Running a validator node

Powered by the PRT v1 fraud-proof system, Honeypot v2 brought the possibility of anyone participating in the project as a validator. By running a validator node, anyone can defend the correct claim and secure the project, showcasing the decentralization and security of the fraud-proof system. In this version, bonds were not implemented yet, so participation was free of charge (except for transaction fees).

Protected by an upgraded PRT v2, Honeypot v3 raised the bar in terms of security, thanks to the introduction of a bond system: In order to post a claim, validators must now stake a bond (< 1 ETH) that serves to (1) counter resource-exhaustion attacks and (2) cover gas costs.

The reader should be reminded that interacting with the PRT contracts requires base-layer funds (Ether) to cover transaction fees and, in the case of Honeypot v3, bonds. See Creating a wallet in case you haven't got one yet. The validator should also have a reliable connection to the blockchain through a JSON-RPC URL, be it self-hosted or delegated to a third-party provider like Infura or Alchemy (to name a few, although other options are also available).

There are two main ways in which you can operate a validator node:

• Running a validator node locally
• Running a validator node on fly.io