# Spark: The Simple Way to Run a Lynx Node
## Spark: The Simple Way to Run a Lynx Node
### Overview
Spark is the easiest way to run a Lynx node on your own hardware. It's a single installer script that takes a fresh Linux machine — a Raspberry Pi, a small cloud server, an old laptop tucked in a closet — and turns it into a fully configured node on the Lynx Data Storage Network.
You don't need to compile software, edit config files, or learn systemd. You paste one line into a terminal, and Spark does the rest: downloads the right binaries for your hardware, sets up the daemon, configures the firewall, and gives you a friendly set of short commands for day-to-day use.
Spark is deliberately designed for modest hardware. It's happy on a Raspberry Pi with 2GB of RAM or a budget VPS — the kind of machine that couldn't handle a heavy dashboard application but has more than enough capacity to contribute to the network and even earn staking rewards.
Staking farm with Raspberry Pi Zero 2 devices on a USB power hub.
### What Spark Does for You
When you run the Spark installer, it takes care of everything a node needs to operate reliably:
* **Installs the right software** — detects whether you're on an AMD or ARM system and downloads the matching Lynx daemon from the official releases
* **Sets up the daemon as a background service** — the node starts automatically when your machine boots and stays running in the background
* **Configures the firewall** — opens the ports Lynx needs and closes the ones it doesn't
* **Secures remote access** — tightens SSH settings so your machine is harder to attack
* **Handles low memory gracefully** — if your machine is small, Spark notices when the node gets stuck during the initial download and gives it a nudge
* **Creates automatic wallet backups** — your wallet file is copied to a safe location on a schedule, so a corrupted SD card won't cost you your coins
* **Installs a friendly command shortcut system** — instead of typing long blockchain commands, you get short aliases like `gba` (get balance), `lyr` (restart daemon), `s` (toggle staking on/off), and `h` (help)
Once installation finishes, you log in and see a welcome screen with your node's current status, a list of the commands you can use, and your staking performance for the last 24 hours and 7 days.
### Spark vs. Beacon
Lynx offers two tools for running nodes. They connect to the same network and both can run more than one chain on a single machine — the difference is how they feel to use and what hardware they're aimed at.
| | Spark | Beacon |
| --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Interface** | Short typed commands (like `gba`, `lyr`, `h`) | Full-screen interactive dashboard |
| **Hardware** | Happy on Raspberry Pis, old laptops, small VPSs | Wants a bit more breathing room |
| **Style** | Minimal and efficient; nothing running unless you ask | Richer, more convenient, more fun to watch |
| **Wallet encryption** | Not built in — advanced users can still encrypt their wallet directly with the underlying CLI | Built-in wallet encryption |
| **ElectrumX server** | Not included | Built-in ElectrumX installer |
| **Best for** | Set-and-forget nodes on modest hardware | Operators who want a live cockpit for their daemons |
If you're reading this guide on a phone while waiting for a Raspberry Pi to boot, Spark is probably what you want. If you're the sort of person who leaves `htop` open all day — or you need wallet encryption or an ElectrumX server without assembling it yourself — Beacon might be a better fit.
### What You'll Need
#### Hardware
* A computer running Linux — a Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB), a small cloud server, or any AMD or ARM machine
* At least 2GB of RAM recommended (Spark can work with less, even a Pi Zero 2, but it's slower)
* At least 32GB of storage (64GB or more is better for long-term use)
* A reliable internet connection
#### Software
Spark runs on most common Linux distributions:
* **Debian family**: Debian, Ubuntu, Raspberry Pi OS
* **RedHat family**: Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, CentOS, Fedora
#### Access
* Root access (the ability to run commands as the administrator)
* The `curl` command — if it's missing, install it with `apt install curl` on Debian/Ubuntu or `dnf install curl` on RedHat systems
If any of that sounded intimidating, don't worry. Most fresh installs of the supported systems already have everything you need.
### Installing Spark
#### The One-Line Install
Log in to your machine as root (or use `sudo su` to switch to root), then paste this command:
```bash
bash <(curl -sL install.getlynx.io)
```
That's the whole thing. The script will run for a few minutes — downloading Lynx, setting up services, configuring the firewall, and writing the command shortcuts to your shell. You'll see progress messages along the way.
When it finishes, log out and log back in. You'll be greeted by the Spark console, which shows your node's status and all the commands available to you.
#### Running a Different Chain
Lynx is a platform — there are multiple chains that run on the same technology. If you want to run a chain other than the default, add `--chain=` followed by the chain's name:
```bash
bash <(curl -sL install.getlynx.io) --chain=mychain
```
If the chain you picked doesn't have a binary released yet, Spark will tell you and stop without breaking anything.
#### Running Multiple Chains on One Machine
You can run more than one chain on the same host. Just run the installer once for each chain you want, giving a different `--chain=` name each time:
```bash
bash <(curl -sL install.getlynx.io) # installs Lynx
bash <(curl -sL install.getlynx.io) --chain=otherchain # adds otherchain
```
Each chain gets its own daemon, its own data folder, and its own backup schedule. To switch between them in your shell, type:
```bash
chain # shows a menu of installed chains
c # same thing — just shorter
```
The menu doubles as a quick multi-chain dashboard. For each installed chain it shows the current wallet balance, the chain's block height, and whether staking is on or off — so a single keystroke gives you a status snapshot of every chain on the host before you pick one. Whichever chain you pick becomes the "active" one for your shell, meaning commands like `gba` (balance), `lyr` (restart), or `s` (toggle staking) will apply to that chain until you switch.
### Day-to-Day Use: The Spark Console
After installation, every time you log in as root you'll see the Spark console — a welcome screen that shows your node's real-time status and a menu of commands.
#### Node Status at a Glance
At the top you'll see things like:
* How many stakes you've won in the last 24 hours and 7 days
* Your recent yield rates as percentages
* Any coins still waiting to mature before you can stake or spend them
* Your current wallet balance
* The daemon version and Spark installer version
This information updates every time you type `h` (short for "help"), so you can always see what's happening without digging through logs.
#### The Most Useful Commands
You don't need to memorize these — typing `h` at any time brings up the full list. But here are the ones you'll use most:
**Checking on your node**
| Command | What it does |
| ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `h` | Show the welcome screen and command list |
| `gbi` | Show blockchain sync status |
| `lss` | Is the daemon running? |
| `lyl` | Show the last 30 lines of the daemon's log (`lyl -f` to follow live) |
| `jou` | Show the installer's log — useful for troubleshooting setup issues |
**Wallet basics**
| Command | What it does |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------- |
| `gba` | Show your wallet balances |
| `gna` | Generate a new receiving address |
| `sta ` | Send coins to an address |
| `bac` | Make an immediate wallet backup |
| `lba` | List your backup folder |
**Managing the daemon**
| Command | What it does |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `lyr` | Restart the daemon (useful if it seems stuck) |
| `lyc` | View the daemon's config file (`lyc -e` to edit) |
| `s` | Toggle staking on or off for the active chain |
| `upd` | Update the daemon to the latest version |
| `reb` | Rebuild the Spark setup without touching your wallet or blockchain |
**Multi-chain**
| Command | What it does |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `chain` or `c` | Show every installed chain with its balance, block height, and staking state — and switch between them |
### The First Few Hours
When you start a node for the first time, it needs to download the entire blockchain from the network before it can participate. This is called the **initial sync**, and it's the slowest part of the whole experience.
* **On a Raspberry Pi**: expect 4–8 hours depending on your internet speed
* **On a modern VPS**: often under 2 hours
* **On a slow or congested connection**: it may take longer — that's normal
You can check progress anytime with `gbi`. Look for the `blocks` and `headers` numbers — when they match, your node is fully caught up.
During sync, Spark runs a maintenance check every 12 minutes. If your machine is low on memory and the daemon gets stuck, Spark nudges it — this is completely normal and not a sign anything is wrong. Once sync completes, the maintenance check turns itself off and your node enters a quiet, low-resource steady state.
### Keeping Spark Up to Date
Two short commands handle updates:
* `upd` — updates the Lynx daemon to the latest release
* `reb` — rebuilds Spark's services, firewall rules, and command shortcuts (use this if Spark itself gets an update)
Neither of these touches your wallet or your downloaded blockchain data, so they're safe to run whenever you like.
### If Something Goes Wrong
A few go-to commands when things feel off:
* **Is the daemon running?** — `lss`
* **What has it been up to?** — `lyl -f` (press Ctrl+C to stop watching)
* **Did the installer do its job?** — `jou -f`
* **Have you tried turning it off and on again?** — `lyr`
If you're stuck, the Lynx community is active on Discord and happy to help. When you ask for help, it makes life easier for everyone if you paste the output of `h` along with your question.
### Where to Go Next
* **Official documentation**:
* **Blockchain explorer**:
* **Permanent file storage**:
* **Community and support**: the Lynx Discord
* **Source code and issues**:
### Conclusion
Spark is the fastest path from "I have a spare Linux machine" to "I'm running a node on the Lynx Data Storage Network." It's built for people who want their node to just work without a lot of hand-holding, and it's tuned for the kind of small, quiet hardware that's ideal for long-running infrastructure.
Paste one line. Come back in a few hours. Your node is live.
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