Run a node

tintd is the validator program. This page covers a local test network, the commands, and how the public test node is set up.

The commands

Command	What it does
`tintd testnet`	Creates the files of a local test network.
`tintd run`	Runs one validator.
`tintd pay`	Sends coins from the wallet of a seed file.
`tintd swap`	Trades one coin of a seed file's wallet for another through the pool.

A local test network on one machine

Create the files for four validators, then start each one in its own terminal.

bash

tintd testnet --dir net --addresses 127.0.0.1:4100,127.0.0.1:4101,127.0.0.1:4102,127.0.0.1:4103

bash · validator 0

tintd run --local \
  --genesis net/genesis.bin \
  --validators net/validators.txt \
  --key net/validator-0/key \
  --data net/validator-0/data \
  --rpc 127.0.0.1:4200

Repeat for validators 1 to 3 with their own --key, --data and, if you want their wallet interface too, a different --rpc port. --local accepts private addresses, which a network on one machine needs.

testnet writes genesis.bin, validators.txt, a folder with the key of each validator, and faucet.seed, the seed of the wallet that holds every test coin. Keep the seed private.

Send coins and swap from the command line

bash

tintd pay --node http://127.0.0.1:4200 --seed net/faucet.seed --to tint1... --amount 100

bash

tintd pay --node http://127.0.0.1:4200 --seed net/faucet.seed --to tint1... --amount 50 --coin TUSD

bash

tintd swap --node http://127.0.0.1:4200 --seed net/faucet.seed --amount 10 --buy TUSD

Without --coin, pay sends the native coin. swap pays with the native coin unless you name another with --pay; one of the two coins of a swap is always the native one.

Flags of tintd run

Flag	Meaning
`--genesis`	The genesis block file.
`--validators`	The validator list file.
`--key`	This validator's private key file.
`--data`	Directory for this validator's blocks.
`--listen`	Address to listen on; by default the one in the validator list.
`--metrics`	Address to serve metrics on. Off unless you give it.
`--rpc`	Address to serve wallets on over HTTP. Off unless you give it.
`--rpc-behind-proxy`	Wallets reach `--rpc` through a reverse proxy on this machine: count clients by `X-Forwarded-For`.
`--local`	Accept private addresses, for a network on one machine.
`--log-json`	Write logs as JSON lines.
`--log-level`	`error`, `warn`, `info` (default), `debug` or `trace`.
`--idle-block-ms`	Milliseconds a chain with no waiting payments rests between blocks. Default 5000, at most 60000. Give every validator the same value.

How the public test node is set up

The public node at https://node.tint.top is one server running four validators, so it tests that the network works and proves nothing about decentralisation.

What	Where
Four validators	systemd units `tint-validator@0` to `@3`, talking over `127.0.0.1:4100` to `4103`
Wallet interface	Validator 0, on `127.0.0.1:4200`, not reachable from outside
HTTPS	Caddy on port 443, forwarding `/v1/*` to the wallet interface
Chain data	`/var/lib/tint/validator-N/data`

The proxy keeps no access log: a record of who asked what from which address is what a privacy network should not keep.
There is no metrics port and no open validator port; the validators talk to each other on the loopback interface.
A validator keeps every block for good. Measure the disk with du -sh /var/lib/tint/validator-*/data.
On a 1 vCPU, 2 GB server each validator used about 92 MB of memory right after the first start; the service file caps one at 1 GB.

Looking at a running node

bash

curl -s http://127.0.0.1:4200/v1/status

On a server managed with systemd, systemctl status 'tint-validator@*' shows the units and journalctl -u 'tint-validator@*' -n 50 the latest log lines.

Pointing the wallet at your node

In the wallet's Settings you can replace the shared node with your own. The node must serve the wallet interface over HTTPS, and it must belong to the same network, meaning the same first block, as the wallet's other data. A wallet that meets a new first block reads the new chain from the start.