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Setup

Before you start, make sure you are familiar with Calimero Terminology.

Setup your local node​

Prerequisites​

Clone repository from GitHub.

Terminal
git clone https://github.com/calimero-network/core.git

or

Terminal
git clone git@github.com:calimero-network/core.git

Position in the root of the project

Terminal
cd core

And create a data folder for all configuration files.

Terminal
mkdir data

Make sure you have Rust installed on your machine. If not, you can install it by following the instructions on the Rust website.

NOTE: Use minimum rust version 1.80.0

CLI Setup​

Setup peer nodes representing the network participants.

Initialize and start your node (separate terminal)​

Terminal
cargo run -p merod -- --node-name node1 --home data init --server-port 2428 --swarm-port 2528
cargo run -p merod -- --node-name node1 --home data run

Node is now initialized and ready for use.

Docker Setup​

You can also use Docker to setup the nodes. The outcome is the same as using CLI. If you have already used CLI, you can skip this step.

First build the image

Terminal
docker buildx build -t 'merod' .

Then setup and run the nodes defined in docker-compose.yml file

Terminal
docker compose up

Connect to the available node by listing running containers

Terminal
docker ps

and then attach to the selected container

Node Terminal
docker attach core-app_node_run-1

Wait for a few moments and node logs should appear.

SSL/TLS Support​

To be able to access the the node from external source on the same network you will need to install the generated self-signed certificate.

NOTE: Installing the SSL certificate is only necessary if you plan to access the node from an external source on the same network. If you are running the application locally, you do not need to install the certificate.

Steps to Add the Certificate to Your Device​

  1. Locate the Certificate:

    • Download the certificate from http://localhost:<server-port>/admin-api/certificate.
    • The <server-port> is the port number used as an argument in the --server-port flag in the section Initialize and start your node (separate terminal).
    • For example: bash http://localhost:2428/admin-api/certificate

  2. Add the Certificate to Trusted Certificates:

    • For Windows:

      1. Open the Run dialog (Win + R) and type mmc to open the Microsoft Management Console.
      2. Go to File -> Add/Remove Snap-in....
      3. Select Certificates and click Add.
      4. Choose Computer account, then Next and Finish.
      5. Expand Certificates (Local Computer) -> Trusted Root Certification Authorities.
      6. Right-click Certificates, then All Tasks -> Import....
      7. Follow the prompts to import the certificate file.

    • For macOS:

      1. Double-click the certificate file.
      2. This will open the Keychain Access application.
      3. Choose System from the list of keychains.
      4. Drag and drop the certificate into the System keychain.
      5. Authenticate with your administrator password if prompted.
      6. Right-click the certificate and select Get Info.
      7. Expand the Trust section and select Always Trust from the When using this certificate dropdown.

    • For Linux:

      1. Copy the certificate to /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/ (or /etc/pki/ca-trust/source/anchors/ depending on your distribution).
      2. Run sudo update-ca-certificates (or sudo update-ca-trust extract for Red Hat-based distributions).

  3. Restart Your Browser:

    • Close and reopen your web browser to ensure it recognizes the newly added certificate.

Rules for Generating SSL Certificates​

  • If a certificate doesn't exist, a new one will be generated based on your current local IP address.
  • If a certificate exists for the current IP address, it will be used.
  • If a certificate exists but is not configured for the current IP address, a new certificate will be created.

NOTE: Every time a new certificate is generated (e.g., on the first start of the server or when the IP address changes), you will need to add it to your device's trusted certificates.

Congratulations on Setting Up Your Node!​

Your next step is to add an authentication mechanism to your node by adding a decentralized identity.

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