The Polkadot Node task service provides a complete installation and configuration of a Polkadot network node. This service supports multiple node types including full nodes, light clients, and archive nodes for the Polkadot, Kusama, and Westend networks. It's designed for both development and production environments with comprehensive configuration options.

Features

Node Types

Full Node - Complete blockchain synchronization with state pruning
Light Client - Minimal resource usage with header-only synchronization
Archive Node - Complete historical data retention without pruning
Validator Node - Production-ready validator configuration (see polkadot-validator service)

Network Support

Polkadot - Main Polkadot relay chain
Kusama - Polkadot's canary network
Westend - Test network for development
Custom Chains - Support for custom chain specifications

Consensus Support

GRANDPA Finality - Byzantine fault-tolerant finality gadget
Aura Consensus - Authority-based block authoring
ELVES Consensus - Ethereum-Like Validation Execution System for enhanced compatibility
Hybrid Consensus - Support for multiple consensus mechanisms simultaneously

Synchronization Modes

Full Sync - Downloads and validates all blocks
Fast Sync - Downloads recent state and validates headers
Warp Sync - Ultra-fast sync using finality proofs

Storage & Performance

State Pruning - Configurable historical state retention
Block Pruning - Optional old block data removal
Database Cache - Configurable memory caching for performance
Execution Strategies - Optimized runtime execution modes

Network & RPC Services

P2P Networking - Peer-to-peer network participation
WebSocket RPC - Real-time blockchain data access
HTTP RPC - Standard REST-like API access
Rate Limiting - Configurable request rate limiting
WSS Support - Secure WebSocket with SSL/TLS

Configuration

Basic Full Node

polkadot_node: PolkadotNode = {
    name: "polkadot-full-node"
    version: "1.5.0"
    run_user: {
        name: "polkadot"
        home: "/home/polkadot"
    }
    chain: "polkadot"
    node_type: "full"
    base_path: "/var/lib/polkadot"
    ports: {
        p2p_port: 30333
        ws_port: 9944
        http_port: 9933
    }
    sync_mode: "full"
    pruning: {
        mode: "state"
        blocks_to_keep: 256
    }
}

Archive Node Configuration

polkadot_node: PolkadotNode = {
    name: "polkadot-archive"
    version: "1.5.0"
    run_user: {
        name: "polkadot"
        group: "polkadot"
        home: "/opt/polkadot"
    }
    chain: "polkadot"
    node_type: "full"
    base_path: "/data/polkadot"
    archive_mode: true
    ports: {
        p2p_port: 30333
        ws_port: 9944
        http_port: 9933
    }
    sync_mode: "warp"
    max_peers: 50
    database_cache: 2048
    state_cache_size: 1073741824
    bootnodes: [
        "/dns/bootnode.polkadot.io/tcp/30333/p2p/12D3KooWEyoppNCUx8Yx66oV9fJnriXwCcXwDDUA2kj6vnc6iDEp"
    ]
    telemetry_enabled: true
    telemetry_url: "wss://telemetry.polkadot.io/submit/ 0"
}

Production Node with WSS

polkadot_node: PolkadotNode = {
    name: "polkadot-prod-node"
    version: "1.5.0"
    run_user: {
        name: "polkadot"
        group: "polkadot"
        home: "/opt/polkadot"
    }
    chain: "polkadot"
    node_type: "full"
    base_path: "/var/lib/polkadot"
    ports: {
        p2p_port: 30333
        ws_port: 9944
        http_port: 9933
        prometheus_port: 9615
    }
    wss: {
        enabled: true
        domain: "node.company.com"
        rate_limit: 1000
    }
    ssl: {
        enabled: true
        cert_file: "/etc/ssl/certs/polkadot-node.crt"
        key_file: "/etc/ssl/private/polkadot-node.key"
    }
    rpc: {
        enabled: true
        cors: ["https://polkadot.js.org"]
        rate_limit: 2000
        max_connections: 100
        batch_config: {
            max_size: 100
            max_len: 1000000
        }
    }
    sync_mode: "warp"
    pruning: {
        mode: "state"
        blocks_to_keep: 256
    }
    max_peers: 75
    database_cache: 4096
    state_cache_size: 2147483648
    execution_strategies: {
        syncing: "NativeElseWasm"
        importing: "NativeElseWasm"
        block_construction: "Native"
        offchain_worker: "Native"
        other: "Native"
    }
    log_level: "info"
    telemetry_enabled: true
}

Light Client Configuration

polkadot_node: PolkadotNode = {
    name: "polkadot-light"
    version: "1.5.0"
    run_user: {
        name: "polkadot"
        home: "/home/polkadot"
    }
    chain: "polkadot"
    node_type: "light"
    base_path: "/var/lib/polkadot-light"
    sync_mode: "fast"
    max_peers: 25
    database_cache: 256
    state_cache_size: 268435456
    log_level: "warn"
}

ELVES Consensus Node Configuration

polkadot_node: PolkadotNode = {
    name: "polkadot-elves-node"
    version: "1.5.0"
    run_user: {
        name: "polkadot"
        group: "polkadot"
        home: "/opt/polkadot"
    }
    chain: "polkadot"
    node_type: "full"
    base_path: "/var/lib/polkadot"
    ports: {
        p2p_port: 30333
        ws_port: 9944
        http_port: 9933
        prometheus_port: 9615
    }
    consensus: {
        type: "elves"
        elves_config: {
            epoch_duration: 2400  # blocks per epoch
            validators_per_epoch: 21
            proposal_timeout: 3000
            prevote_timeout: 3000
            precommit_timeout: 3000
            commit_timeout: 1000
            ethereum_compatibility: true
        }
        finality: {
            type: "grandpa"
            grandpa_interval: 8
        }
    }
    ethereum_compatibility: {
        enabled: true
        chain_id: 1
        evm_runtime: true
    }
    sync_mode: "warp"
    max_peers: 50
    database_cache: 2048
    state_cache_size: 2147483648
    log_level: "info"
    telemetry_enabled: true
}

Usage

Deploy Polkadot Node

./core/nulib/provisioning taskserv create polkadot-node --infra <infrastructure-name>

List Available Task Services

./core/nulib/provisioning taskserv list

SSH to Node Server

./core/nulib/provisioning server ssh <polkadot-node-server>

Service Management

# Check node status
systemctl status polkadot-node

# Start/stop node
systemctl start polkadot-node
systemctl stop polkadot-node
systemctl restart polkadot-node

# View node logs
journalctl -u polkadot-node -f

# Check sync status
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "system_syncState", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

Node Monitoring

# Check node health
curl http://localhost:9933/health

# Get node information
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "system_name", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Check connected peers
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "system_peers", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Monitor prometheus metrics
curl http://localhost:9615/metrics

RPC API Usage

# WebSocket connection
wscat -c ws://localhost:9944

# Get latest block
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "chain_getBlock", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Get chain head
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "chain_getHead", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# ELVES Consensus Operations
# Check ELVES consensus state
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "elves_getConsensusState", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Get ELVES epoch information
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "elves_getCurrentEpoch", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Check validator set for ELVES consensus
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "elves_getValidators", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

Architecture

System Architecture

┌─────────────────┐    ┌──────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   Applications  │────│  Polkadot Node   │────│   Polkadot      │
│                 │    │                  │    │   Network       │
│ • Polkadot.js   │    │ • P2P (30333)    │    │                 │
│ • dApps         │────│ • WS (9944)      │────│ • Relay Chain   │
│ • Wallets       │    │ • HTTP (9933)    │    │ • Parachains    │
│ • Analytics     │    │ • Prometheus     │    │ • Validators    │
└─────────────────┘    └──────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘

Network Ports

P2P Port (30333) - Peer-to-peer network communication
WebSocket Port (9944) - Real-time RPC and subscriptions
HTTP Port (9933) - Standard RPC API calls
Prometheus Port (9615) - Metrics and monitoring data

File Structure

/var/lib/polkadot/          # Main data directory
├── chains/                 # Chain-specific data
│   ├── polkadot/          # Polkadot chain data
│   ├── ksmcc3/            # Kusama chain data
│   └── westend2/          # Westend chain data
├── node.key               # Node identity key
└── network/               # Network state

/etc/polkadot/             # Configuration directory
├── polkadot.conf          # Main configuration
└── ssl/                   # SSL certificates

/home/polkadot/            # Service user home
├── .local/                # Local binaries
└── logs/                  # Application logs

Supported Operating Systems

Ubuntu 20.04+ / Debian 11+
CentOS 8+ / RHEL 8+ / Fedora 35+

System Requirements

Light Client Requirements

RAM: 2GB (4GB recommended)
Storage: 10GB (minimal chain data)
CPU: 1 core (2 cores recommended)
Network: Standard internet connection

Full Node Requirements

RAM: 8GB (16GB recommended)
Storage: 200GB SSD (500GB+ recommended)
CPU: 4 cores (8 cores recommended)
Network: Good bandwidth and low latency

Archive Node Requirements

RAM: 32GB+ (for optimal performance)
Storage: 2TB+ NVMe SSD (grows over time)
CPU: 8+ cores with high clock speed
Network: High bandwidth dedicated connection

Network Requirements

Internet Access - Stable connection to Polkadot network
Port Access - P2P port (30333) must be accessible
Firewall - Proper firewall configuration for services
DNS - Reliable DNS resolution

Troubleshooting

Synchronization Issues

# Check sync status
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "system_syncState", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Check connected peers
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "system_peers", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Restart with fresh sync
systemctl stop polkadot-node
rm -rf /var/lib/polkadot/chains/polkadot/db/
systemctl start polkadot-node

Performance Issues

# Check system resources
htop
df -h /var/lib/polkadot
iostat -x 1

# Monitor Polkadot metrics
curl -s http://localhost:9615/metrics | grep polkadot_

# Check database size
du -sh /var/lib/polkadot/chains/polkadot/db/

# Analyze slow queries
journalctl -u polkadot-node | grep -i "slow"

Network Connectivity

# Check if ports are listening
netstat -tlnp | grep -E ':(30333|9944|9933)'

# Test P2P connectivity
telnet your-server-ip 30333

# Test WebSocket
wscat -c ws://localhost:9944

# Check external connectivity
curl -4 ifconfig.co  # Get public IP

RPC Issues

# Test RPC health
curl http://localhost:9933/health

# Check RPC configuration
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "rpc_methods", "params":[]}' \
  http://localhost:9933/

# Test WebSocket RPC
wscat -c ws://localhost:9944
# Send: {"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "chain_getHead", "params":[]}

Storage Issues

# Check disk space
df -h /var/lib/polkadot

# Check database integrity
sudo -u polkadot polkadot check-block --chain polkadot

# Purge old data (if pruning enabled)
sudo -u polkadot polkadot purge-chain --chain polkadot

# Database statistics
du -sh /var/lib/polkadot/chains/polkadot/db/*

Security Considerations

Node Security

User Isolation - Run node as dedicated system user
File Permissions - Secure node key and configuration files
System Updates - Keep OS and Polkadot binary updated
Firewall Rules - Limit access to necessary ports only

RPC Security

Access Control - Restrict RPC access to trusted networks
Rate Limiting - Implement proper rate limiting
CORS Configuration - Configure CORS for web applications
SSL/TLS - Use HTTPS for production RPC endpoints

Network Security

DDoS Protection - Implement connection limits and rate limiting
Monitoring - Monitor for unusual network activity
Peer Filtering - Use reserved nodes for trusted connections
Regular Audits - Regularly audit node configuration and logs

Performance Optimization

Hardware Optimization

Storage - Use NVMe SSDs for best I/O performance
Memory - Allocate sufficient RAM for database caching
CPU - Use processors with good single-thread performance
Network - Ensure low-latency, high-bandwidth connection

Configuration Tuning

Database Cache - Increase cache size based on available RAM
State Cache - Configure appropriate state cache size
Pruning - Use state pruning to manage disk usage
Execution Strategy - Use native execution where possible

System Tuning

File Descriptors - Increase ulimit for network connections
TCP Configuration - Tune TCP settings for high-throughput
Disk I/O - Optimize filesystem and disk scheduler
Memory Management - Configure swappiness and memory overcommit

Backup and Recovery

Backup Procedure

# Stop node service
systemctl stop polkadot-node

# Backup node key (critical!)
cp /var/lib/polkadot/node.key /backup/node-key-$(date +%Y%m%d).key

# Backup configuration
tar -czf /backup/polkadot-config-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz \
    /etc/polkadot/ \
    /var/lib/polkadot/node.key

# For archive nodes, backup database (optional, can re-sync)
tar -czf /backup/polkadot-db-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz \
    /var/lib/polkadot/chains/

# Restart service
systemctl start polkadot-node

Recovery Procedure

Stop node service
Restore node key to maintain same peer identity
Restore configuration files
Restore database (optional, can re-sync from network)
Verify file permissions and ownership
Start node service
Monitor synchronization progress

Integration Examples

Polkadot.js Integration

// Connect to local node
import { ApiPromise, WsProvider } from '@polkadot/api';

const provider = new WsProvider('ws://localhost:9944');
const api = await ApiPromise.create({ provider });

// Get latest block
const lastHeader = await api.rpc.chain.getHeader();
console.log(`Latest block: ${lastHeader.number}`);

Monitoring with Prometheus

# prometheus.yml
scrape_configs:
  - job_name: 'polkadot-node'
    static_configs:
      - targets: ['localhost:9615']
    scrape_interval: 30s
    metrics_path: '/metrics'

Load Balancer Configuration

upstream polkadot_rpc {
    server node1.company.com:9933;
    server node2.company.com:9933;
    server node3.company.com:9933;
}

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name api.company.com;
    
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://polkadot_rpc;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Resources

Official Documentation: wiki.polkadot.network
GitHub Repository: paritytech/polkadot
Polkadot.js Apps: polkadot.js.org/apps
Telemetry: telemetry.polkadot.io
Community: polkadot.network/community