This page documents the command-line tools available in the Lithosphere ecosystem: the lithod node binary and the create-litho-app project scaffolding tool.
lithod is the core binary for running a Lithosphere blockchain node. It is built on top of the following frameworks:
| Framework | Role |
|---|---|
| Cosmos SDK | Application framework providing modules for staking, governance, bank, auth, and more. |
| CometBFT | Byzantine Fault Tolerant consensus engine (formerly Tendermint Core). |
| LithoVM | EVM-compatible virtual machine enabling Solidity smart contract execution on Lithosphere. |
Source repository: github.com/KaJLabs/lithosphere/litho-chain
A pre-built binary is available for Linux x86_64. For other platforms, build from source using the instructions below.
| Tool | Minimum Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Go | >= 1.22 | Required for compilation. |
| git | any | To clone the repository. |
| make | any | GNU Make for the build system. |
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/KaJLabs/lithosphere.git
cd lithosphere/litho-chain
# Build the binary
./build.sh
# Generate checksums for verification
./checksums.shAfter a successful build, the following outputs are produced:
| Output | Description |
|---|---|
lithod |
The compiled node binary, ready to run. |
checksums.txt |
SHA-256 checksums for verifying binary integrity. |
You can also use make install to place the binary directly in $GOPATH/bin:
make installVerify the installation:
lithod versionBelow are the essential lithod commands for node operation.
Initialize a new node with a moniker and chain ID:
lithod init <moniker> --chain-id <chain-id>| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
<moniker> |
A human-readable name for your node (e.g., my-node-01). |
--chain-id |
The identifier of the target chain (e.g., lithosphere_700777-2). |
This command creates the default directory structure at ~/.lithod/, including configuration files (app.toml, config.toml, genesis.json), the data directory, and the keyring.
Start the node and begin syncing with the network:
lithod startThe node connects to peers, replays blocks from genesis (or a snapshot), and begins participating in consensus once fully synced.
Common flags:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--home <path> |
Override the default home directory (~/.lithod/). |
--log_level <level> |
Set log verbosity (info, debug, warn, error). |
--p2p.seeds <seeds> |
Comma-separated list of seed node addresses. |
--rpc.laddr <addr> |
RPC listen address (default: tcp://127.0.0.1:26657). |
Print the current version and build information:
lithod versionExample output:
v1.0.0
Use lithod version --long for detailed build metadata including Go version, commit hash, and build tags.
create-litho-app is a CLI scaffolding tool for bootstrapping new Lithosphere projects. It provides an interactive setup experience that lets you choose a project template, configures dependencies automatically, and gets you to a working project in seconds.
Built with: tsup (a TypeScript bundler powered by esbuild).
- Project template selection -- Choose from available Lithosphere project templates (e.g., full-stack dApp, smart contract workspace, API integration).
- Automatic dependency setup -- Installs all required dependencies after scaffolding.
- Sensible defaults -- Pre-configured TypeScript, linting, formatting, and testing out of the box.
- Monorepo-aware -- Generated projects integrate seamlessly with the Lithosphere monorepo structure.
Run the tool directly with npx -- no global installation required:
npx create-litho-appThe interactive CLI will guide you through the following steps:
- Project name -- Enter a name for your new project.
- Template selection -- Choose a project template from the available options.
- Configuration -- Answer any template-specific prompts (e.g., chain ID, RPC endpoint).
- Dependency installation -- Dependencies are installed automatically via
pnpm.
Once complete, navigate into the new project directory and start developing:
cd <project-name>
pnpm dev$ npx create-litho-app
Welcome to create-litho-app!
? Project name: my-litho-dapp
? Select a template: Full-Stack dApp
? Chain ID: 61
Scaffolding project in ./my-litho-dapp ...
Installing dependencies ...
Done! Next steps:
cd my-litho-dapp
pnpm dev- Developer Setup -- Set up the full monorepo development environment.
- Validator Setup -- Configure and run a validator node.