Geth fundamentals

Last edited on July 1, 2024

This section includes documentation for foundational topics in Geth. The pages here will help you to understand how Geth works from a user perspective and under the hood.

This is where you will find information about how to manage a Geth node and understand how it functions.

For example, the pages here will help you to understand the underlying architecture of your Geth node, how to start it in different configurations using command line options, how to sync the blockchain and how to manage accounts. There is a page on security practices that will help you to keep your Geth node safe from adversaries.

Note also that there is a page explaining common log messages that are often queried on the Geth discord and GitHub - this will help users to interpret the messages displayed to the console and know what actions to take.

In this section

Node architecture: learn about the three components of an Ethereum node and how they fit together
Command line options: see the various command line options that can be used to configure Geth
Security: learn about basic security best-practises for Geth
Sync-modes: learn about the different ways Geth can sync the blockchain
Beacon light sync: learn about the usage of Beacon light client, in integrated mode or standalone mode
Account management: read about how to manage accounts using Clef and Geth
Databases: learn about the two parts of database and the recommended database
Backup and restore: learn how to backup and restore data for a Geth instance
Logs: learn how to interpret the main log messages Geth displays in the console
Connecting-to-peers: learn about Geth's peer-to-peer networking
Pruning: read about Geth's data pruning options
Private networks via kurtosis: learn how to set up a private network of multiple Geth nodes using Kurtosis
Private networks: learn how to set up a private network of multiple Geth nodes
Config files: learn about using config files to tune Geth
Mining: read about the mining algorithms Geth used to use to secure Ethereum before the network switched to proof-of-stake.