Hydra
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What you need to run a Hydra data node.

Requirements

Token Stake

Running a node requires holding a minimum of 250,000 Hydra tokens. This stake:

  • Remains in your wallet at all times — it is never locked or custodied
  • Is checked on-chain continuously
  • If your balance drops below the threshold, your node is suspended until it's restored

Hardware

Nodes are lightweight. Minimum spec:

Resource Minimum Recommended
CPU 2 cores 4 cores
RAM 2 GB 4 GB
Disk 20 GB SSD 100 GB SSD
Network 10 Mbps 100 Mbps
Uptime 95% 99.5%+

A $10–20/month VPS is sufficient for most node operators.

Software

  • Docker (recommended) or Node.js 20+
  • A stable internet connection
  • Your wallet's private key (for signing submissions to the network)

Node Registration

  1. Ensure you hold the minimum token stake
  2. Download the node software: npm install -g @hydra/node
  3. Register your node on-chain: hydra-node register --wallet 0x...
  4. Configure your node (~/.hydra/node.config.json)
  5. Start: hydra-node start

The registration transaction proves you control the wallet with the required stake. No custody required.

Configuration

{
  "walletAddress": "0xYourWalletAddress",
  "privateKey": "${HYDRA_NODE_PRIVATE_KEY}",
  "streams": ["signals", "aircraft", "vessels", "cyber"],
  "region": "eu-west",
  "submissionInterval": 60000,
  "dataDir": "/var/hydra/data"
}
⚠️
Warning

Never hardcode your private key in the config file. Use the ${ENV_VAR} syntax to read from environment variables, or use a hardware wallet integration.

Uptime Requirements

Nodes are expected to maintain 95% uptime over any rolling 30-day period. Uptime is tracked by the network:

  • Below 90%: reward reduction
  • Below 80%: node suspended
  • Below 70% for 7 days: node slashed (partial stake penalty)

Slashing is the only situation where you can lose tokens as a node operator — and only occurs in cases of sustained, significant negligence.