> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.plasma.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Node Types

> Understanding the different types of nodes on Plasma.

Plasma supports multiple node types based on architecture roles and operational goals.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Non-Validator Nodes" icon="eye" iconType="light" color="#307F61" href="#non-validator-nodes">
    Monitor network state and serve RPC requests. Available now.
  </Card>

  <Card title="RPC Providers" icon="server" iconType="light" color="#307F61" href="#rpc-providers">
    Professional hosted endpoints with enterprise features. Available now.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Consensus Nodes" icon="shield" iconType="light" color="#307F61" href="#consensus-nodes">
    Validate blocks and secure the network. Coming post-mainnet.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Node Types

### Non-Validator Nodes

Non-validator nodes are read-only participants that follow the blockchain without participating in consensus decisions. They provide a lightweight way to access blockchain data without the overhead of consensus participation. For a more in-depth explanation of the design, see the [Overview](/docs/node-operators/setup-and-configuration/overview) page.

<Note>
  **Availability**: Non-validator nodes are available for permissionless participation. See the [Non-Validator Node Setup](./non-validator-node-setup) guide to get started.
</Note>

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Key Capabilities">
    | Capability            | Description                                                                |
    | :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | Block reception       | Receive and process blocks from the network                                |
    | Chain synchronization | Maintain an up-to-date copy of the blockchain                              |
    | Catchup mechanism     | Automatically detect and recover missing blocks                            |
    | API access            | Provide the same API endpoints as validators for querying blockchain state |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Technical Characteristics">
    | Characteristic | Detail                                               |
    | :------------- | :--------------------------------------------------- |
    | Configuration  | Simplified with node ID (string identifier)          |
    | Validator keys | Read-only access to validator public keys            |
    | Peer discovery | Connect through bootstrap nodes                      |
    | Limitations    | Cannot propose blocks, vote, or trigger view changes |
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

**Setup**: Follow the [Non-Validator Node Setup](./non-validator-node-setup) guide.

### RPC Providers

Hosted RPC infrastructure with production-grade availability and support.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="QuickNode" icon="bolt" href="https://www.quicknode.com/">
    High-performance global infrastructure with monitoring and alerting.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Tenderly" icon="chart-line" href="https://tenderly.co/">
    Managed access with built-in observability, simulations, and incident tooling.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

RPC providers offer immediate production-ready access with SLAs and support included, and scale with application demand. They're ideal for production applications requiring high availability, teams prioritizing development over infrastructure, and projects needing enterprise support and guarantees.

**Full list of providers**: See the [RPC Providers](../../plasma-chain/tools/rpc-providers) page.

### Consensus Nodes

Consensus nodes are the core participants in the Plasma consensus layer, implementing the Fast-Hotstuff Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) protocol. The network can tolerate up to `f` faulty nodes in a system of `3f+1` total validators.

<Note>
  **Availability**: Not yet available. External participation will begin post-mainnet.
</Note>

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Key Responsibilities">
    | Responsibility          | Description                                                                                     |
    | :---------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | Block production        | Validators take turns proposing blocks using round-robin selection based on the current view    |
    | Voting                  | Validate incoming blocks and cast votes that are aggregated into Quorum Certificates (QCs)      |
    | Consensus participation | Actively participate in view changes, timeouts, and the 2-chain finalization rule               |
    | State management        | Maintain full consensus state including vote aggregation, view tracking, and block finalization |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Technical Requirements">
    | Requirement     | Detail                                                          |
    | :-------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | Cryptography    | BLS keypair for cryptographic operations and vote aggregation   |
    | Configuration   | Full node configuration with validator ID (numeric identifier)  |
    | Execution layer | Access to execution layer (Reth) for block production           |
    | Networking      | P2P networking capabilities for unicast and broadcast messaging |
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

**Preparation**: Follow the [Consensus Node Preparation](../consensus-preparation/preparation) page.

## Getting Started

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Non-Validator Operators">
    | Step                  | Action                                                                                            |
    | :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
    | Review requirements   | Check [hardware requirements](./hardware-requirements) and ensure you meet specifications         |
    | Set up infrastructure | Follow the [non-validator node setup guide](./non-validator-node-setup) for detailed instructions |
    | Configure monitoring  | Implement monitoring using the [monitoring guide](../maintenance/monitoring)                      |
    | Join community        | Connect with other operators in [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/plasmafdn)                   |
    | Stay updated          | Monitor announcements for consensus participation timeline                                        |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Application Developers">
    | Step                | Action                                                           |
    | :------------------ | :--------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | Choose provider     | Select between non-validator nodes or professional RPC providers |
    | Configure network   | Add Plasma testnet to your development environment               |
    | Test integration    | Deploy and test your applications on testnet                     |
    | Monitor performance | Track RPC performance and adjust as needed                       |
    | Plan production     | Prepare for mainnet launch and scaling requirements              |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Future Consensus Operators">
    | Step                           | Action                                                                                            |
    | :----------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
    | Start with non-validator nodes | Gain operational experience with the [non-validator node setup guide](./non-validator-node-setup) |
    | Build infrastructure           | Design and test your consensus-ready infrastructure                                               |
    | Engage community               | Participate in governance discussions and provide feedback                                        |
    | Prepare economics              | Understand staking requirements and reward structures                                             |
    | Monitor timeline               | Stay informed about consensus participation opening                                               |
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>