VDF Server

Example arweave configuration for a VDF server

• Since VDF server will not mine or sign any blocks, they do not need access to your wallet.json

1. Overview

• You'd like to run a dedicated node to compute and publish VDF

• You are running on an Apple M4 processor (the fastest benchmarked processor as of September, 2025)

• You've decided not to configure any storge modules no have your VDF server mine (this is the most common setup)

• You'll use the publicly available NSFW filter provided by Shepherd

• You only want to provide VDF for the following nodes:

  • 1.2.3.4

  • 5.6.7.8

  • 5.6.7.8:1985

  • node.example.com

• Run your miner with:

  • vdf_client_peer flags to restrict which nodes can query your server's VDF

  • vdf hiopt_m4 to enable a VDF algorithm optimized for the M4 processor

2. Sample Directory Structure

• data_dir: /opt/data

• Storage module symlinks: None

3. Sample Command-line Configuration

./bin/start \
    enable randomx_large_pages \
    peer peers.arweave.xyz \
    data_dir /opt/data \
    transaction_blacklist_url https://public_shepherd.arweave.net \
    vdf hiopt_m4 \
    vdf_client_peer 1.2.3.4 \
    vdf_client_peer 5.6.7.8 \
    vdf_client_peer 5.6.7.8:1985 \
    vdf_client_peer node.example.com

4. Sample Configuration File (config.json)

{
    "enable": [ "randomx_large_pages" ],
    "peers": [ "peers.arweave.xyz" ],
    "data_dir": "/opt/data",
    "transaction_blacklist_urls": [ "https://public_shepherd.arweave.net" ],

    "vdf": "hiopt_m4",

    "vdf_client_peers": [
        "1.2.3.4",
        "5.6.7.8",
        "5.6.7.8:1985",
        "node.example.com"
    ]
}