# Deploy Stacks Miner Node

Stacks node requires a Bitcoin node to connect to on the back-end for [Proof of Transfer](https://docs.stacks.co/understand-stacks/proof-of-transfer). You can deploy a Bitcoin node using Kotal operator like we did in this [guide](/tutorials/bitcoin/rpc.md). In this tutorial, we will be using Bitcoin node hosted by Stacks Foundation.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Make sure Bitcoin node is fully synced before deploying your Stacks node.
{% endhint %}

### Generating Miner Private Key

{% hint style="warning" %}
Don't use the following Miner private key in production!
{% endhint %}

Generate Key chain using [Stacks CLI](https://github.com/hirosystems/stacks.js/tree/master/packages/cli) tool. Stacks CLI can be installed using:

```bash
npm install -g @stacks/cli
```

Generate key chain using:

```bash
stx make_keychain
```

It will return an output similar to the following

```json
{
  "mnemonic": "blue news bid also tell vault blame tonight crumble history tribe anxiety arch stove usage eight stick firm weapon wet chapter gravity seat idle",
  "keyInfo": {
    "privateKey": "7a3ef70a4a3ff3c389818ac11abec24b20ffbe3fb2cf6f71e947367a4ddbec6601",
    "address": "SPQG93WFTVV6GA4AEDMS18ZCSTKMKFHWEHEXQAJJ",
    "btcAddress": "15HcDuW1W2TqEe9mVER9ceJYtqMAED26jp",
    "wif": "L1KLjY5xMGUSSV9cfE9VoKRdVt3D1zJxoJwPVLHfgRNS1ETGUSvr",
    "index": 0
  }
}
```

Store `privateKey` from the output above into a Kubernetes secret in data field called `key`:

```
kubectl create secret generic seed-private-key --from-literal=key=7a3ef70a4a3ff3c389818ac11abec24b20ffbe3fb2cf6f71e947367a4ddbec6601
```

### Bitcoin node JSON-RPC user password

Let's store Stacks Foundation Bitcoin node JSON-RPC password in a Kubernetes secret to be used by our node:

{% code title="bitcoin-node-rpc-password.yaml" %}

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: bitcoin-node-rpc-password
stringData:
  password: blockstacksystem
```

{% endcode %}

Apply `bitcoin-node-rpc-password.yaml` to create the password secret:

```bash
kubectl apply -f bitcoin-node-rpc-password.yaml
```

### Deploy Stacks Miner Node

The following manifest describes a Stacks node that syncs Stacks mainnet `network: mainnet`, and connects to the bitcoin node using configurations in `bitcoinNode: ...` for Proof of Transfer, and loading miner private key using `seedPrivateKeySecretName`:

{% code title="stacks.yaml" %}

```yaml
apiVersion: stacks.kotal.io/v1alpha1
kind: Node
metadata:
  name: stacks-node
spec:
  network: mainnet
  seedPrivateKeySecretName: seed-private-key
  bitcoinNode:
    endpoint: bitcoin.blockstack.com
    rpcPort: 8332
    p2pPort: 8333
    rpcUsername: blockstack
    rpcPasswordSecretName: bitcoin-node-rpc-password
```

{% endcode %}

Apply `stacks.yaml` manifest:

```bash
kubectl apply -f stacks.yaml
```

Kotal operator will notice your `stacks-node` and will create all the necessary pods, persistent volumes, services, configmaps, and secrets neccessary.

You can fetch the deployed Stacks `Node` using:

```bash
kubectl get nodes.stacks
```

It will return an output similar to the following:

```bash
NAME            NETWORK    CLIENT    MINER
stacks-node     mainnet    stacks    true
```

Note Miner is true in the previous output 🔥

### Fetch Node Logs

Get the pods that has been created by Kotal for the node:

```bash
kubectl get pods
```

It will return an output similar to the following:

```bash
NAME             READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
stacks-node-0    1/1     Running   0          1m
```

Get the logs of the running node:

```bash
kubectl logs -f stacks-node-0
```

It will return node logs similar to the following:

```bash
INFO [1649610683.233993] [testnet/stacks-node/src/main.rs:113] [main] Loading config at path /home/stacks/kotal-config/config.toml
INFO [1649610683.795606] [testnet/stacks-node/src/run_loop/neon.rs:341] [main] Start syncing Bitcoin headers, feel free to grab a cup of coffee, this can take a while
INFO [1649610686.606279] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 0.3% (2000 out of 731294)
INFO [1649610687.625014] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 0.5% (4000 out of 731294)
INFO [1649610688.634560] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 0.8% (6000 out of 731294)
INFO [1649610689.677533] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 1.1% (8000 out of 731294)
INFO [1649610690.737928] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 1.4% (10000 out of 731294)
INFO [1649610691.745002] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 1.6% (12000 out of 731294)
INFO [1649610692.789689] [src/burnchains/bitcoin/spv.rs:923] [main] Syncing Bitcoin headers: 1.9% (14000 out of 731294)
...
```

Finally you can delete the node by:

```bash
kubectl delete -f stacks.yaml
```

Kubernetes garbage collector will delete all the resources that has been created by Stacks `Node` controller.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.kotal.co/tutorials/stacks/miner.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.