Nibiru Chain First Permanent Testnet	v1.0.0	block 48759 - v1.1.0 block 3067771 - v1.2.0 block 3095130 - v1.3.0-rc1 block 3537069 - v1.3.0 block 4566080 - v1.4.0 block 5117602 - v1.5.0 block 7280214 - v2.0.0-rc.1 block 8825300 - v2.0.0-rc.9 block 10354077 - v2.0.0-rc.14 block 11253562 - v2.0.0-rc.18 block 11353204 - v2.0.0-rc.19	🚫 Deprecated
nibiru-testnet-2	Nibiru Chain Second Permanent Testnet. Hard Fork of nibiru-testnet-1. Has IBC channels and web faucet	v2.0.0	block 305570 - v2.1.0 block 1213333 - v2.3.0 block 1324767 - v2.4.0-rc1 block 1927435 - v2.5.0-rc1	⚡ Active

TIP

See Nibiru Networks for RPC information.

Running a node in a network that underwent upgrade(s)

When a network undergoes an update at a specific block height, the process of upgrading your node requires precise steps to ensure continuity and compatibility with the network's new state. The upgrade workflow can take several forms depending on the approach you choose.

1. Sync with Manual Binary Swap This method involves a hands-on approach where you oversee the progression of your node through network updates.

   Steps: Initialize your node with Genesis Binary: Initialize your node using the binary version corresponding to the genesis block of the blockchain.

   Monitor Upgrade Heights: Pay close attention to the block height as your node syncs with the network.

   Stop and Swap Binaries Manually: Once your node reaches the designated upgrade height, stop your node and manually swap out the old binary with the new version tailored to that upgrade.

   Resume Syncing: Restart your node with the updated binary, and continue this process each time an upgrade is reached.

2. Sync with Cosmovisor Cosmovisor is a process manager that automates binary swapping during network upgrades, simplifying the update process significantly.

   Steps: Initialize your node with Genesis Binary: Initialize your node using the binary version corresponding to the genesis block of the blockchain.

   Configure Cosmovisor: Set up Cosmovisor to monitor the block height and handle the automatic swapping of binaries when an upgrade point is hit.

   Automated Upgrades: Let Cosmovisor manage the transition, providing a smoother and less error-prone upgrade experience as it will automatically change the binary when necessary.

3. State Sync State syncing allows a node to catch up quicker by getting a snapshot of the state at a certain height, instead of syncing from the genesis block.

   Steps: Current Binary Version: Start with the binary version that corresponds to the current network state rather than the genesis version.

   Configure State Sync: Enable and configure state sync in your node's settings, allowing it to synchronize by jumping directly to a near-recent state.

4. Downloading a Snapshot This method involves downloading a complete data snapshot which can accelerate the upgrade and syncing process.

   Steps: Download Data Snapshot: Obtain a complete data snapshot from a trusted server. This typically includes all the data up to a recent block height.

   Start with Current Binary: Use the current binary version compatible with the snapshot's block height, and start your node.

   Resume Syncing: Your node will begin syncing from the snapshot's height, bypassing the earlier history for a faster setup.

Block Explorers

You can see current status of the blockchain on a block explorer. Explorers allow you to search through transactions, blocks, wallet addresses, and other on-chain data.

• Nibiru Explorer | NodesGuru
• Nibiru Explorer | NodeStake
• Nibiru Explorer | Kjnodes
• Nibiru Explorer | Nibiru Chain Team.

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Full Node: Pre-requisites

Minimum hardware requirements

• 4CPU
• 16GB RAM
• 1TB of disk space (SSD)

Update the system

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade --yes

Install nibid

Option 1: Use this version if you plan to sync from genesis block; you will need to swap it to the current one at the upgrade height (either manually or with Cosmovisor)

curl -s https://get.nibiru.fi/@v2.0.0! | bash

Option 2: Use this version if you plan to use state-sync or data snapshot

curl -s https://get.nibiru.fi/@v2.5.0-rc.1! | bash

Verify nibid version

nibid version
# Should output v2.0.0 or v2.5.0-rc.1 depending on chosen approach

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Init the Chain

1. Init the chain

   nibid init <moniker-name> --chain-id=nibiru-testnet-2 --home $HOME/.nibid

2. Copy the genesis file to the $HOME/.nibid/config folder.

   You can get genesis from our cloud storage:

   NETWORK=nibiru-testnet-2
   curl -s https://storage.googleapis.com/$NETWORK-snapshots/$NETWORK.json > $HOME/.nibid/config/genesis.json

   Note: nibiru-testnet-2 originates from a hard fork of nibiru-testnet-1, which means its genesis file includes the full state snapshot and is therefore quite large (~1.3 GB).

   (Optional) Verify Genesis File Checksum

   shasum -a 256 $HOME/.nibid/config/genesis.json
   
   # 459c57b57779d34ca8cc0cb0205e19d2d0940ff67cdef545b40c861d2e3b9ce1 $HOME/.nibid/config/genesis.json

3. Update persistent peers list in the configuration file $HOME/.nibid/config/config.toml.

   NETWORK=nibiru-testnet-2
   sed -i 's|\<persistent_peers\> =.*|persistent_peers = "'$(curl -s https://networks.testnet.nibiru.fi/$NETWORK/peers)'"|g' $HOME/.nibid/config/config.toml

4. Set minimum gas prices

   sed -i 's/minimum-gas-prices =.*/minimum-gas-prices = "0.025unibi"/g' $HOME/.nibid/config/app.toml

5. (Optional) Configure one of the following options to catch up faster with the network

   Option 1: Setup state-sync

   NETWORK=nibiru-testnet-2
   config_file="$HOME/.nibid/config/config.toml"
   
   sed -i "s|enable =.*|enable = true|g" "$config_file"
   sed -i "s|rpc_servers =.*|rpc_servers = \"$(curl -s https://networks.testnet.nibiru.fi/$NETWORK/rpc_servers)\"|g" "$config_file"
   sed -i "s|trust_height =.*|trust_height = \"$(curl -s https://networks.testnet.nibiru.fi/$NETWORK/trust_height)\"|g" "$config_file"
   sed -i "s|trust_hash =.*|trust_hash = \"$(curl -s https://networks.testnet.nibiru.fi/$NETWORK/trust_hash)\"|g" "$config_file"

   Option 2: Download and extract data snapshot

   You can check available snapshots list for nibiru-testnet-2 to locate the snapshot with the date and type that you need

   curl -o nibiru-testnet-2-<timestamp>-<type>.tar.gz https://storage.googleapis.com/nibiru-testnet-2-snapshots/nibiru-testnet-2-<timestamp>-<type>.tar.gz
   tar -zxvf nibiru-testnet-2-<timestamp>-<type>.tar.gz -C $HOME/.nibid/

6. Start your node (choose one of the options)

   Option 1: Systemd + Systemctl

   After defining a service file for use with systemctl, you can execute:

   sudo systemctl start nibiru

   Option 2: Cosmovisor

   After defining a service file for use with cosmovisor, you can execute:

   sudo systemctl start cosmovisor-nibiru

   Option 3: Without a daemon

   nibid start

7. Request tokens from the Web Faucet for nibiru-testnet-2 if required.

   To create a local key pair, you may use the following command:

   nibid keys add <key-name>

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Next Steps

TIP

See the validator docs on how to participate as a validator.

Example nibid commands

Ex: query an account's balance

nibid query bank balances nibi1gc6vpl9j0ty8tkt53787zps9ezc70kj88hluw4

For the full list of nibid commands, see:

• The nibid CLI introduction
• Nibiru Module Reference