Step 1: Install Required Dependencies

First, ensure your system is equipped with the necessary dependencies:

1. Operating System: A Unix-like system (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04+ or macOS).
2. Node.js: Install Node.js version 16 or higher.
3. Git: Ensure Git is installed and up to date.
4. Docker: Install Docker, as it's used to manage containers.

You can install these dependencies using your system's package manager:

# For Ubuntu
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs npm git docker.io

Step 2: Clone the Tea.xyz Validator Repository

Next, clone the official Tea.xyz validator repository from GitHub:

git clone <https://github.com/tea-xyz/validator-node.git>
cd validator-node

Step 3: Configure the Validator Node

Create and configure your node settings by copying the example configuration:

cp .env.example .env

Edit the .env file to match your desired configuration. Pay special attention to parameters such as NODE_NAME, TEA_NETWORK, and VALIDATOR_KEY.

Step 4: Initialize the Node

Before running the node, initialize it by pulling the necessary Docker images and setting up the environment:

docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d

Step 5: Start the Validator Node

To start the node, run the following command: