Node Operator Overview

Learn about running nodes on OP Stack networks.

Overview

This section of the documentation is dedicated to node operators who want to learn about configuring and running nodes on OP Stack networks. Because the OP Stack is an open-source, modular, and extensible stack, there are many different clients, configurations, and requirements depending on your goals and the specific network you’re targeting. The information provided in this section covers standard configurations and features on the OP Stack.

Why Run a Node?

Running your own node gives you the benefit of trustless verification, enhanced privacy, and gives you local access to the blockchain. However, it also requires time and resources to set up and maintain. So you should consider your goals and use cases before deciding to run a node because there are many third-party RPC providers available.

Node Architecture

Regardless of which OP Stack network you’re running a node for, all nodes share the same fundamental two-client architecture. There is the consensus client and the execution client, which communicate via the Engine API with JWT authentication.

Consensus Layer (Rollup Node)

The consensus layer builds, relays and verifies the canonical chain of blocks. The following are the most popular implementations:

• op-node
• kona-node

Execution Layer

The execution layer provides the evm execution environment. The following are the most popular implementations:

• op-geth
• op-reth
• Nethermind

Node Types

Different node types serve different purposes:

• Full node: keeps a complete copy of the blockchain, validates all transactions and blocks, and participates on the P2P network.
• Archive node: additionally retains all historical state for every block.
• Sequencer node: can be a full or archive node, but it can create new L2 blocks.

Next steps

• Run a Node from Docker