Staking provider: zero to attesting
The fastest path from a blank server to attesting Aztec sequencers backed by delegated stake. Pick your network and topology, fill the configuration panel once, copy commands as you go.
This guided setup is one entry point into the operator docs. It's the right starting place if you've never run an Aztec sequencer before. For lookup material once your node is live, the topic-organized reference pages stay authoritative: Setup (deeper details on each subsystem), Keystore management, Monitoring, Sequencer management, and the CLI / API references. When this guide hands you off to a deeper topic, it links to the reference page for that topic.
Pick your network and topology
The guide adapts to your choices:
- Network swaps RPC URL hints, contract addresses, and Docker image tag in every code block on every page.
- Topology changes the server requirements and the Docker Compose file (HA mode runs the same attester across two coordinated nodes).
Your choices persist across pages. Flip any toggle at any time. Staking your own AZTEC instead of running on delegations? Switch to the Solo sequencer guide.
What you'll do
| # | Step | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-flight | ~2 min |
| 2 | Install Aztec toolchain | ~2 min |
| 3 | Generate keystore | ~5 min |
| 4 | Fund your accounts | ~5 min |
| 5 | Configure environment | ~5 min |
| 6 | Create Docker Compose | ~3 min |
| 7 | Start the node | 5 to 15 min |
| 8 | Register as staking provider | ~10 min |
| 9 | Verify everything works | ~5 min |
| 10 | Updates, alerts, rewards | ~5 min |
| 11 | Provider operations | ~5 min |
How to read it
- Code blocks personalize themselves. Starting in generate keystore, a configuration panel appears at the top of pages that need it. Paste your RPC URLs, keys, and addresses once. Every code block on every page after that auto-fills with your values. Commands fill in with your real values and copy ready to run; keys stay masked in the panel inputs and live in session-only storage.
- "What just happened?" sections at the end of each step explain the why. Skip them on the first pass; come back when something breaks.
- Sections in dashed boxes with a coloured tag (such as "HA") only show because of your topology choice. Flip the toggles up top to see other paths.