Steemit Witness Setup 2018, No Docker, No Remote Nodes, So you actually know what you are doing

After hours trying to figure out where is what to support new user, I decided to put a small tutorial on becoming a witness.

Forgot about dockers, you need Linux basics. It's easier and fun.

Docker technology was intended to make things easy for non linux users to use Linux software. In reality it actually make it much harder as you will have no idea what's happening in the background.

Assumption: > 100GB RAM, make this according to your needs, but be sure to have at least 64GB.

Source of build instruction:

https://github.com/steemit/steem/blob/master/doc/building.md

Get Ubuntu 16.04

• Dependencies:

apt-get update

sudo apt-get install -y \
    autoconf \
    automake \
    cmake \
    g++ \
    git \
    libssl-dev \
    libtool \
    make \
    pkg-config \
    python3 \
    python3-jinja2 \
    libboost-chrono-dev \
    libboost-context-dev \
    libboost-coroutine-dev \
    libboost-date-time-dev \
    libboost-filesystem-dev \
    libboost-iostreams-dev \
    libboost-locale-dev \
    libboost-program-options-dev \
    libboost-serialization-dev \
    libboost-signals-dev \
    libboost-system-dev \
    libboost-test-dev \
    libboost-thread-dev \
    doxygen \
    libncurses5-dev \
    libreadline-dev \
    perl

• Cloning a repo and compiling
  
  

git clone https://github.com/steemit/steem
cd steem
git checkout stable
git submodule update --init --recursive
mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
make -j$(nproc) steemd
make -j$(nproc) cli_wallet

Edit /etc/fstab and add a line

ramfs /dev/shm ramfs defaults,noexec,nosuid,size=100G 0 0

reboot now

cd build/programs/steemd/
./steemd
ctrl + c

This will create config.ini in witness_node_data_dir

Edit build/programs/steemd/witness_node_data_dir/config.ini

p2p-endpoint = 0.0.0.0:2001

seed-node = seed.steemnodes.com:2001
seed-node = seed.blackrift.net:2001
seed-node = seed.jerrybanfield.com:2001
seed-node = seed.curiesteem.com:2001
seed-node = seed.minnowshares.net:2001
seed-node = seed.liondani.com:2016
seed-node = steem-seed.altcap.io:40696
seed-node = seed.windforce.farm:2001
seed-node = seed.followbtcnews.com:2001
seed-node = 176.31.126.187:2001
seed-node = seed.rossco99.com:2001
seed-node = seed.esteem.ws:2001
seed-node = seed1.blockbrothers.io:2001
seed-node = seed.bitcoiner.me:2001
seed-node = seed.steem.prcolaco.com:2001
seed-node = steem.global:2001
seed-node = steemd.pharesim.me:2001
seed-node = 104.199.118.92:2001
seed-node = steem-seed1.abit-more.com:2001
seed-node = seed.riversteem.com:2001
seed-node = steem-id.altexplorer.xyz:2001
seed-node = seed.roelandp.nl:2001
seed-node = node.mahdiyari.info:2001
seed-node = seed.jamzed.pl:2001
seed-node = gtg.steem.house:2001
seed-node = seed.steemviz.com:2001

shared-file-dir = /dev/shm/steem
shared-file-size = 60G
rpc-endpoint = 127.0.0.1:8090
rpc-tls-endpoint = 127.0.0.1:8091
public-api = database_api login_api account_by_key_api network_broadcast_api
enable-plugin = witness account_by_key

Remain everything rest as it is and run:

screen
(hit enter)
build/programs/steemd/./steemd --resync-blockchain
CTRL + A + D to detach the screen

After it's done, leave it running and open another screen window:

screen
(hit enter)
cd build/programs/cli_wallet/
./cli_wallet --rpc-http-endpoint 127.0.0.1:8093 --rpc-http-allowip 127.0.0.1
set_password somepassword
unlock somepassword
import_key Active_Private_Key
list_my_accounts
suggest_brain_key
CTRL + A + D to detach this screen as well

Active_Private_Key - is the one you get from permissions tab on steemit.com by clicking on show key. You will be asked for password.
Keep the output of suggest_brain_key, you will need it.

edit config.ini again and put the following

witness = "yourusername"
private-key = wif_priv_key

(wif_priv_key is the one you got from suggest_brain_key)

screen -r -d firstTTY
update_witness "YOURUSERNAMEHERE" "YOURINTRODUCTIONPOSTHERE" "YOURKEYHERE" {"account_creation_fee":"0.200 STEEM","maximum_block_size":65536,"sbd_interest_rate":1000} true

Price Feeds

apt install uuid-dev libssl-dev
luarocks install seawolf
luarocks install luasec
luarocks install dkjson

Download, or clone https://github.com/develCuy/lazy-steem into /home/lazy-steem

Create script /usr/local/bin/updateprice.sh

#!/bin/bash

cd /home/lazy-steem

./publish_feed.lua YOURUSERNAME http://localhost:8093
echo "updated" > /tmp/pricefeeds

crontab -e
1 * * * * /home/lazy-steem/./updateprice.sh

HINTS

• You can list screens with screen -r -d
• The Idea is to have 2 of them running all the time, one for steemd one for wallet
• To connect to any of them, execute screen -r -d 4457.pts-0.steem (where 4457.pts-0.steem is an output of screen -r -d)
• Always exit steemd with CTRL + C or even better with SIGINT if controlling through script.

Useful wallet commands:

• list_my_accounts USERNAME
• get_witness USERNAME

Most Useful Linux command ever:

man application

For example:

man screen

DEBUG:

strace ./steemd

This will log all the system calls performed by steemd or any other linux app, and tell you exactly which one failed to execute and why.

If you would like to support me, you can do that via steemit website:

If you are an advanced user, You can do it with unlocked cli_wallet by executing:

vote_for_witness "yourusername" "crt" true true

Thanks to all supporters and all the members of Steemit Community.


Post your questions in comment sections, i'll try to address them all so new members can get on-board as quick as possible.

Would you like to become witness without too much headache? I now offer a Turn-Key paid setup services: https://steemit.com/witness-category/@crt/turnkey-paid-witness-setup-service