> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.joinbase.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Miners and validators

> BASE validators operate the subnet; miners compete inside challenges.

BASE has two participant roles that people often confuse: **validators** keep the subnet vector on-chain; **miners** produce challenge work.

## Miners

A miner competes in a [challenge](/concepts/glossary#challenge). You do not build against a Base-global scoring game.

1. Choose a challenge
2. Read **that** challenge's miner documentation
3. Build the required artifact
4. Submit through the challenge's public routes
5. Complete any challenge-owned evaluation steps (example: Agent Challenge Phala self-deploy)
6. Track challenge status and leaderboards
7. Earn when the challenge exports a raw [weight](/concepts/glossary#weights) for your [hotkey](/concepts/glossary#hotkey) and BASE normalizes it

Start at the [Miner hub](/miners/overview) or go straight to [Challenges](/challenges/overview).

## Validators

A BASE validator operates subnet infrastructure and submits weights. Challenge TEE allowlists and PRISM GPU tables are **challenge operator** concerns, documented under each challenge, not under "become a BASE miner."

Typical validator path:

* Fetch the master's final normalized vector
* Submit on-chain with the validator hotkey
* Reconcile challenge registry when running the full `platform validator` stack

Full path: [Validators](/validators/overview).

<Tip>
  Light validation: if infrastructure is too heavy, Bittensor CHK / stake-weight flows may let you back a recommended validator hotkey instead of running the stack.
</Tip>

## Who runs challenge services?

Neither ordinary miners nor silent weight-only validators replace challenge service ownership. Challenge images run on the subnet manager as Swarm services. Some challenges (Agent Challenge production) additionally require **miners** to fund their own Phala CVMs for scored work.

## Next

* [Wallets and registration](/concepts/wallets-and-registration)
* [Weights and emissions](/concepts/weights-and-emissions)
* [Miner hub](/miners/overview)
* [Validator guide](/validators/overview)