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Nodes

Overview​

There are two types of nodes on Ronin:

  • Ronin node:
    • Non-validator node
    • Validator node
    • Archive node
  • Bridge node

The following section describes each type in detail.

What is a Ronin node?​

A Ronin node (GitHub) is the building block of the Ronin network infrastructure. Nodes connect together to conduct consensus on transactions, maintain the ledger, and provide other useful functions.

The Ronin node can be configured in three different ways depending on the purpose:

  • A non-validator node doesn’t conduct consensus, but simply connects to the network, synchronizes ledger state, and observes the status of the network. For example, a non-validator node can serve as a gateway for decentralized applications to query the Ronin blockchain for information, send transactions, and execute smart contracts. A non-validator Ronin
  • A validator node is what most people think of as a node. These nodes are responsible for verifying and approving transactions submitted by users and blockchain clients. Upon the close of a transaction block, validator nodes are randomly chosen to validate block data, thus generating the subsequent block, and earning RON tokens as a reward. These are the nodes that are listed on the RON Staking app.
  • An archive node retains all historical data right back to genesis and is suited for making fast queries about historical states. This data represents units of terabytes, which makes archive nodes less attractive for average users but can be handy for services like block explorers, wallet vendors, and chain analytics.

Validator and non-validator are considered full nodes—they store full blockchain data, which is periodically pruned so the node does not store all state data back to genesis. The archive node, on the other hand, stores all of the information that a full node does but also builds an archive of historical states all the way back to genesis.

A validator node starts its life as a full node, but has also “registered” itself to the network as a validator, which means that it may now accept RON token stake and potentially be included in the validator set that conduct network consensus.

What is a bridge node?​

A bridge node (GitHub) is a type of node used for acknowledging deposit and withdrawal events on Ronin Bridge—the blockchain bridge that facilitates asset transfers between Ronin and Ethereum.