SLV Validator Skill

Ansible playbooks and Jinja2 templates for deploying and managing Solana validators (mainnet and testnet).

Supported Validator Types

Type	Description
`jito`	Jito MEV client (default for mainnet)
`jito-bam`	Jito with Block Awareness Module
`agave`	Standard Agave validator
`firedancer-agave`	Firedancer with Agave consensus
`firedancer-jito`	Firedancer with Jito consensus

Directory Structure

ansible/
  mainnet-validator/   — Mainnet validator playbooks
  testnet-validator/   — Testnet validator playbooks
  cmn/                 — Shared common playbooks
jinja/
  mainnet-validator/   — Mainnet Jinja2 templates
  testnet-validator/   — Testnet Jinja2 templates
  cmn/                 — Shared templates

CLI Command ↔ Playbook Mapping

The slv v CLI commands map directly to these playbooks. {net} = mainnet-validator or testnet-validator.

CLI Command	Playbook	Description
`slv v deploy`	`{net}/init.yml`	Full node initialization and deployment
`slv v start`	`{net}/start_node.yml`	Start validator
`slv v stop`	`{net}/stop_node.yml`	Stop validator
`slv v restart`	`{net}/restart_node.yml`	Restart validator
`slv v build:solana`	`{net}/install_solana.yml`	Build Solana from source
`slv v install:solana`	`cmn/install_solana.yml`	Install Solana binary (deprecated, prefer build)
`slv v setup:firedancer`	`{net}/setup_firedancer.yml`	Setup/update Firedancer
`slv v update:firedancer`	`{net}/update_firedancer.yml`	Update Firedancer binary
`slv v update:script`	`{net}/update_startup_config.yml`	Update start-validator.sh from template
`slv v set:identity`	`{net}/set_identity_key.yml`	Set validator identity key
`slv v set:unstaked`	`{net}/set_unstaked_key.yml`	Switch to unstaked identity
`slv v get:snapshot`	`{net}/wget_snapshot.yml`	Download snapshot via aria2c
`slv v cleanup`	`cmn/rm_ledger.yml`	Remove ledger/snapshot files
`slv v switch`	`{net}/nodowntime_migrate.yml`	Zero-downtime identity migration
`slv v list`	(no playbook)	List validators (CLI only)
`slv v gen:vote-account`	(no playbook)	Create vote account (solana CLI)

All Playbooks

Mainnet Validator (`mainnet-validator/`)

Playbook	Description
`init.yml`	Full node initialization (Agave/Jito)
`init-jito.yml`	Jito-specific initialization
`init-firedancer.yml`	Firedancer initialization
`restart_node.yml`	Restart validator
`start_node.yml`	Start validator
`stop_node.yml`	Stop validator
`install_solana.yml`	Build Solana from source
`install_agave.yml`	Build Agave from source
`install_jito.yml`	Build Jito from source
`install_rust.yml`	Install Rust toolchain
`setup_firedancer.yml`	Setup Firedancer binary and config
`update_firedancer.yml`	Update Firedancer binary
`update_startup_config.yml`	Update start-validator.sh from Jinja template
`deploy-start-validator-sh.yml`	Deploy start script to remote
`create-start-validator-sh.yml`	Generate start script from template
`nodowntime_migrate.yml`	Zero-downtime identity migration between nodes
`set_identity_key.yml`	Set validator identity key
`set_identity_to_active.yml`	Activate identity key
`set_unstaked_key.yml`	Switch to unstaked identity
`switch_on_identity.yml`	Enable identity (tower copy + key deploy)
`switch_off_identity.yml`	Disable identity (tower backup)
`switch_on_firedancer_identity.yml`	Enable Firedancer identity
`switch_off_firedancer_identity.yml`	Disable Firedancer identity
`copy_keys.yml`	Copy validator keys to node
`copy_restart_sh.yml`	Copy restarter script
`create_overrides.yml`	Generate overrides.yml from template
`setup_solv_service.yml`	Setup systemd service
`start-solv-service.yml`	Start systemd service
`setup_ufw.yml`	Configure UFW firewall
`setup_fb_ufw.yml`	Configure Firedancer-specific UFW rules
`setup_logrotate.yml`	Setup log rotation
`configure_hugetlbfs.yml`	Configure hugepages for Firedancer
`fail2ban_solana_rate_limit.yml`	Setup fail2ban rate limiting
`run_snapshot_finder.yml`	Find and download best snapshot

Testnet Validator (`testnet-validator/`)

Playbook	Description
`init.yml`	Full initialization (Jito)
`init-agave.yml`	Agave-specific initialization
`init-firedancer.yml`	Firedancer initialization
`restart_node.yml`	Restart validator
`start_node.yml`	Start validator
`stop_node.yml`	Stop validator
`install_solana.yml`	Build Solana from source
`install_agave.yml`	Build Agave from source
`install_jito.yml`	Build Jito from source
`install_firedancer.yml`	Build Firedancer from source
`setup_firedancer.yml`	Setup Firedancer
`setup_firedancer_agave.yml`	Setup Firedancer with Agave
`setup_firedancer_jito.yml`	Setup Firedancer with Jito
`update_firedancer.yml`	Update Firedancer binary
`update_startup_config.yml`	Update start script from template
`deploy-start-validator-sh.yml`	Deploy start script
`create-start-validator-sh-agave.yml`	Generate Agave start script
`create-start-validator-sh-jito.yml`	Generate Jito start script
`nodowntime_migrate.yml`	Zero-downtime identity migration
`set_identity_key.yml`	Set identity key
`set_identity_to_active.yml`	Activate identity
`set_unstaked_key.yml`	Switch to unstaked identity
`switch_on_identity.yml` / `switch_off_identity.yml`	Toggle identity
`switch_on_firedancer_identity.yml` / `switch_off_firedancer_identity.yml`	Toggle Firedancer identity
`change_identity_and_restart.yml`	Change identity and restart in one step
`copy_keys.yml`	Copy keys to node
`rm_ledger.yml`	Remove ledger data
`restart_agave_with_rm_ledger.yml`	Restart with ledger removal
`restart_firedancer.yml`	Restart Firedancer
`restart_firedancer_with_rm_ledger.yml`	Restart Firedancer with ledger removal
`restart_solv.yml`	Restart solv service
`setup_agave.yml`	Setup Agave
`setup_agave_ufw.yml`	Agave UFW rules
`setup_solv_service.yml`	Setup systemd service
`setup_solv_service_init.yml`	Initialize systemd service
`setup_snapshot_finder.yml`	Setup snapshot finder
`add_solv.yml`	Add solv user

Shared Common (`cmn/`)

Playbook	Description
`build_solana.yml`	Build Solana from source (dispatches to build_agave/build_jito)
`build_agave.yml`	Build Agave from GitHub source
`build_jito.yml`	Build Jito from GitHub source
`install_solana.yml`	Install Solana binary (deprecated)
`install_package.yml`	Install system packages
`install_rust.yml`	Install Rust toolchain
`mount_disks.yml`	Mount and format disks
`optimize_system.yml`	Optimize system settings (sysctl, limits)
`disable_swap.yml`	Disable swap
`setup_logrotate.yml`	Configure log rotation
`setup_node_exporter.yml`	Setup Prometheus node exporter
`setup_norestart.yml`	Disable auto-restart
`setup_ufw.yml`	Configure UFW firewall
`setup_unstaked_identity.yml`	Setup unstaked identity keypair
`restart_solv.yml`	Restart solv service
`copy_restart_sh.yml`	Copy restarter script
`update_ubuntu.yml`	Update Ubuntu packages
`wget_snapshot.yml`	Download snapshot
`add_solv.yml`	Add solv user
`rm_ledger.yml`	Remove ledger data
`fix_permissions.yml`	Fix file permissions

Key Variables (extra_vars)

Variable	Description	Default
`validator_type`	Validator type (`jito`, `jito-bam`, `agave`, `firedancer-agave`, `firedancer-jito`)	`jito`
`solana_version`	Solana/Agave version to build	—
`jito_version`	Jito version to build	—
`firedancer_version`	Firedancer version	—
`snapshot_url`	Snapshot download URL	—
`identity_account`	Validator identity pubkey	—
`vote_account`	Vote account pubkey	—
`block_engine_url`	Jito block engine URL	`https://frankfurt.mainnet.block-engine.jito.wtf`
`shred_receiver_address`	Jito shred receiver address	`64.130.50.14:1002`
`commission_bps`	Commission in basis points	`0`
`dynamic_port_range`	Validator port range	`8000-8025`
`limit_ledger_size`	Ledger size limit	`200000000`
`expected_shred_version`	Expected shred version (testnet, epoch-dependent)	—
`expected_bank_hash`	Expected bank hash (testnet, optional)	—
`wait_for_supermajority`	Wait for supermajority slot (testnet, optional)	—
`source_host`	Source host for nodowntime migration	—
`target_host`	Target host for nodowntime migration	—

Usage

All playbooks are designed to be run via ansible-playbook with extra_vars:

ansible-playbook -i inventory mainnet-validator/init.yml \
  -e '{"validator_type":"jito","solana_version":"3.1.8","snapshot_url":"https://..."}'

No versions.yml required — all variables can be passed via extra_vars.

Interactive Deployment Flow

When deploying a new validator, the agent should guide the user through variable collection in this order. See AGENT.md for the full step-by-step flow and examples/inventory.yml for the generated output format.

Required Variables (must collect)

Variable	Prompt	Validation
`server_ip`	"Target server IP?"	Valid IPv4
`network`	"Mainnet or testnet?"	`mainnet` or `testnet`
`region`	"Server region? (amsterdam, frankfurt, tokyo, ny, ...)"	String
`validator_type`	"Which validator type?"	`jito`, `jito-bam`, `agave`, `firedancer-agave`, `firedancer-jito`
`solana_version`	"Solana version? (default: 3.1.8)"	Semver
`jito_version`	"Jito version?" (if jito/jito-bam)	Semver
`firedancer_version`	"Firedancer version?" (if firedancer)	String
`identity_account`	"Validator identity pubkey? (or generate)"	Base58 pubkey or `generate`
`vote_account`	"Vote account pubkey? (or generate)"	Base58 pubkey or `generate`
`snapshot_url`	"Snapshot URL? (auto-detected for ERPC nodes)"	URL (cannot be empty for init)

Optional Variables (show defaults, confirm)

Variable	Default	When Required
`ssh_user`	`solv` (`ubuntu` for fresh servers)	Always
`commission_bps`	`0`	Always
`dynamic_port_range`	`8000-8025`	Always
`limit_ledger_size`	`200000000`	Always
`allowed_ssh_ips`	—	Strongly recommended (UFW)
`allowed_ips`	—	Optional (UFW)
`block_engine_url`	Auto by region	Jito types only
`shred_receiver_address`	Auto by region	Jito types only
`expected_shred_version`	Epoch-dependent	Testnet only
`expected_bank_hash`	Epoch-dependent	Testnet (optional)
`wait_for_supermajority`	Epoch-dependent	Testnet (optional)

Optional: Reference RPC

Variable	Description	Default
`reference_rpc_url`	Reference RPC endpoint for slot sync comparison (e.g., ERPC)	—

ERPC API keys are free at https://erpc.global — enables full slot sync monitoring during deployment and updates.

Pre-flight: Fresh Server Setup

If the target is a new server without a solv user:

ansible-playbook -i inventory.yml cmn/add_solv.yml \
  -e '{"ansible_user":"ubuntu"}' --become

Deployment Command

All paths relative to skill's ansible/ directory:

cd /path/to/slv-validator/ansible/
ansible-playbook -i inventory.yml {network}-validator/init.yml \
  -e '{"validator_type":"<type>","solana_version":"<version>","snapshot_url":"<url>"}'

Dry-Run First

Always offer --check mode before actual deployment:

ansible-playbook -i inventory.yml {network}-validator/init.yml \
  -e '{"validator_type":"jito","solana_version":"3.1.8"}' --check

Slv Validator

Safety Notice

Copy this and send it to your AI assistant to learn

SLV Validator Skill

Supported Validator Types

Directory Structure

CLI Command ↔ Playbook Mapping

All Playbooks

Mainnet Validator (`mainnet-validator/`)

Testnet Validator (`testnet-validator/`)

Shared Common (`cmn/`)

Key Variables (extra_vars)

Usage

Interactive Deployment Flow

Required Variables (must collect)

Optional Variables (show defaults, confirm)

Optional: Reference RPC

Pre-flight: Fresh Server Setup

Deployment Command

Dry-Run First

Source Transparency

Related Skills

Slv Grpc Geyser

Slv Rpc

Whistle RPC

Slv Validator

Safety Notice

Copy this and send it to your AI assistant to learn

SLV Validator Skill

Supported Validator Types

Directory Structure

CLI Command ↔ Playbook Mapping

All Playbooks

Mainnet Validator (mainnet-validator/)

Testnet Validator (testnet-validator/)

Shared Common (cmn/)

Key Variables (extra_vars)

Usage

Interactive Deployment Flow

Required Variables (must collect)

Optional Variables (show defaults, confirm)

Optional: Reference RPC

Pre-flight: Fresh Server Setup

Deployment Command

Dry-Run First

Source Transparency

Related Skills

Slv Grpc Geyser

Slv Rpc

Whistle RPC

Mainnet Validator (`mainnet-validator/`)

Testnet Validator (`testnet-validator/`)

Shared Common (`cmn/`)