Prerequisites

Before installing the Operator Service, ensure you meet the following prerequisites.

Deployed Vault

You will need your Vault contract address for Operator Service configuration. If you haven't created a Vault yet, do that first — otherwise, see where to find your Vault address.

Staking Nodes

Ensure your node infrastructure meets the technical requirements below for reliable operation.

Execution Client

Your execution node must be fully synced and running. Any client that supports the ETH Execution API specification ↗ can be used:

• Nethermind ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
• Besu ↗ — (Ethereum)
• Erigon ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
• Geth ↗ — (Ethereum)
• Reth ↗ — (Ethereum)

Configure execution client

Preserve event logs to ensure the Operator Service functions correctly. Some clients require specific configuration to sync event logs and prevent event log pruning:

Nethermind

The barrier flags set the first block whose bodies and receipts are kept, and --History.Pruning=UseAncientBarriers removes older history from an already synced node:

# Ethereum Mainnet
nethermind --Sync.AncientBodiesBarrier=18470089 \
  --Sync.AncientReceiptsBarrier=18470089 \
  --History.Pruning=UseAncientBarriers

# For other networks, adjust the block number to the Keeper contract creation block

Erigon

Erigon does not support pruning from a fixed block. It only keeps a rolling window of the latest N blocks:

# Keep the latest N blocks
erigon --prune.mode=full --prune.distance=N --prune.distance.blocks=N

Set N to at least the current block minus the Keeper contract creation block (18470089 on Ethereum Mainnet).

Reth

Add the following options to Reth command:

# Ethereum Mainnet
--prune.bodies.before=18470089 --prune.receipts.before=18470089

# For other networks, adjust the block number to the Keeper contract creation block

Consensus Client

Your consensus node must be fully synced and running. Any client that supports the ETH Beacon Node API specification ↗ can be used:

• Lighthouse ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
• Nimbus ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
• Prysm ↗ — (Ethereum)
• Teku ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
• Lodestar ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)

Validator Client

Set the suggested-fee-recipient flag in your validator client to the correct fee recipient address. This is the Block reward recipient shown in the Details section at the bottom of your Vault page. An incorrect value will result in penalties for your Vault in the Smoothing Pool and will trigger a warning on the Vault page, alerting users to an invalid validator setup.

MEV-Boost

Set up MEV-Boost ↗ to capture execution layer rewards. MEV-Boost is open source middleware that connects your validator to a network of block builders competing to produce the most profitable block, maximizing your Vault's execution-layer revenue.

If your Vault uses the Smoothing Pool, you must use one of the StakeWise DAO-approved MEV relays.