Nillion Verifier Node Setup Guide

This guide outlines the technical process for deploying a Nillion Verifier (Accuser) node. This role is critical for maintaining the integrity of secret storage on the Nillion network by verifying computations and submitting accusations when discrepancies are detected.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the installation, ensure you have the following:

• Keplr Wallet: Installed and configured.
• Testnet Tokens: Obtain $NIL$ from the Nillion Faucet for your Keplr address.
• Environment: A Linux server (Ubuntu recommended) or a local machine with terminal access.

Docker Installation and Verification

The Nillion Verifier runs as a containerized service. If Docker is not already installed on your system, follow the official Docker Engine installation guide.

Confirm Docker Status

Verify that the Docker engine is active and reachable:

docker --version

Run a test container to ensure the daemon has proper permissions:

docker run --rm hello-world

Accuser Deployment

Pull the Verifier Image

Download the official Nillion Accuser image from Docker Hub:

docker pull nillion/retailtoken-accuser:v1.0.0

Initialize the Verifier State

Create a persistent directory to store your verifier’s sensitive credentials and state files.

mkdir -p $HOME/nillion/accuser

Initialize the accuser. This process generates your unique node identity:

docker run -v $HOME/nillion/accuser:/var/tmp nillion/retailtoken-accuser:v1.0.0 initialise

Critical Security Note: This command generates a credentials.json file in $HOME/nillion/accuser. If this file is deleted or compromised, you will lose access to your verifier identity and any associated rewards. Back up this file immediately.

Register on the Nillion Dashboard

The initialization output provides an AccountId (Nillion address) and a PublicKey.

1. Copy these values from your terminal.
2. Navigate to the Nillion Verifier Dashboard.
3. Connect your Keplr wallet.
4. Input the AccountId and PublicKey to register your node on-chain.

Funding the Verifier

Your verifier node requires its own gas balance to submit proofs and accusations.

1. Identify the AccountId generated in the previous step (it starts with nillion1...).
2. Use the Nillion Faucet to send $NIL$ directly to the Verifier’s address, not your Keplr address.

Running the Verifier Node

Registration Latency

Important: You must wait 30–60 minutes after registering on the website before starting the node. The network requires this window to index your registration and prepare the secret verification challenge.

Start the Accuser Process

Execute the following command to begin monitoring the chain. Replace the --block-start value if you wish to sync from a specific height.

docker run -d --name nillion-verifier \
  -v $HOME/nillion/accuser:/var/tmp \
  nillion/retailtoken-accuser:v1.0.0 accuse \
  --rpc-endpoint "https://testnet-nillion-rpc.lavenderfive.com" \
  --block-start 5200558

Verification and Monitoring

To ensure your verifier is running correctly and viewing blocks, monitor the container logs:

docker logs -f nillion-verifier

Look for “Successful accusation” or “No secrets to accuse” messages, indicating the node is actively scanning the network.