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SSV Node is a secure and scalable staking infrastructure for distributed Ethereum validators. This guide will walk you through the installation process.

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Prerequisites

Before installing SSV Node, ensure your system meets the following requirements:
  • Git - Version control system
  • Go - Version 1.24 or higher
  • Docker - Container runtime (optional, for Docker-based deployment)
  • Make - Build automation tool
  • yq - YAML processor (for local network development)

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Verify Prerequisites

1

Check Go version

Ensure you have Go 1.24 or higher installed:
go version
If you need to install or update Go, visit golang.org/dl
2

Verify Docker (optional)

If you plan to use Docker deployment:
docker --version
docker-compose --version
3

Check Make

Verify Make is installed:
make --version

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Installation Methods

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Clone the Repository

1

Clone SSV repository

git clone https://github.com/ssvlabs/ssv.git
cd ssv
2

Download dependencies

go mod download
go mod verify
3

Build the binary

Build the SSV Node binary:
make build
This creates the executable at ./bin/ssvnode
4

Verify installation

Check the version to confirm successful build:
./bin/ssvnode version
The build process compiles with the following flags:
  • Git commit hash for version tracking
  • Git tag for release version
  • CGO enabled for optimal performance

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Build Configuration

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Build Options

The Makefile supports several build configurations:
CommandDescription
make buildStandard build with version info
make dockerBuild and run in Docker (background)
make docker-runBuild and run in Docker (foreground)
make docker-imageRun using official Docker image

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Custom Build Flags

The build process automatically includes:
  • Commit Hash: Current Git commit for traceability
  • Version: Git tag if on a tagged release, otherwise “untagged”
  • CGO: Enabled for performance optimization

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Development Build

For development purposes, you can build with additional debugging capabilities: 
CGO_ENABLED=1 go build -o ./bin/ssvnode -ldflags "-X main.Commit=$(git rev-parse HEAD) -X main.Version=dev" ./cmd/ssvnode/

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Next Steps

After successful installation:
  1. Configure your node with the required settings
  2. Follow the Quick Start Guide to run your first node
  3. Generate operator keys for your node setup

Generate Operator Keys

Learn how to generate and secure your operator keys

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Troubleshooting

Ensure you’ve run go mod download and that your Go version meets the minimum requirement (1.24+).
go clean -modcache
go mod download
make build
Make sure Docker is running and you have sufficient disk space:
docker system df
docker system prune  # Clean up if needed
Ensure the binary has execute permissions:
chmod +x ./bin/ssvnode

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Source Code Reference

The main build configuration is defined in:
  • /Makefile - Build automation and commands
  • /Dockerfile - Multi-stage Docker build configuration
  • /cmd/ssvnode/ - Main application entry point

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