# Getting started

Ocean Nodes are the easiest way to participate in the Ocean Network. They combine the functionality of the previous Provider, Aquarius, and Subgraph components into a single, easy-to-run package.

### Prerequisites

* **Docker** & **Docker Compose** installed.
* **Hardware**: Minimum 1 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 4GB Storage.
* **OS**: Ubuntu (LTS), macOS, or Windows (via WSL2).

### Method 1: Using the Dashboard (Recommended for Beginners)

The easiest way to configure a node is using the **Run Node Wizard** in the [Ocean Nodes Dashboard](https://dashboard.oceanprotocol.com).

1. Navigate to the **Run Node** section.
2. Connect your wallet.
3. Fill in the configuration details (Ports, IP, TLS, Compute Resources).
4. Download the generated `docker-compose.yml` file.
5. Run `docker-compose up -d` in your terminal.

### Method 2: Quick Start Script (CLI)

The recommended way for command-line users is using the interactive quickstart script.

1. **Run the Quickstart Script**:

   ```bash
   bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/oceanprotocol/ocean-node/main/scripts/ocean-node-quickstart.sh)
   ```

   *(Note: If you have the repository cloned locally, run `./scripts/ocean-node-quickstart.sh`)*
2. **Follow the Interactive Prompts**: The script will guide you through:
   * **Private Key**: Your wallet private key (starts with `0x...`). If you don't have one, the script can generate it for you.
   * **Admin Address**: The wallet address authorized to manage this node.
   * **Networking**: Configure HTTP/P2P ports and public IP/Domain.
   * **Compute-to-Data**: Enable Docker-based compute execution.
   * **GPU Detection**: Automatically detects available GPUs (NVIDIA/AMD) and adds them to your compute environment configuration.
   * **TLS**: Option to enable HTTPS support (requires certificate paths).
3. **Start the Node**: The script generates a `docker-compose.yml` file. Start your node with:

   ```bash
   docker-compose up -d
   ```
4. **Verify It's Running**: You can access the local control panel at: `http://localhost:8000/controlpanel/`

### Method 3: NPM Start (For Developers)

If you prefer running from source (for development):

1. **Clone the Repo**:

   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean-node.git
   cd ocean-node
   ```
2. **Install & Build**:

   ```bash
   npm install
   npm run build
   ```
3. **Set Environment Variables**:

   ```bash
   export PRIVATE_KEY="0x_YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY"
   # See docs/env.md for full list of variables
   ```
4. **Start**:

   ```bash
   npm run start
   ```


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