> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://base-tech.gitbook.io/base/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://base-tech.gitbook.io/base/nodes-and-miners/base-node-configuration.md).
# Base Node Configuration
### Usage[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#usage)
```
base-node sub-command [--subcommand-option ]
```
#### Subcommands[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#subcommands)
* `mocknet`: start a mocknet instance using defaults
* `testnet`: start a testnet instance using defaults (chainstate is not persistent)
* `mainnet`: start a mainnet instance using defaults (chainstate is not persistent)
* `start`: combined with `--config`, starts an instance with a specified configuration file
* `version`: displays binary version
* `help`: displays the help message
### Configuration File Options[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#configuration-file-options)
The Base Blockchain configuration file has multiple sections under which an option may be placed.
* node
* events\_observer
* connection\_options
* burnchain
* ustx\_balance
#### node[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#node)
Contains various configuration options for the base-node binary.
| Name | Required | Description |
| ---------------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| rpc\_bind | ✓ | IPv4 address and port to open for RPC connections |
| p2p\_bind | ✓ | IPv4 address and port to open for P2P connections |
| working\_dir | | Absolute path to the directory where chainstate data will be stored |
| data\_url | | IPv4 address and port for incoming RPC connections |
| p2p\_address | | IPv4 address and port for incoming P2P connections |
| bootstrap\_node | | Public key, IPv4 address, and port to bootstrap the chainstate |
| wait\_time\_for\_microblocks | | The amount of time in ms to wait before trying to mine a block after catching up to the anchored chain tip |
| seed | | The private key to use for mining. Only needed if `miner` is set to `true` |
| local\_peer\_seed | | The private key to use for signing P2P messages in the networking Base |
| miner | | Determines whether the node is running a follower (`false`) or a miner (`true`). Defaults to `false` |
| mock\_miner | | Simulates running a miner (typically used for debugging) |
| mine\_microblocks | | Determines whether the node will mine microblocks. Will only take effect if `miner` is set to `true` |
| prometheus\_bind | | Address and port for Prometheus metrics collection. |
#### events\_observer[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#events_observer)
INFO
This section is *optional* and not required
However, if this section is added, **all** fields are required
Contains options for sending events emitted to the base-blockchain-api service.
| Name | Required | Description | |
| ------------ | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - |
| endpoint | ✓ | Address and port to a base-blockchain-api service | |
| retry\_count | ✓ | Number of times to retry sending events to the endpoint before failing | |
| events\_keys | ✓ | Event keys for which to watch. The emitted node events can be restricted by account, function name and event type. Asterix ("\*") can be used to emit all events. | |
#### connection\_options[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#connection_options)
INFO
This section is *optional* and not required.
However, if this section is added, **all** fields are required
Specifies configuration options for others connecting to the base node.
| Name | Required | Description |
| ------------------------------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| public\_ip\_address | ✓ | Public IPv4 to advertise to other nodes |
| download\_interval | ✓ | Time (in seconds) between attempts to download blocks |
| walk\_interval | ✓ | Time (in seconds) between attempts to walk the list of neighbors |
| read\_only\_call\_limit\_read\_length | ✓ | Total number of bytes allowed to be read by an individual read-only function call |
| read\_only\_call\_limit\_read\_count | ✓ | Total number of independent read operations permitted for an individual read-only function call |
| read\_only\_call\_limit\_runtime | ✓ | [Runtime cost](https://github.com/stacksgov/sips/blob/main/sips/sip-006/sip-006-runtime-cost-assessment.md) limit for an individual read-only function call |
#### burnchain[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#burnchain)
This section contains configuration options pertaining to the blockchain the base-node binds to on the backend for proof-of-transfer (BTC).
| Name | Required | Description |
| ---------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| chain | ✓ | The blockchain base-node binds to on the backend for proof-of-transfer. Only value supported: `bitcoin` |
| mode | ✓ | The profile or test phase of which to run base-node. Valid values are \[ `mocknet`, `testnet`, `xenon`, `mainnet` ] |
| peer\_host | | FQDN of the host running the backend Bitcoin blockchain |
| rpc\_port | | RPC port of `peer_host` |
| peer\_port | | P2P port of `peer_host` |
**Mining**[****](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#mining)
| Name | Required | Description |
| ----------------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| burn\_fee\_cap | ✓ | Maximum amount (in sats) of "burn commitment" to broadcast for the next block's leader election |
| satoshis\_per\_byte | ✓ | [Amount (in sats) per byte](https://bitcoinfees.net/) - Used to calculate the transaction fees |
| commit\_anchor\_block\_within | | Sets the time period (in milliseconds) for commitments. Only used when `mode` is set to `mocknet`. |
#### ustx\_balance[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#ustx_balance)
* `mocknet`/`testnet` only
This section contains configuration options allocating microSTX per address in the genesis block
This section can repeat multiple times, but each section can only define a single address.
INFO
This section is only required for the `testnet` and `mocknet` networks.
However, if this section is added, **all** fields are required
| Name | Required | Description |
| ------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| address | ✓ | Address which maintains a microSTX balance |
| amount | ✓ | The balance of microSTX given to the address at the start of the node |
### Example Mainnet Follower Configuration[](https://docs.stacks.co/docs/nodes-and-miners/stacks-node-configuration#example-mainnet-follower-configuration)
```
[node]
working_dir = "/base-blockchain"
rpc_bind = "0.0.0.0:20443"
p2p_bind = "0.0.0.0:20444"
bootstrap_node = "02da7a464ac770ae8337a343670778b93410f2f3fef6bea98dd1c3e9224459d36b@seed-0.mainnet.base.tech:20444,02afeae522aab5f8c99a00ddf75fbcb4a641e052dd48836408d9cf437344b63516@seed-1.mainnet.base.tech:20444,03652212ea76be0ed4cd83a25c06e57819993029a7b9999f7d63c36340b34a4e62@seed-2.mainnet.base.tech:20444"
[burnchain]
chain = "bitcoin"
mode = "mainnet"
peer_host = "localhost"
username = "user"
password = "pass"
rpc_port = 8332
peer_port = 8333
[[events_observer]]
endpoint = "localhost:3700"
retry_count = 255
events_keys = ["*"]
```
---
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