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Run your node

The Oasis Network consists of several types of nodes, each serving distinct roles to maintain the functionality, security, and decentralization of the network. In this section you can find descriptions of the main types of nodes within the Oasis Network.

Validator Node​

A Validator Node is an essential component, as Oasis Network uses proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanisms. It is responsible for verifying transactions and proposing new blocks to be added to the blockchain. Validator nodes operate on the consensus layer by staking the network's tokens, which grants them the right to participate in the consensus process. This process involves validating transactions, signing blocks, and ensuring the integrity of the blockchain.

Compute Nodes​

Compute Nodes are responsible for executing smart contracts and processing transactions within a specific ParaTime (Parallel Runtime). These nodes handle the actual computation tasks, such as running decentralized applications (dApps), performing data processing, and executing privacy-preserving smart contracts.

  • Sapphire Compute Node is responsible for executing EVM-compatible privacy-preserving smart contracts and processing transactions within the Sapphire ParaTime. These nodes validate and execute transactions while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive data, which is a crucial aspect of applications that handle private information or require enhanced security. This is achieved through trusted execution environments (TEEs) that ensure data remains encrypted and confidential, even while being processed.

  • Cipher Compute Node is responsible for executing privacy-preserving smart contracts written in Oasis Wasm and processing transactions within the Cipher ParaTime. These nodes validate and execute transactions while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive data, which is a crucial aspect of applications that handle private information or require enhanced security. This is achieved through trusted execution environments (TEEs) that ensure data remains encrypted and confidential, even while being processed.

  • Emerald Compute Node is responsible for executing EVM-compatible smart contracts and processing transactions within the Emerald ParaTime. It performs tasks such as validating transactions, running EVM-based smart contracts, and ensuring that the operations within the Emerald ParaTime are carried out efficiently.

Client Nodes​

A Client Node is a type of node within the Oasis Network that serves as an interface for users or other applications to interact with the blockchain. Unlike compute nodes, which handle transaction processing and smart contract execution, client nodes are primarily responsible for tasks such as querying the blockchain, submitting transactions, and retrieving other data from the network. For confidential ParaTimes such as Sapphire and Cipher, there is a special mode of client node called Observer Node that supports confidential smart contact queries.

  • Non-Validator Node is a type of node in the Oasis Network that does not participate in the consensus process of validating and proposing new blocks. Instead, it has client node functions that support the network's operations and decentralization.

  • Sapphire Client Node is a specific type of client node within the Oasis Network that interacts with the Sapphire ParaTime. The Sapphire ParaTime is designed to support EVM-compatible confidential smart contracts and privacy-preserving decentralized applications (dApps) with strong privacy features and high performance.

  • Cipher Client Node is a type of node within the Oasis Network designed to interact specifically with the Cipher ParaTime. The Cipher ParaTime is known for its strong privacy features, allowing for the execution of confidential smart contracts and the development of privacy-preserving decentralized applications (dApps).

  • Emerald Client Node is a specific type of client node within the Oasis Network, designed to interact with the Emerald ParaTime. The Emerald ParaTime is an Ethereum-compatible environment on the Oasis Network, allowing developers to deploy and manage decentralized applications (dApps) that utilize the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

Archive Node​

An Archive Node is a specialized node within the Oasis Network that stores the entire blockchain history, making it a crucial tool for in-depth analysis, development, and ensuring that the network's past states remain accessible.

Seed Node​

A Seed Node is a type of node in the Oasis Network that serves a critical role in helping other nodes discover peers and join the network (address book). Unlike validator nodes, which participate in the consensus process, Seed Nodes do not play a direct role in consensus.

Key Manager Node​

A Key Manager Node is a specialized node in the Oasis Network responsible for securely managing cryptographic keys used in confidential computing. These nodes are crucial for the network's privacy-preserving features, enabling secure encryption and decryption of data processed within Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). They play a vital role in enabling the Oasis Network's secure, decentralized, and privacy-focused operations.

Services​

Rosetta Gateway​

A Rosetta Gateway service is a specialized service within the Oasis Network that implements the Rosetta API to provide a standardized and simplified interface for interacting with the blockchain. This service is crucial for enabling seamless integration between the Oasis Network and various external platforms, such as exchanges, wallets, custodians, and blockchain-based applications. The Rosetta Gateway connects to a non-validator node.

Public gRPC​

The Oasis gRPC protocol is an efficient, real-time, and cross-platform communication protocol that allows developers to both manage the Oasis node and communicate with the Oasis network. While each Oasis node opens a gRPC socket, the public endpoints run a proxy and expose only a small, safe subset of the API calls publicly.

Web3 Gateway​

A Web3 Gateway enables interaction with the Oasis Network using standard Web3 protocol, which is widely used in the Ethereum ecosystem. It acts as a bridge between Web3-based applications and the Oasis Network, allowing developers to leverage the tools, libraries, and practices familiar in Ethereum development while benefiting from the unique features of the Oasis Network, such as privacy and confidentiality. The Web3 gateway connects to a compute or a client Sapphire or Emerald node.

See also​