Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

1. Basic knowledge of command-line interfaces (CLI)
2. Familiarity with Docker and Git
3. A machine/server with the following minimum specifications:
   • 4 vCPUs
   • 16 GB RAM
   • 250 GB SSD storage
   • Ubuntu 20.04 (or another compatible Linux distribution)

Step 1: Install Dependencies

First, update your package manager and install essential software dependencies. On Ubuntu, run the following commands:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
sudo apt-get install -y curl git docker.io docker-compose

Ensure that Docker is running correctly:

sudo systemctl enable docker && sudo systemctl start docker

Verify Docker installation:

docker --version

Step 2: Clone the Union Node Repository

You will need to clone the official Union node repository. Run:

git clone <https://github.com/union-build/union-node.git>
cd union-node

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

Before starting the node, you need to configure some environment variables. Create a .env file in the union-node directory by copying the example file:

cp .env.example .env

Open the .env file in a text editor (e.g., nano):