Run the network you trust.
A Ryo node is your direct connection to the blockchain. Learn what nodes do, choose the right setup, verify the network independently, and operate infrastructure safely—from an Atom wallet on a laptop to a dedicated public service.
What is a node?
A node is a computer running Ryo’s daemon software, ryod, and communicating with other participants in the peer-to-peer network.
A participant in the network
It connects to peers, exchanges network information, and may provide blockchain data to a wallet or application.
An independent verifier
It maintains a synchronized local blockchain, checks blocks and transactions against Ryo’s rules, rejects invalid data, and relays valid information.
A full node does not ask another server what the Ryo blockchain says. It downloads the chain, checks the rules for itself, and lets your wallet use data you have independently verified.
Synchronize
Download the blockchain and keep up with new blocks.
Validate
Check consensus rules instead of trusting a third party.
Relay
Share valid blocks and transactions with connected peers.
Serve
Provide trusted blockchain data to your wallet or software.
YOUR NODE
Not every “node” means the same thing.
Use this map to separate wallet modes, local verification, public peer infrastructure, RPC services, and mining roles.
You use someone else’s node.
Your wallet asks a remote daemon for blockchain data. This is fast and storage-light, but verification and availability depend on that remote service.
- FULL NODE?
- No
- LOCAL CHAIN?
- No
- INBOUND ACCESS?
- No
- BEST FOR
- Fast access and low storage use
The easiest path to independent verification.
Atom runs the Ryo daemon locally and keeps a synchronized blockchain on your computer. The wallet can then use your own verified data instead of relying entirely on a remote node.
- FULL NODE?
- Yes
- LOCAL CHAIN?
- Yes
- INBOUND ACCESS?
- Optional
- BEST FOR
- Everyday users who want self-verification
A daemon that stays online without the wallet interface.
A dedicated machine, home server, or VPS runs ryod continuously. It can serve your own wallets, applications, monitoring, or other infrastructure.
- FULL NODE?
- Yes
- LOCAL CHAIN?
- Yes
- INBOUND ACCESS?
- Optional
- BEST FOR
- Power users, services, and reliable uptime
A full node that accepts incoming peer connections.
Other Ryo daemons can connect to it to exchange blocks, transactions, and peer information. This improves network reachability and resilience.
- FULL NODE?
- Yes
- LOCAL CHAIN?
- Yes
- INBOUND ACCESS?
- Yes
- BEST FOR
- Operators who want to strengthen P2P connectivity
A daemon endpoint offered to wallets or applications.
Remote clients query the node through RPC. It can be valuable infrastructure, but public exposure requires deliberate access controls, firewalling, rate limits, monitoring, and maintenance.
- FULL NODE?
- Yes
- LOCAL CHAIN?
- Yes
- INBOUND ACCESS?
- RPC + usually P2P
- BEST FOR
- Experienced service operators
Mining and node operation are separate functions.
A solo miner or pool operator normally connects mining software to a synchronized node. An ordinary miner connected to a third-party pool may not run a full node at all.
- FULL NODE?
- Depends
- LOCAL CHAIN?
- Depends
- INBOUND ACCESS?
- Depends
- BEST FOR
- Solo miners and pool operators
Node-to-node traffic
Blocks, transactions, peer discovery, and chain synchronization between Ryo daemons.
Application-to-node access
Wallets, explorers, and services requesting data or submitting commands to a daemon.
Run a node for verification—not for a badge.
The strongest reason is simple: your software checks the network directly. The wider benefits follow from that independence.
Verify independently
Your node checks whether blocks and transactions obey the protocol instead of accepting another server’s answer.
Reduce data exposure
Using your own daemon reduces the need to reveal wallet queries and activity patterns to a third-party remote node.
Strengthen resilience
More independently operated nodes reduce dependence on a small set of servers and make the network harder to disrupt.
Provide availability
A node that stays online can relay network data and serve local infrastructure whenever it is needed.
Build on trusted data
Developers can connect wallets, monitoring, explorers, merchant systems, or research tools to infrastructure they control.
Contribute real infrastructure
When configured for inbound P2P connectivity, your node can help other daemons discover peers and exchange valid data.
Installing a node once is not the same as operating one.
A synchronized node that is current, reachable when needed, and kept updated provides value. Uptime, maintenance, and safe configuration matter more than simply downloading the software.
What do you want your node to do?
Select the goal closest to yours. The recommendation changes without sending data anywhere.
Atom in Local + Remote, then Local Only
Start using the wallet immediately through a remote node while Atom downloads the full blockchain. After synchronization, use your local daemon for independent verification.
- Lowest technical barrier
- Local blockchain and verification
- No public service required
Dedicated full node with inbound P2P
Run ryod on a computer that stays online, then deliberately allow incoming peer connections. Keep wallet RPC private unless you have a separate reason to expose it.
- Continuous synchronization
- Accepts connections from peers
- Strengthens network reachability
Dedicated node with local or private RPC
Connect your application to a daemon you control. Keep RPC on localhost or a protected private network, grant only the access needed, and monitor both node health and application load.
- Trusted data source for applications
- Predictable local availability
- Safer than depending on a public endpoint
Hardened public RPC infrastructure
Operate the daemon as a production service with restricted RPC methods, firewall policy, TLS or a secure proxy where appropriate, rate limits, logging, monitoring, capacity planning, and an incident response plan.
- Public users create unpredictable load
- RPC exposure expands the attack surface
- Maintenance is an ongoing responsibility
Two routes: wallet-first or daemon-first.
Both can produce a full node. The difference is whether you want a simple desktop experience or infrastructure that runs independently of the wallet interface.
Route A: Run a local full node through Atom
The practical choice for most Ryo users.
-
01
Install the current Atom wallet
Use the official download source and keep the wallet software current.
-
02
Select Local + Remote daemon
Atom can use a remote node immediately while it downloads the complete blockchain to your computer.
-
03
Allow the local chain to reach 100%
Initial synchronization can take time and use substantial bandwidth. Keep the computer powered and connected.
-
04
Use your local daemon
After synchronization, Local Only lets the wallet depend on blockchain data stored and verified on your own PC.
-
05
Open it regularly—or keep it online
The daemon catches up after downtime. Longer uptime improves availability and avoids large catch-up sessions.
Route B: Run the daemon directly
For servers, developers, monitoring, solo mining, or 24/7 operation.
$ ryod --detachThree settings, three trust models.
Fastest, but dependent
The blockchain is on a remote server. Your computer is not operating a local full node.
Local + Remote
Use a remote node while your computer downloads the full blockchain in the background.
Local Only
The wallet uses the blockchain stored and verified by the daemon on your own computer.
A node is infrastructure. Treat it like infrastructure.
Use the checklist below to separate successful synchronization from reliable, secure operation.
Synchronization
- Local height matches the current network height
- The node continues receiving new blocks
- Storage has room for future chain growth
- System time is accurate
Connectivity
- The daemon maintains healthy peer connections
- Inbound P2P is optional, but useful when intended
- Router and firewall rules match the chosen role
- Bandwidth limits fit the host and connection
Security
- RPC stays local or private unless intentionally published
- Administrative access is authenticated and restricted
- The operating system and daemon are maintained
- Logs are reviewed without exposing wallet secrets
Reliability
- The process restarts after reboots or failures
- Disk, memory, and load are monitored
- Updates are planned instead of ignored
- Public operators have an outage and abuse plan
Accepting P2P peers does not require exposing unrestricted RPC.
P2P lets Ryo daemons communicate with each other. RPC lets wallets and software issue requests to your daemon. For personal use, keep RPC bound to the local machine or a protected private network. Public RPC is a separate service-design decision.
Six signs your node is doing its job.
Current heightYour node matches the latest block shown by the network or explorer.
Ongoing blocksThe local height continues increasing as new blocks arrive.
Connected peersThe daemon has active P2P connections rather than remaining isolated.
Local wallet modeYour wallet is actually connected to the local daemon when independence is the goal.
Healthy storageThe blockchain data directory is accessible and has sufficient free space.
Current softwareThe daemon version is compatible with the live network and current operating guidance.
Terms you will see.
- Daemon
- The background node software. In Ryo, this is
ryod. - Blockchain height
- The number of the latest block your node knows and has validated.
- Peer
- Another Ryo node connected through the P2P network.
- Mempool
- Valid transactions known to a node but not yet included in a block.
- RPC
- An interface through which wallets and applications communicate with the daemon.
- Inbound connection
- A peer or client initiating a connection to your machine.
- Sync
- Downloading and validating the chain until the local height reaches the live network.
- Solo-mining node
- A synchronized node connected to mining software that submits work directly rather than through a third-party pool.
Common node questions.
The short answers for wallet users, miners, and future operators.
01 Is Atom itself a full node?
Atom is the wallet interface. When it runs its bundled local Ryo daemon and the local blockchain is synchronized, the daemon behind Atom is a full node. In Remote-only mode, Atom is using someone else’s node instead.
02 Do I need to accept incoming connections to be a full node?
No. A synchronized node that verifies the chain and connects outward is still a full node. Accepting inbound P2P connections makes it more useful to other peers, but it is an additional operating choice.
03 Does a full node earn RYO?
Not by itself. A node verifies and relays data. Mining is a separate process. Rewards are earned only when mining work successfully produces a valid block, whether through solo mining or a pool arrangement.
04 Does a full node reveal my wallet keys?
No. The daemon maintains and verifies blockchain data. Your private spend keys belong to your wallet and should never be entered into a public node, website, or support chat.
05 What happens if my node is offline?
Nothing is lost from the network. When restarted, the node reconnects and downloads the blocks it missed. A node that stays online more consistently contributes more availability.
06 Can I run a node on a normal computer?
Yes. Atom is the simplest route for a desktop user. The main requirements are enough storage for the blockchain, bandwidth for initial synchronization, and time to remain connected.
07 What is the difference between P2P and RPC?
P2P is node-to-node communication used to exchange blocks, transactions, and peer information. RPC is an application interface used by wallets, explorers, and services to ask the daemon for data or submit requests.
08 Should I run a public RPC node?
Only when you understand the security and operational responsibilities. A public RPC endpoint should be intentionally restricted, firewalled, monitored, rate-limited, and kept current. A local-only RPC endpoint is the safer default for personal use.
Start local. Learn the network. Stay independent.
For most users, Atom’s Local + Remote mode is the right first step. For operators, the next step is a dedicated daemon with a clearly chosen P2P and RPC security model.