How to Install Insight-api on Ubuntu 18.04

[Antti Kaikkonen]

1) Update your server

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

2) Install some tools and dependencies

sudo apt install npm
sudo apt install build-essential
sudo apt install libzmq3-dev

3) Download Dash-core

cd ~
wget https://github.com/dashpay/dash/releases/download/v0.14.0.5/dashcore-0.14.0.5-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
tar -xvzf dashcore-0.14.0.5-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
rm dashcore-0.14.0.5-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz

4) Install https://github.com/dashevo/dashcore-node

sudo npm install -g @dashevo/dashcore-node

5) Create a configuration for your node

dashcore-node create mynode

7) Install insight-api service

cd mynode
dashcore-node install @dashevo/insight-api

8) Change datadir and exec

nano dashcore-node.json

Change the value of "datadir" to "../.dashcore"
Change the value of "exec" to "../dashcore-0.14.0/bin/dashd"

9) Run it

dashcore-node start

For me it started synchronizing in 5-10 minutes and finished in 1-2 hours.

 

[strophy]

Thanks @Antti Kaikkonen !! I have worked through this and confirmed the process works as advertised. I'd like to include this in the official documentation, since there are a few conflicting instructions floating around on the internet. Is there a way we can modify this so that it doesn't run with root privileges? Would this help remove the manual changes you make in step 8? Also can we add steps to install the UI and block explorer?

@Obusco do you have a few comments here as well? What should a standard install look like? Can we fix the dependency error in steps 5/6?

 

[Antti Kaikkonen]

@strophy the manual changes are required because the version 4.0.0 is not available in https://www.npmjs.com/package/@dashevo/dashcore-node. If 4.0.0 was available then I think step 4 could also be replaced with

npm install -g @dashevo/dashcore-node

. I think I tried installing with the latest version in the npm repository (3.0.6) but didn't manage to get it working.

I don't think I have the time to work on this this month but maybe next month.

 

[Antti Kaikkonen]

https://www.npmjs.com/package/@dashevo/dashcore-node has finally been updated to 4.0.0.

This made installing insight-api much easier. Changed the tutorial to reflect these changes.

Is there a way we can modify this so that it doesn't run with root privileges?

It should now work with any user, but sudo privileges are required.

Also the tutorial says 18.04 but I think it should also work on 16.04 (untested).

 

[strophy]

Thanks for the update @Antti Kaikkonen

I was finally able to get this working without any fancy tricks. I've added your guide to the documentation and extended it with optional steps to install the Insight UI block explorer as well. Thanks a lot for your help!

https://docs.dash.org/en/latest/developers/insight.html