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Hardware Requirements
Minimum requirements (testnet)
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2 cores | 4+ cores |
| RAM | 2 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 50 GB SSD | 200 GB NVMe SSD |
| Network | 10 Mbps | 100 Mbps |
| OS | Linux, macOS, Windows | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS |
Runtime
Valdium requires Node.js. Always use the pinned version from the protocol spec — running a different version causes state divergence:
node --version
# v22.x.x (check spec for exact pinned version)Validated hardware
The Valdium testnet has been run successfully on all of the following:
- Raspberry Pi 4 (4 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD) — minimum viable validator
- MacBook Pro M2 (8 GB RAM) — primary dev machine during testnet
- Hetzner CX22 (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM) — VPS validator, $4.50/month
- Hetzner CX32 (4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM) — recommended VPS
Network requirements
Validators need a stable internet connection. Brief disconnects are handled gracefully — the liveness-aware committee removes you automatically and adds you back when you return. Sustained outages beyond a few minutes will result in your stake becoming inactive until you reconnect.
No port forwarding is required. The node connects outbound to peers — no inbound connections needed for testnet.