Introduction
A brief introduction to the concepts of nodes and validators within the Avalanche ecosystem.
AvalancheGo nodes relay transactions/blocks, expose APIs, and (when staked) participate in consensus on the Primary Network and any Avalanche L1s they validate.
Node Roles
| Role | Purpose | Consensus Participation |
|---|---|---|
| Validator | Stakes on the P-Chain, validates the Primary Network and any Subnets/L1s it joins | Yes (polled for Snowman/Snowman++) |
| Non-validating | Tracks chains, serves APIs, used for infra and indexing | No (not polled) |
All nodes: connect via P2P with staking certs, track P/C/X, bootstrap or state-sync chains, and serve APIs if enabled.
Data Retention Modes
| Mode | Description | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Archive | Keep full history | Auditing, full re-exec |
| Pruned | Drop old data after sync | Save disk on long-running nodes |
| State sync | Sync from state summaries instead of full replay | Fast catch-up for new nodes |
Choose per-chain via chain configs.
Validator Requirements
| Network | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Primary Network | Stake 2,000 AVAX on the P-Chain; validation period 14–365 days; meet uptime to earn rewards; must validate P-Chain, C-Chain, X-Chain |
| Avalanche L1s | Validators pay 1.33 AVAX/month (burned) to the P-Chain for validation slots; each L1 sets its own validation/staking rules beyond that. |
Avalanche L1s are blockchains that run on a Subnet. When you validate a Subnet, you validate all Avalanche L1s on that Subnet.
Validator Responsibilities
- Validate & build blocks: Participate in Snowman++ consensus (all Primary Network chains and most L1s).
- Maintain APIs: Serve RPCs for wallets/apps if enabled.
- Stay healthy: Meet uptime and networking requirements to remain in good standing and earn rewards.
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