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docs: add comprehensive README documentation for Geth and Nethermind clients #933

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docs(nethermind): add comprehensive README for Nethermind client setup
Dark-Brain07 Jan 28, 2026
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docs(geth): add comprehensive README for Geth client setup
Dark-Brain07 Jan 28, 2026
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Dark-Brain07 Jan 30, 2026
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152 changes: 152 additions & 0 deletions geth/README.md
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# Running a Geth Node

This is an implementation of the op-geth (optimism-geth) node setup for running a Base node with the Geth execution client.

## Overview

[op-geth](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth) is the Optimism implementation of the go-ethereum client, optimized for running OP Stack rollups like Base. It's a well-tested, production-ready client suitable for full node operation.

## Setup

- See hardware requirements mentioned in the master README
- Minimum 32GB RAM (64GB recommended)
- NVMe SSD storage for optimal performance

## Configuration

The Geth client is configured through environment variables in `.env.mainnet` or `.env.sepolia`. Key settings include:

### Cache Settings

Optimize cache allocation based on your available RAM:

| Setting | Default | Description |
|---------|---------|-------------|
| `GETH_CACHE` | 20480 | Total cache allocation in MB (20GB default) |
| `GETH_CACHE_DATABASE` | 20 | Percentage allocated to database cache |
| `GETH_CACHE_GC` | 12 | Percentage allocated to garbage collection |
| `GETH_CACHE_SNAPSHOT` | 24 | Percentage allocated to snapshot cache |
| `GETH_CACHE_TRIE` | 44 | Percentage allocated to trie cache |

### Sync Modes

| Mode | Environment Variable | Description |
|------|---------------------|-------------|
| Full Sync | `OP_GETH_SYNCMODE=full` | Download and verify all blocks (default) |
| Snap Sync | `OP_GETH_SYNCMODE=snap` | Faster initial sync (experimental) |

### Network Modes

| Mode | Environment Variable | Description |
|------|---------------------|-------------|
| Full | `OP_GETH_GCMODE=full` | Standard full node operation |
| Archive | `OP_GETH_GCMODE=archive` | Retain all historical states |

## Running the Node

The node follows the standard `docker-compose` workflow in the master README:

```bash
# Run Geth node (default when no CLIENT is specified)
docker-compose up

# Or explicitly specify Geth
CLIENT=geth docker-compose up
```

## Exposed Ports

| Port | Protocol | Description |
|------|----------|-------------|
| 8545 | HTTP | JSON-RPC endpoint |
| 8546 | WebSocket | WebSocket RPC endpoint |
| 8551 | HTTP | Engine API (authenticated) |
| 6060 | HTTP | Metrics endpoint |
| 30303 | TCP/UDP | P2P network |

## Optional Features

### EthStats Monitoring

Enable node monitoring by uncommenting in your `.env` file:

```bash
OP_GETH_ETH_STATS=nodename:secret@host:port
```

### Snap Sync (Experimental)

For faster initial sync, enable snap sync by uncommenting the bootnode configuration and setting sync mode:

```bash
OP_GETH_SYNCMODE=snap
OP_GETH_BOOTNODES=enode://...
```

> [!WARNING]
> Snap sync is experimental and may lead to syncing issues. Use with caution in production environments.

### Peer Connectivity

To improve peer connectivity, you can configure your external IP address in the `geth-entrypoint` script and ensure port 30303 is open on your firewall:

```bash
HOST_IP="your.external.ip.address"
```

### State Scheme Configuration

Configure the state storage scheme:

```bash
OP_GETH_STATE_SCHEME=hash # or 'path' for path-based storage
```

### Unprotected Transactions

Allow unprotected (non-EIP-155) transactions if needed:

```bash
OP_GETH_ALLOW_UNPROTECTED_TXS=true
```

## Troubleshooting

### Common Issues

#### Slow Sync Performance

If experiencing slow sync performance:
- Verify network bandwidth is sufficient (recommend 100+ Mbps)
- Consider using snap sync with bootnodes for initial sync
- Check L1 RPC rate limits and connection stability
- Ensure NVMe storage is properly configured

#### High Memory Usage

Geth may consume significant memory during operation:
- Adjust cache settings based on available RAM
- Reduce `GETH_CACHE` value if experiencing OOM errors
- Monitor with `--metrics` endpoint on port 6060

#### Peer Connection Issues

If the node has difficulty finding peers:
- Ensure port 30303 (TCP/UDP) is open
- Configure `HOST_IP` with your external IP address
- Check that bootnodes are reachable

#### Engine API Authentication Errors

If seeing JWT authentication errors:
- Verify `OP_NODE_L2_ENGINE_AUTH` is correctly set
- Ensure the JWT secret matches between op-node and geth
- Check file permissions on the JWT secret file

## Additional RPC Methods

For a complete list of supported RPC methods, refer to:

- [Standard Ethereum JSON-RPC](https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/apis/json-rpc/)
- [Geth RPC Documentation](https://geth.ethereum.org/docs/rpc/server)
- [op-geth Documentation](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth)
101 changes: 101 additions & 0 deletions nethermind/README.md
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# Running a Nethermind Node

This is an implementation of the Nethermind node setup for running a Base node with the Nethermind execution client.

## Overview

[Nethermind](https://github.com/NethermindEth/nethermind) is a high-performance, enterprise-grade Ethereum client written in .NET. It provides an alternative execution client option for running Base nodes with excellent support for enterprise deployments.

## Setup

- See hardware requirements mentioned in the master README
- Minimum 32GB RAM (64GB recommended)
- NVMe SSD storage for optimal performance
- The Nethermind client is built using .NET SDK 9.0

## Configuration

The Nethermind client is configured through environment variables in `.env.mainnet` or `.env.sepolia`.

### Key Configuration Options

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `NETHERMIND_TAG` | Version tag of Nethermind to use |
| `NETHERMIND_COMMIT` | Specific commit hash for verification |
| `OP_NETHERMIND_ETHSTATS_ENABLED` | Enable EthStats monitoring |
| `OP_NETHERMIND_ETHSTATS_NODE_NAME` | Node name for EthStats |
| `OP_NETHERMIND_BOOTNODES` | Bootnode addresses for snap sync |

## Running the Node

The node follows the standard `docker-compose` workflow in the master README:

```bash
# Run Nethermind node
CLIENT=nethermind docker-compose up
```

## Architecture Support

Nethermind supports multiple architectures:

| Architecture | Identifier |
|-------------|------------|
| AMD64/x86_64 | `x64` |
| ARM64 | `arm64` |

The Dockerfile automatically detects and builds for the appropriate architecture.

## Exposed Ports

| Port | Protocol | Description |
|------|----------|-------------|
| 8545 | HTTP | JSON-RPC endpoint |
| 8546 | WebSocket | WebSocket RPC endpoint |
| 8551 | HTTP | Engine API (authenticated) |
| 6060 | HTTP | Metrics endpoint |
| 30303 | TCP/UDP | P2P network |

## Optional Features

### EthStats Monitoring

Enable node monitoring by uncommenting in your `.env` file:

```bash
OP_NETHERMIND_ETHSTATS_ENABLED=true
OP_NETHERMIND_ETHSTATS_NODE_NAME=NethermindNode
OP_NETHERMIND_ETHSTATS_ENDPOINT=ethstats_endpoint
```

### Snap Sync

For faster initial sync, enable snap sync by uncommenting the bootnode configuration:

```bash
OP_NETHERMIND_BOOTNODES=enode://...
```

## Additional Resources

For more information about Nethermind configuration and features, refer to:

- [Nethermind Documentation](https://docs.nethermind.io/)
- [Standard Ethereum JSON-RPC](https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/apis/json-rpc/)
- [Nethermind GitHub Repository](https://github.com/NethermindEth/nethermind)

## Troubleshooting

### Common Issues

#### Memory Usage

Nethermind may require adjustment of .NET runtime settings for optimal memory usage. Ensure your system has sufficient RAM (64GB recommended for production).

#### Sync Performance

If experiencing slow sync performance:
- Verify network bandwidth is sufficient
- Consider using snap sync with bootnodes
- Check L1 RPC rate limits