Complete reference for Hydra Node YAML configuration.

Configuration Reference

The Hydra Node reads its configuration from ~/.hydra/node.yaml by default. Override the path with --config:

hydra-node start --config /etc/hydra/node.yaml

Full Configuration

# ── Mode ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
# "public"  — submit data to Hydra network, earn rewards
# "private" — personal use only, no network submission
mode: private

# ── Node Identity (from Platform → Nodes → Create Node) ──
node:
  id: ""              # Node ID from the platform (e.g. "node_abc12345")
  secret: ""          # Shared secret (e.g. "hnd_...") — or use HYDRA_NODE_SECRET env var

# ── Network ─────────────────────────────────────────────
network:
  backendUrl: "https://api.hydra.fast"   # Hydra backend URL
  submissionInterval: 60s                # How often to submit signal batches
  heartbeatInterval: 30s                 # Heartbeat frequency
  batchSize: 100                         # Max signals per submission batch

# ── Client-Facing Server ─────────────────────────────────
server:
  port: 4001                 # HTTP + WebSocket port for clients
  host: "0.0.0.0"            # Bind address (0.0.0.0 = all interfaces)
  domain: ""                 # Optional custom domain (e.g. "node-a.hydra.fast")
  rateLimits:
    public: 60               # Requests/min for unauthenticated clients
    authenticated: 300        # Requests/min for clients with API key

# ── Control Plane ────────────────────────────────────────
control:
  port: 4002                 # Control plane port
  host: "127.0.0.1"          # Localhost only — DO NOT expose publicly

# ── Data Sources ─────────────────────────────────────────
sources:
  usgs:
    enabled: true
    interval: 5m             # Poll every 5 minutes

  adsb:
    enabled: false
    interval: 60s            # Poll every 60 seconds
    apiKeyEnv: "ADSB_API_KEY"
    apiHostEnv: "ADSB_API_HOST"

  ais:
    enabled: false
    flushInterval: 60s       # WebSocket flush interval
    apiKeyEnv: "AISSTREAM_API_KEY"

  oref:
    enabled: false
    proxyUrl: ""             # Optional proxy for oref.org.il

  cyber:
    enabled: false
    interval: 5m
    apiKeyEnv: "OTX_API_KEY"

  airspace:
    enabled: false
    interval: 10m
    openaipKeyEnv: "OPENAIP_API_KEY"

  xtracker:
    enabled: false
    interval: 2m
    accounts: []             # X/Twitter accounts: ["@ABORINT", "@IntelDoge"]

  telegram:
    enabled: false
    interval: 2m
    channels: []             # Channel names: ["ukraine_now", "intelslava"]

  polymarket:
    enabled: false
    marketInterval: 15m

  maritime:
    enabled: false
    interval: 24h

# ── Local Storage ────────────────────────────────────────
storage:
  dataDir: "~/.hydra/data"   # SQLite database directory
  retentionHours: 24         # Data older than this is pruned

# ── Logging ──────────────────────────────────────────────
logging:
  level: "info"              # debug | info | warn | error
  format: "text"             # text | json
  streamToBackend: false     # Send logs to platform dashboard

# ── Metrics ──────────────────────────────────────────────
metrics:
  enabled: true
  port: 9090                 # Prometheus /metrics endpoint

Environment Variable Overrides

The following environment variables override their YAML counterparts:

Environment Variable	Overrides	Example
`HYDRA_NODE_SECRET`	`node.secret`	`hnd_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...`
`ADSB_API_KEY`	Source credential for ADS-B	RapidAPI key
`ADSB_API_HOST`	Source host for ADS-B	RapidAPI host
`AISSTREAM_API_KEY`	Source credential for AIS	AIS Stream key
`OTX_API_KEY`	Source credential for OTX Cyber	OTX API key
`OPENAIP_API_KEY`	Source credential for OpenAIP	OpenAIP key

The node secret should ideally be passed via environment variable rather than stored in the YAML file. Create an env file:

# /etc/hydra/node.env
HYDRA_NODE_SECRET=hnd_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ADSB_API_KEY=your-rapidapi-key
AISSTREAM_API_KEY=your-aisstream-key
OTX_API_KEY=your-otx-key
OPENAIP_API_KEY=your-openaip-key

Section Reference

mode

Value	Description
`private`	Personal use. No network submission, no registration needed.
`public`	Submit data to the Hydra network and earn rewards. Requires platform registration.

node

Field	Type	Description
`id`	string	Node ID from the platform (e.g. `node_abc12345`). Only needed in public mode.
`secret`	string	Shared secret key (e.g. `hnd_...`). Can also be set via `HYDRA_NODE_SECRET` env var. Only needed in public mode.

network

Field	Type	Default	Description
`backendUrl`	string	`https://api.hydra.fast`	URL of the Hydra backend
`submissionInterval`	duration	`60s`	How often to batch and submit signals
`heartbeatInterval`	duration	`30s`	How often to send heartbeats
`batchSize`	int	`100`	Maximum signals per submission batch

server

Field	Type	Default	Description
`port`	int	`4001`	Client-facing HTTP + WebSocket port
`host`	string	`0.0.0.0`	Bind address
`domain`	string	`""`	Optional custom domain for the node
`rateLimits.public`	int	`60`	Max requests/min for unauthenticated clients
`rateLimits.authenticated`	int	`300`	Max requests/min for authenticated clients

control

Field	Type	Default	Description
`port`	int	`4002`	Control plane port
`host`	string	`127.0.0.1`	Bind address — keep as localhost for security

Warning: Never expose the control plane to the internet. It provides admin access including restart, config editing, and API key management.

sources

Each source has its own configuration block. Common fields:

Field	Type	Description
`enabled`	bool	Whether this source is active
`interval`	duration	Polling interval (for poll-type sources)
`apiKeyEnv`	string	Name of the environment variable containing the API key

Source-specific fields:

Source	Extra Fields	Description
`adsb`	`apiHostEnv`	RapidAPI host header env var
`ais`	`flushInterval`	WebSocket data flush interval
`oref`	`proxyUrl`	Optional HTTP proxy for accessing oref.org.il
`airspace`	`openaipKeyEnv`	OpenAIP API key env var
`xtracker`	`accounts`	List of X/Twitter accounts to monitor
`telegram`	`channels`	List of Telegram channel names to scrape
`polymarket`	`marketInterval`	Market data polling interval

storage

Field	Type	Default	Description
`dataDir`	string	`~/.hydra/data`	Directory for SQLite database files
`retentionHours`	int	`24`	Data older than this is pruned every 30 minutes

logging

Field	Type	Default	Description
`level`	string	`info`	Log level: `debug`, `info`, `warn`, `error`
`format`	string	`text`	Log format: `text` (human-readable) or `json` (structured)
`streamToBackend`	bool	`false`	Stream logs to the platform dashboard for remote viewing

metrics

Field	Type	Default	Description
`enabled`	bool	`true`	Enable Prometheus metrics endpoint
`port`	int	`9090`	Port for the `/metrics` endpoint

Available Prometheus metrics:

hydra_node_uptime_seconds
hydra_node_memory_alloc_bytes
hydra_node_goroutines
hydra_source_polls_total{source="adsb"}
hydra_source_errors_total{source="adsb"}
hydra_signals_submitted_total
hydra_signals_accepted_total
hydra_signals_rejected_total

Example Configs

Minimal Private Node (Free Sources Only)

mode: private

server:
  port: 4001
  host: "0.0.0.0"

sources:
  usgs:
    enabled: true
    interval: 5m
  oref:
    enabled: true
  polymarket:
    enabled: true
    marketInterval: 15m

storage:
  dataDir: "~/.hydra/data"
  retentionHours: 24

logging:
  level: "info"

Full Public Node (All Sources)

mode: public

node:
  id: "node_abc12345"

network:
  backendUrl: "https://api.hydra.fast"

server:
  port: 4001
  host: "0.0.0.0"
  domain: "node.example.com"

sources:
  usgs:      { enabled: true,  interval: 5m }
  adsb:      { enabled: true,  interval: 60s, apiKeyEnv: "ADSB_API_KEY" }
  ais:       { enabled: true,  flushInterval: 60s, apiKeyEnv: "AISSTREAM_API_KEY" }
  oref:      { enabled: true }
  cyber:     { enabled: true,  interval: 5m, apiKeyEnv: "OTX_API_KEY" }
  airspace:  { enabled: true,  interval: 10m, openaipKeyEnv: "OPENAIP_API_KEY" }
  xtracker:  { enabled: true,  interval: 2m, accounts: ["@ABORINT", "@IntelDoge"] }
  telegram:  { enabled: true,  interval: 2m, channels: ["ukraine_now", "intelslava"] }
  polymarket:{ enabled: true,  marketInterval: 15m }
  maritime:  { enabled: true,  interval: 24h }

storage:
  dataDir: "~/.hydra/data"
  retentionHours: 48

logging:
  level: "info"
  format: "json"
  streamToBackend: true

metrics:
  enabled: true
  port: 9090

#Configuration Reference

#Full Configuration

#Environment Variable Overrides

#Section Reference

#mode

#node

#network

#server

#control

#sources

#storage

#logging

#metrics

#Example Configs

#Minimal Private Node (Free Sources Only)

#Full Public Node (All Sources)