Bootstrap a Full Node

Bootstrap is the traditional method of synchronizing a node by downloading the entire blockchain history from seed nodes. This provides the highest level of security and completeness but takes the longest time.

When to Use Bootstrap

You need the complete blockchain history
You're setting up an archive node
You're a validator requiring maximum trust
You want to verify all historical transactions

Prerequisites

Terp Core installed
Node configured
Adequate storage (100GB+ for mainnet)
Good internet connection

Step 1: Initialize the Node

# Initialize the node with your moniker
terpd init <your-moniker-name> --chain-id morocco-1

# For testnet
terpd init <your-moniker-name> --chain-id 90u-4

Step 2: Download Genesis File

Download the genesis file for your network:

# Mainnet
curl -Ls https://s3.terp.network/snapshots/mainnet/morocco-1/genesis.json > $HOME/.terpd/config/genesis.json

# Testnet
curl -Ls https://s3.terp.network/snapshots/testnet/120u-1/genesis.json > $HOME/.terpd/config/genesis.json

Step 3: Configure Persistent Peers

Add persistent peers to help your node discover other nodes on the network:

# Get current peers
peers=$(curl -s https://s3.terp.network/snapshots/mainnet/morocco-1/peers.txt)

# Add to config
sed -i.bak -e "s/^persistent_peers *=.*/persistent_peers = \"$peers\"/" $HOME/.terpd/config/config.toml

Step 4: Start the Node

# Start the node
terpd start

The node will now begin downloading and verifying blocks from the network. This process can take several hours to days depending on your network speed and hardware.

Monitoring Sync Status

Check if your node is catching up:

# Check sync status
terpd status

# Look for "catching_up": false
# or check the block height difference with the network

Production Setup with Systemd

For production deployments, we recommend running as a systemd service:

# Create systemd service file
sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/terpd.service > /dev/null <<EOF
[Unit]
Description=Terp Network Daemon
After=network-online.target

[Service]
User=$USER
ExecStart=$(which terpd) start
Restart=always
RestartSec=3
LimitNOFILE=65535

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

# Enable and start
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable terpd
sudo systemctl start terpd

# Check status
sudo systemctl status terpd

# View logs
sudo journalctl -u terpd -f

Verification

Verify your node is fully synchronized:

# Check current block height
terpd status | jq '.sync_info.latest_block_height'

# Compare with block explorer
# Your node is synced when heights match

Bootstrap