Adding a Validator Node with cURL
Due to the deprecation of the Keystore API in camino-node, the method of adding a validator with curl, as described in this document,
is also deprecated. This document remains available for reference on the process of adding a validator.
Please refer to Adding a Validator Node with the Wallet or Adding a Validator Node using the Multisig Wallet for updated methods.
This guide will walk you through the process of linking your wallet address with your node ID, and then adding that node as a validator on the Camino network.
If you have any questions or get stuck at any step, please feel free to reach out to us on our Discord server for assistance.
This guide assumes that you have a running Camino node on your local machine that you will run the given commands on.
The IP address and port for the camino-node are 127.0.0.1 and 9650, respectively.
| CAMINO-NODE IP | PORT |
|---|---|
127.0.0.1 | 9650 |
If your node is located on the cloud or on a remote server, you will need to login to that machine using SSH and run the commands from the shell.
9651Please note that while this guide will use the API port 9650 for requests, you will need to open your server's staking port 9651 for your validator to function correctly. This is typically done through a firewall or a router/modem if you are on a residential ISP.
Requirements
Before starting the process of adding a validator node, there are a few requirements you must satisfy. Below is a list of these requirements
for the mainnet (camino) and testnet (columbus).
Further below, you will find instructions about how to get these information by querying your node (where applicable).
Camino Mainnet & Columbus Testnet
- NodeID: This is the address of your node, similar to a regular wallet address.
- Node's PrivateKey: You will need this to prove ownership of the NodeID.
Keep it safe and secure! - Wallet address & private key: You will need your wallet address and private key.
Remember to keep your private key safe! - 100,000 non-bonded CAMs in your P-Chain wallet. And a few CAMs for paying for transaction fees.
You can check this on the online wallet to ensure that you have at least 100,000 non-bonded tokens on the P-Chain. - Consortium Member: Your wallet address must be a consortium member.
If you are unsure about this, please reach out to us on Discord for clarification. If you participated in the pre-sale, you are already a Consortium Member. - KYC/KYB Verified: You must be Know-Your-Customer (KYC) or Know-Your-Business (KYB) verified.
Pre-sale participants have already been designated as Consortium Members on the mainnet and testnet, and they have also completed the Know-Your-Customer (KYC) verification process.
In the Camino Network, CAM tokens can be utilized as securities for various purposes such as deposit rewards, validator stakes, or DAO proposals. There are two types of these securities: deposits and bonds.
Individuals can deposit CAM tokens for a certain period of time to earn rewards. In this scenario, the tokens are "deposited" and "locked".
Similarly, individuals can bond their tokens to a validator stake or a DAO proposal. In this scenario, the tokens are "bonded" and "locked".
It's worth noting that deposited tokens can be used for bonds and vice versa.
It's also important to note that tokens that are locked cannot be used for paying transaction fees.
For more detailed information regarding deposits and bonds please refer to the following page: Deposits & Bonds
Retrieving Your Node's ID
When you first set up your node, your node's ID will be displayed in the terminal, depending on the installation method you used.
If you made note of it, you can simply use that ID. If you did not, you can retrieve that information by making a request to the camino-node's Info API.
The following is an example of how to do so using curl commands.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id" :1,
"method" :"info.getNodeID"
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/info
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"nodeID": "NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ",
"nodePOP": {}
},
"id": 1
}
In this example, your NodeID is NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ
Retrieving Your Node's Private Key
You can retrieve your node's private key by making a request to the Admin API's admin.getNodeSigner method.
The following is an example of how to do so using curl command.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id" :1,
"method" :"admin.getNodeSigner",
"params": {
}
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/admin
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"privateKey": "PrivateKey-2ZW6HUePBW2dP7dBGa5stjXe1uvK9LwEgrjebDwXEyL5bDMWWS",
"publicKey": "D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ"
},
"id": 1
}
In this example your Node's PrivateKey is PrivateKey-2ZW6HUePBW2dP7dBGa5stjXe1uvK9LwEgrjebDwXEyL5bDMWWS.
And you can also see your public key (your node's address, also known as NodeID)
Please keep in mind that Admin API is disabled by default in Camino Node. You need to enable it to use the endpoint. For more info check here:
Retrieving Your Wallet Private Key
If you already got your wallet address go to the Camino Wallet and retrieve your private key from the Manage Keys menu.
If you don't know your address, when you created your wallet on the Camino Wallet, it prompted you to write down a key phrase.
By using this key phrase, you can recover your wallet address and extract your private key. Log in to your wallet and click Manage Keys from the menu. Under My Keys, you will see your wallet address. There will be a button named View C-Chain Private Key right beside your address.
Transferring Tokens to the P-Chain
In order to stake for your validator, you will need to have 100,000 non-bonded CAM tokens on the P-Chain. If you do not already have them on the P-Chain, you will need to transfer them.
You can use the Camino Wallet to perform this transfer. Simply click on Cross Chain in the main menu and follow the prompts in the user interface.
Consortium Member
If you participated in the pre-sale, provided a wallet address, and are a travel-related company, you are already designated as a Consortium Member.
If you are not or you wish to be added as one for the Camino Testnet columbus, please contact us through Discord.
Know-Your-Customer & Know-Your-Business Verification
In order to complete a KYC (Know Your Customer) verification on Camino Network, you can log in to the Camino Wallet and click the "KYC Verification" button. A pop-up window will appear, prompting you to provide your email and phone number. Follow the instructions provided to complete the verification process, which will require you to submit some form of identification.
Additionally, the KYC process can be continued on your phone after starting it on a browser, allowing for greater convenience and flexibility. For more information on the KYC process, please refer to the KYC page.
Please note that the KYB process is currently in development and documentation will be updated soon. In the meantime, if you need assistance, please reach out to the Camino community on Discord for help.
Please be aware that the KYC/KYB process will not expose your private information on the blockchain. The process is completed off-chain, and your wallet address is only marked as "kyc-verified" on the blockchain.
No private information is saved on the network.
Becoming a Validator
If you have all the necessary requirements and information to become a Validator, you can now commit this information to the blockchain. To do this, you need to follow these steps:
Below is a summary of the steps you will take:
- Create user on your node's keystore
- Import your wallet and node's private key to the keystore
- Register your node with your wallet address
- Add your node as a validator
- Check the status of the validator
Now let's see how you can complete these steps using curl API requests.
Create User on Your Node
To interact with some of the API methods on your node, you will need to have a username and password. The first step in this process is to create a user.
Users are stored in the keystore on your node. It is important to note that for validation and delegation on the mainnet, it is recommended to use the wallet on Camino Network to issue transactions. This ensures that private keys for your funds are not stored on your node, significantly reducing the risk in the event that the computer running the node is compromised.
If you already have a user that you created previously, you can skip this step.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id" :1,
"method" :"keystore.createUser",
"params" :{
"username": "myUsername",
"password": "myPassword"
}
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/keystore
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"error": {
"code": -32000,
"message": "password is too weak",
"data": null
},
"id": 1
}
As you can see, the password you provided is not secure enough to be accepted. It is important to provide a stronger password to ensure the security of your user account. A strong password typically includes a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, and is at least 8 characters long.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id" :1,
"method" :"keystore.createUser",
"params" :{
"username": "myUsername",
"password": "ZMHiL8mTGJHu"
}
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/keystore
- Please don't use the password you see here. :)
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {},
"id": 1
}
- Now that you have received a successful response, it is important to keep your password in a safe and secure location. It is highly recommended to use a password manager that provides encryption to protect your password.
Information About Keystores
Every node has an integrated keystore. Clients can create users on the keystore, which serve as identities when interacting with the node's API methods. These interactions allow access to the blockchain and its features.
A keystore exists at the node level, so if you create a user on a node, it will exist only on that specific node. However, it is possible to import and export users using the API, allowing them to be used on multiple nodes.
It is important to only create a keystore user on a node that you operate, as the node operator will have access to your plaintext passwords and private keys. Therefore, it is important to trust the operator of the node before creating a keystore user on it.
Import Wallet & Node Private Keys
In order to prove ownership of the wallet and the node, you will need to add your private keys to the keystore on the node. This process is also known as importing a private key, and it allows you to use the keystore user you created to interact with the node's API methods and access the blockchain.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id" :1,
"method" :"platform.importKey",
"params" :{
"username": "myUsername",
"password": "ZMHiL8mTGJHu",
"privateKey":"PrivateKey-ewoqjP7PxY4yr3iLTpLisriqt94hdyDFNgchSxGGztUrTXtNN"
}
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/keystore
Enter the private key associated with your wallet address into the privateKey field.
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"address": "P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68"
},
"id": 1
}
This is a successful response. It's important to note that the result field contains an address, which is the address that the private key you provided controls. You can use this to verify that the private key is correct and that it matches your wallet address. This helps to ensure that you have imported the correct private key and that you have successfully proven ownership of the wallet.
The addresses you see here will start with one of the following strings, depending on the network you are using:
- mainnet:
P-camino - testnet:
P-columbus - devnet:
P-kopernikus
Now that you have imported the private key for your wallet, you will need to import the private key for your node. This allows you to prove ownership of the node.
Please follow the same step as you did for importing your wallet private key, but this time using the private key of your node.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id" :1,
"method" :"platform.importKey",
"params" :{
"username": "myUsername",
"password": "ZMHiL8mTGJHu",
"privateKey":"PrivateKey-2ZW6HUePBW2dP7dBGa5stjXe1uvK9LwEgrjebDwXEyL5bDMWWS"
}
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/keystore
Enter the private key of your node into the privateKey field.
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"address": "P-kopernikus1swcam4a3vmd7vvzuytldtavsv4f9cnj3lynmrf"
},
"id": 1
}
Note that, similar to when you imported your wallet's private key, the result field contains an address after importing your node's private key. In Camino, nodes also have addresses that can be used to send and receive funds. Users can also use their (node's) private keys to control these addresses.
Register Your Node
After importing your node's private key, it's now necessary to register your node with your wallet. This will establish a link between your node and wallet and enable you to interact with functions that require this feature, such as the platform.addValidator method.
To register your node, you will need to use the appropriate API method and provide the necessary information:
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "platform.registerNode",
"params": {
"oldNodeID": "NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ",
"newNodeID": "NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ",
"consortiumMemberAddress": "P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68",
"username": "myUsername",
"password": "ZMHiL8mTGJHu"
},
"id": 1
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/bc/P
- oldNodeID: Enter your current node's ID (if you have one) in this field. This field can also be used to change your registered node in the future.
- newNodeID: Enter your new node's ID here.
- consortiumMemberAddress: Enter the address of your wallet in this field where you have imported the private key in the previous step. This will link your wallet with your node.
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"txID": "dkcfLECeCiEDwidaWeXBkfB3ea6bYupcrReqbDg3cKrHy3MC1",
"changeAddr": "P-kopernikus1qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqv3qzan"
},
"id": 1
}
The response of this registration process will include two fields:
txID: This is the submitted transaction that will register the node. You can use this ID to check the status of the transaction on Camino Explorer changeAddr is the address used to return any unspent tokens after the transaction is completed. In this case, it is not important.
Node registration links your node with the wallet address you provided. This allows Camino to use wallet addresses, including multi-signature wallets, for operations related to the node, such as adding it as a validator. It's important to keep in mind that if your wallet is a multi-signature wallet, you will need to import all the private keys associated with it.
This way, all operations that require the node's signature will also require the signature of the linked wallet. This effectively creates a multi-signature setup, where multiple parties need to sign off on an action before it can be executed.
For example, if a voting operation is in place, to successfully vote, signatures from the linked wallet will also be required. This ensures that the node and wallet owner are both in agreement and have authorized the action before it is executed on the blockchain.
Make Your Node a Validator
Now that you have registered your node and linked it with your wallet, you are ready to make your node a validator.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "platform.addValidator",
"params": {
"nodeID":"NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ",
"from": ["P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68"],
"rewardAddress": "P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68",
"startTime":'$(date --date="10 minutes" +%s)',
"endTime":'$(date --date="2 days" +%s)',
"stakeAmount":2000000000000,
"delegationFeeRate":10,
"username": "myUsername",
"password": "ZMHiL8mTGJHu"
},
"id": 1
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/bc/P
-
nodeID: Enter the ID of your node.
-
from: Your wallet address.
Note that this field is a list. So even if you are entering a single address, you need to enclose it with square brackets. -
rewardAddress: The address where the rewards earned by the validator will be sent.
-
startTime: Starting time of the validation period for the node.
This in Unix Time format, which is represented as the number of seconds since1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC.
To get this value, you can use the date command. In this example, we used 10 minutes in the future as thestartTime.
Change this as you like, but be sure that it has to be at least 20 seconds in the future.
(Note: If you’re on a Mac, replacedatewithgdate. If you don’t havegdateinstalled, dobrew install coreutils.) -
endTime: The time when the validation period ends. It is in the same format as
startTime. In this example we used 2 days in the future. For Camino mainnet, the minimumendTimeis 2 weeks and maximum is 365 days. -
stakeAmount: This is the fixed amount of tokens to be staked. For Camino mainnet
caminoand testnetcolumbusit is100000000000000nCAMs (100,000 CAMs). (For devnetkopernikusit is 2000 CAMs) -
delegationFeeRate: This is the percentage fee that this validator charges when others delegate their stake to them.
Up to 4 decimal places are allowed, additional decimal places are ignored. It must be between 0 and 100, inclusive.
For example, ifdelegationFeeRateis1.2345and someone delegates to this validator, then when the delegation period is over,1.2345%of the reward goes to the validator and the rest goes to the delegator.
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"txID": "2m47Hp59WiqeYGvWcjgkB5a2Gz4PNJCyQZbuMQTCjJ6xVV85oo",
"changeAddr": "P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68"
},
"id": 1
}
This response shows the transaction ID for your addValidator request. You can use this ID to check the status of the transaction on the blockchain explorer, like Camino Explorer.
Once the transaction is confirmed, your node will be registered as a validator and you will be able to participate in the consensus process and earn rewards.
Verify Your Validator
Now you can verify if you have completed the process correctly by querying the blockchain and checking the status of your node.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "platform.getCurrentValidators",
"params": {
"subnetID":null,
"nodeIDs":["NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ"]
},
"id": 1
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/bc/P
- nodeIDs: Enter your node's ID in this field.
Alternatively, you can leave this field blank and simply enter"nodeIDs":[]. This will return information for all currently registered validators.
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"validators": [
{
"txID": "2m47Hp59WiqeYGvWcjgkB5a2Gz4PNJCyQZbuMQTCjJ6xVV85oo",
"startTime": "1672836683",
"endTime": "1678009764",
"stakeAmount": "2000000000000",
"nodeID": "NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ",
"rewardOwner": {
"locktime": "0",
"threshold": "1",
"addresses": ["P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68"]
},
"validationRewardOwner": {
"locktime": "0",
"threshold": "1",
"addresses": ["P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68"]
},
"delegationRewardOwner": {
"locktime": "0",
"threshold": "1",
"addresses": ["P-kopernikus18jma8ppw3nhx5r4ap8clazz0dps7rv5uuvjh68"]
},
"potentialReward": "0",
"delegationFee": "0.0000",
"uptime": "1.0000",
"connected": true,
"delegators": null
}
]
},
"id": 1
}
Here you can see that your node is now a validator! Congratulations!
It's important to note that this request should only be made after some time has passed to ensure that the startTime specified during the registration process has been reached. This will ensure that the node has been activated as a validator and its status can be properly determined.
If you get an empty response
If you get and empty response like this:
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"validators": []
},
"id": 1
}
It's possible that the startTime specified during the registration process has not yet been reached. Please check next step where you can query for pending validators.
It could also mean that the node is not yet a validator, the node id provided is incorrect or the node id provided is not registered as a validator.
It may be helpful to cross-reference the node id and other details with the information provided during the registration process. Please check the status of the transaction and ensure that the registration process was completed successfully and with the correct information.
Check Pending Validators
You can also check for pending validators to see if your node is waiting for the startTime to be reached before it can be activated as a validator.
curl -s -X POST --data '{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "platform.getPendingValidators",
"params": {
"subnetID": null,
"nodeIDs": []
},
"id": 1
}' -H 'content-type:application/json;' http://127.0.0.1:9650/ext/bc/P
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"validators": [
{
"txID": "2m47Hp59WiqeYGvWcjgkB5a2Gz4PNJCyQZbuMQTCjJ6xVV85oo",
"startTime": "1672836683",
"endTime": "1678009764",
"stakeAmount": "2000000000000",
"nodeID": "NodeID-D1LbWvUf9iaeEyUbTYYtYq4b7GaYR5tnJ",
"delegationFee": "0.0000",
"connected": true,
"delegators": null
}
],
"delegators": []
},
"id": 1
}
Here you can see that your node is still listed among the pending validators. It is waiting for its startTime to be reached.
It is recommended to wait for the startTime to pass and then check again using the getCurrentValidators method to confirm that your node has been activated as a validator.
It's important to note that nodes that are pending validators have completed the registration process but have not yet reached the startTime specified during registration. Once the startTime is reached, the node will be activated as a validator on the blockchain.
Getting More Help
If you have any further questions about validators, you can refer to the Validators FAQ section on our website or visit our Discord server. We are always happy to help and chat.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need any further assistance.