Updated on December 6, 2020

validator-client, vc

Run a validator client that connects to a remote beacon node. To use the validator-client subcommand run:

teku validator-client [options]

Or:

teku vc [options]

You can also supply the subcommand options using environment variables or a configuration file.

Options

beacon-node-api-endpoint

Syntax

teku vc --beacon-node-api-endpoint=<ENDPOINT>

Command Line

teku vc --beacon-node-api-endpoint=http://192.138.10.12

Environment Variable

TEKU_BEACON_NODE_ENDPOINT=http://192.138.10.12

Configuration File

beacon-node-api-endpoint: "http://192.138.10.12"

Endpoint of the beacon node’s REST API. Default is http://127.0.0.1:5051.

config-file

Syntax

teku vc --config-file=<FILE>

Command Line

teku vc --config-file=/home/me/me_node/config.yaml

Environment Variable

TEKU_CONFIG_FILE=/home/me/me_node/config.yaml

The path to the YAML configuration file. The default is none.

data-base-path, data-path

Syntax

teku vc --data-base-path=<PATH>

Command Line

teku vc --data-base-path=/home/me/me_node

Environment Variable

TEKU_DATA_BASE_PATH=/home/me/me_node

Configuration File

data-base-path: "/home/me/me_node"

The path to the Teku base directory for storage. The default directory is OS dependent:

• macOS: ~/Library/teku
• Unix/Linux: $XDG_DATA_HOME/teku if $XDG_DATA_HOME is set; otherwise ~/.local/share/teku
• Windows: %localappdata%\teku.

The default Docker image location is /root/.local/share/teku.

data-validator-path

Syntax

teku vc --data-validator-path=<PATH>

Command Line

teku vc --data-validator-path=/home/me/me_validator

Environment Variable

TEKU_DATA_VALIDATOR_PATH=/home/me/me_validator

Configuration File

data-validator-path: "/home/me/me_validator"

Path to the validator client data. Defaults to <data-base-path>/validator where <data-base-path> is specified using --data-base-path.

initial-state

Syntax

teku vc --initial-state=<FILE>

Command Line

teku vc --initial-state=/home/me/genesis.ssz

Environment Variable

TEKU_INITIAL_STATE=/home/me/genesis.ssz

Configuration File

initial-state: "/home/me/genesis.ssz"

Path or URL to the network genesis file.

This option does not need to be specified if the initial state is provided by the network specified using the --network option.

log-color-enabled

Syntax

teku vc --log-color-enabled[=<BOOLEAN>]

Command Line

teku vc --log-color-enabled=false

Environment Variable

TEKU_LOG_COLOR_ENABLED=false

Configuration File

log-color-enabled: false

Specify whether status and event log messages include a console color display code. Defaults to true.

log-destination

Syntax

teku vc --log-destination=<LOG_DESTINATION>

Command Line

teku vc --log-destination=CONSOLE

Environment Variable

TEKU_LOG_DESTINATION=CONSOLE

Configuration File

log-destination: "CONSOLE"

Specify where to output log information. Valid options are:

• BOTH
• CONSOLE
• DEFAULT_BOTH
• FILE

Defaults to DEFAULT_BOTH. When using BOTH or DEFAULT_BOTH, system updates such as blockchain events are displayed on the console, and errors and other information are logged to a file. Specify the log file with the --log-file command-line option.

For production systems we recommend using the CONSOLE or FILE options to ensure all log information is available in one place.

Note

Use DEFAULT_BOTH when using a custom Log4J2 configuration file. Any other option applies the custom logging changes on top of its default settings.

log-file

Syntax

teku vc --log-file=<FILENAME>

Command Line

teku vc --log-file=teku_2020-01-01.log

Environment Variable

TEKU_LOG_FILE=teku_2020-01-01.log

Configuration File

log-file: "teku_2020-01-01.log"

Relative or absolute location, and filename of the log file.

The default directory is OS dependent:

• macOS: ~/Library/teku/logs
• Unix/Linux: $XDG_DATA_HOME/teku/logs if $XDG_DATA_HOME is set; otherwise ~/.local/share/teku/logs
• Windows: %localappdata%\teku\logs

The default Docker image location is /root/.local/share/teku/logs.

log-file-name-pattern

Syntax

teku vc --log-file-name-pattern=<REGEX>

Command Line

teku vc --log-file-name-pattern=tekuL_%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log

Environment Variable

TEKU_LOG_FILE_NAME_PATTERN=tekuL_%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log

Configuration File

log-file-name-pattern: "tekuL_%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log"

Filename pattern to apply when creating log files.

log-include-events-enabled

Syntax

teku vc --log-include-events-enabled[=<BOOLEAN>]

Command Line

teku vc --log-include-events-enabled=false

Environment Variable

TEKU_LOG_INCLUDE_EVENTS_ENABLED=false

Configuration File

log-include-events-enabled: false

Specify whether to log frequent update events. For example every slot event with validators and attestations. Defaults to true.

log-include-validator-duties-enabled

Syntax

teku vc --log-include-validator-duties-enabled[=<BOOLEAN>]

Command Line

teku vc --log-include-validator-duties-enabled=true

Environment Variable

TEKU_LOG_INCLUDE_VALIDATOR_DUTIES_ENABLED=true

Configuration File

log-include-validator-duties-enabled: true

Specify whether to log details of validator event duties. Defaults to false.

Note

Logs could become noisy when running many validators.

metrics-enabled

Syntax

teku vc --metrics-enabled[=<BOOLEAN>]

Command Line

teku vc --metrics-enabled=true

Environment Variable

TEKU_METRICS_ENABLED=true

Configuration File

metrics-enabled: true

Set to true to enable the metrics exporter. The default is false.

metrics-host-allowlist

Syntax

teku vc --metrics-host-allowlist=<hostname>[,<hostname>...]... or "*"

Command Line

teku vc --metrics-host-allowlist=medomain.com,meotherdomain.com

Environment Variable

TEKU_METRICS_HOST_ALLOWLIST=medomain.com,meotherdomain.com

Configuration File

metrics-host-allowlist: ["medomain.com", "meotherdomain.com"]

A comma-separated list of hostnames to allow access to the [Teku metrics]. By default, Teku accepts access from localhost and 127.0.0.1.

Tip

To allow all hostnames, use "*". We don’t recommend allowing all hostnames for production environments.

metrics-categories

Syntax

teku vc --metrics-categories=<CATEGORY>[,<CATEGORY>...]...

Command Line

teku vc --metrics-categories=BEACON,JVM,PROCESS

Environment Variable

TEKU_METRICS_CATEGORIES=BEACON,JVM,PROCESS

Configuration File

metrics-categories: ["BEACON", "JVM", "PROCESS"]

Categories for which to track metrics. Options are JVM, PROCESS, BEACON, EVENTBUS, EXECUTOR, LIBP2P, NETWORK, STORAGE, STORAGE_HOT_DB, STORAGE_FINALIZED_DB, REMOTE_VALIDATOR, VALIDATOR, VALIDATOR_PERFORMANCE. All categories are enabled by default.

metrics-interface

Syntax

teku vc --metrics-interface=<HOST>

Command Line

teku vc --metrics-interface=192.168.10.101

Environment Variable

TEKU_METRICS_INTERFACE=192.168.10.101

Configuration File

metrics-interface: "192.168.10.101"

Host on which Prometheus accesses Teku metrics. The default is 0.0.0.0.

metrics-port

Syntax

teku vc --metrics-port=<PORT>

Command Line

teku vc --metrics-port=6174

Environment Variable

TEKU_METRICS_PORT=6174

Configuration File

metrics-port: 6174

Specifies the port (TCP) on which Prometheus accesses Teku metrics. The default is 8008.

network

Syntax

teku vc --network=<NETWORK>

Command Line

teku vc --network=mainnet

Environment Variable

TEKU_NETWORK=mainnet

Configuration File

network: "mainnet"

Predefined network configuration. Accepts a predefined network name, or file path or URL to a YAML configuration file. The default is mainnet.

Possible values are:

Network	Chain	Type	Description
mainnet	Eth 2.0	Production	Main network.
minimal	Eth 2.0	Test	Used for local testing and development networks.
pyrmont	Eth 2.0	Test	Multi-client testnet.

Predefined networks can provide defaults such the initial state of the network, bootnodes, and the address of the Ethereum 1.0 deposit contract.

validator-keys

Syntax

teku vc --validator-keys=<KEY_DIR>:<PASS_DIR> | <KEY_FILE>:<PASS_FILE>[,<KEY_DIR>:<PASS_DIR> | <KEY_FILE>:<PASS_FILE>...]...

Command Line for Directory

teku vc --validator-keys=/home/validator/keys:home/validator/passwords

Command Line for File

teku vc --validator-keys=/home/validator/keys/validator_217179e.json:/home/validator/passwords/validator_217179e.txt

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATOR_KEYS=/home/validator/keys:home/validator/passwords

Configuration File

validator-keys: "/home/validator/keys:home/validator/passwords"

Directory or file to load the encrypted keystore file(s) and associated password file(s) from. Keystore files must use the .json file extension, and password files must use the .txt file extension.

When specifying directories, Teku expects to find identically named keystore and password files. For example validator_217179e.json and validator_217179e.txt.

When specifying file names, Teku expects that the files exist.

Note

The path separator is operating system dependent, and should be ; in Windows rather than :.

validators-external-signer-public-keys

Syntax

teku vc --validators-external-signer-public-keys=<KEY>[,<KEY>...]

Command Line

teku vc --validators-external-signer-public-keys=0xa99a...e44c,0xb89b...4a0b

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATORS_EXTERNAL_SIGNER_PUBLIC_KEYS=0xa99a...e44c,0xb89b...4a0b

Configuration File

validators-external-signer-public-keys: ["0xa99a...e44c","0xb89b...4a0b"]

List of validator public keys used by an external signer (for example, Web3Signer).

validators-external-signer-slashing-protection-enabled

Syntax

teku vc --validators-external-signer-slashing-protection-enabled[=<BOOLEAN>]

Command Line

teku vc --validators-external-signer-slashing-protection-enabled=false

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATORS_EXTERNAL_SIGNER_SLASHING_PROTECTION_ENABLED=false

Configuration File

validators-external-signer-slashing-protection-enabled: false

Specify whether to use Teku’s built-in slashing protection when using an external signer such as Web3Signer. Defaults to true.

Set this option to false if using the slashing protection implemented by an external signer.

Warning

Ensure the external signer has slashing protection enabled before disabling Teku slashing protection, otherwise a validator may get slashed.

Built-in slashing protection can only be disabled for validators using external signers. Validators using Teku to sign blocks and attestations always uses its built-in slashing protection.

validators-external-signer-timeout

Syntax

teku vc --validators-external-signer-timeout=<INTEGER>

Command Line

teku vc --validators-external-signer-timeout=2000

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATORS_EXTERNAL_SIGNER_TIMEOUT=2000

Configuration File

validators-external-signer-timeout: 2000

Timeout in milliseconds for requests to the external signer. Default is 1000.

validators-external-signer-url

Syntax

teku vc --validators-external-signer-url=<URL>

Command Line

teku vc --validators-external-signer-url=http://localhost:9000

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATORS_EXTERNAL_SIGNER_URL=http://localhost:9000

Configuration File

validators-external-signer-url: "http://localhost:9000"

URL on which the external signer (for example, Web3Signer) is running.

validators-graffiti

Syntax

teku vc --validators-graffiti=<STRING>

Command Line

teku vc --validators-graffiti="Teku validator"

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATORS_GRAFFITI="Teku validator"

Configuration File

validators-graffiti: "Teku validator"

Graffiti to add when creating a block. Gets converted to bytes and padded to Bytes32.

The same graffiti is used for all validators started with this beacon node.

validators-keystore-locking-enabled

Syntax

teku vc --validators-keystore-locking-enabled=<BOOLEAN>

Command Line

teku vc --validators-keystore-locking-enabled=true

Environment Variable

TEKU_VALIDATORS_KEYSTORE_LOCKING_ENABLED=true

Configuration File

validators-keystore-locking-enabled: true

Locks the keystore files listed in --validator-keys. Defaults to true.

Attempts to lock all keystores in a directory if a directory is specified in --validator-keys.