Run a Node

Install via CLI

One-liner install · Estimated read time: 4 minutes

TL;DR

The Asentum CLI is a single self-contained binary — no Node.js install, no package manager, no dependencies. One command downloads it, puts it on your $PATH, and pre-configures it against the public testnet.

curl -fsSL https://testnet.asentum.com/install | sh

After install, asentum --version will confirm you're ready. Prefer a GUI? Install the Desktop App instead.

macOS & Linux

Open a terminal and run:

curl -fsSL https://testnet.asentum.com/install | sh

The installer detects your platform and architecture automatically:

macOS — Apple Silicon (arm64) universal binary, Intel (x64) also supported.
Linux — x64 and arm64, works on any reasonably recent distro.

On macOS the installer strips the quarantine attribute so Gatekeeper doesn't prompt. On Linux no extra flags are needed.

Windows

Open PowerShell and run:

iwr https://testnet.asentum.com/install.ps1 | iex

The installer downloads the Windows x64 binary, drops it in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Asentum, and adds it to your user PATH. Open a new terminal after install so the PATH update takes effect.

SmartScreen may warn on first run — the binary is not yet Authenticode-signed. Click "More info → Run anyway." EV code-signing is planned before mainnet.

What gets installed

A single asentum binary — around 55 MB, built via Node SEA (Single Executable Applications). No separate Node install is needed.
A config file at ~/.asentum/config.json pre-pointing at testnet.asentum.com.
Shell completion for bash, zsh, and PowerShell (when the installer detects your shell rc).

Data directories (chain state, wallet keystore) are created lazily the first time you run a subcommand.

Configuration

Everything lives in ~/.asentum/:

config.json — RPC URL, default gas, network id.
keystore/ — your encrypted Dilithium3 wallets.
chaindata/ — only created if you run a node.

The same directory layout is used by the desktop app, which is why your CLI and GUI wallets can share state. For every flag and env var, see the CLI Reference.

Verify the install

asentum --version
asentum status

status hits the configured RPC and prints the current block height, validator count, and chain id. If it errors, your machine can't reach the testnet — check DNS and firewall.

For your first transaction, jump to Send a Transaction.

Upgrading

Re-run the install command — it overwrites the binary in place and preserves your config and keystore:

curl -fsSL https://testnet.asentum.com/install | sh

The changelog lists what changed between versions.

Uninstalling

Remove the binary and its data directory:

rm $(which asentum)
rm -rf ~/.asentum

Heads up: deleting ~/.asentum removes your wallet keystore. Back up your recovery phrase first.

Troubleshooting

"command not found" after install — open a new terminal so your shell reloads $PATH. On Windows, close and reopen PowerShell.
macOS Gatekeeper blocks the binary — re-run the installer; it strips the com.apple.quarantine xattr. Apple Developer notarization is planned before mainnet.
SmartScreen warning on Windows — click "More info → Run anyway." EV Authenticode signing is planned before mainnet.
RPC unreachable — check DNS (dig testnet.asentum.com) and confirm you have outbound 443.