> ## 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.

# Configuration

> Every validator config field, its default, and where it comes from.

The validator reads a YAML config. Start from `config/validator.example.yaml`
and edit the network and validator blocks. Defaults below come from
`ValidatorSettings` and `NetworkSettings`
(`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:10-52`).

## Network block

The network block sets identity and chain connection
(`config/validator.example.yaml:1-8`,
`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:10-17`):

| Key              | Default    | Source                                       |
| ---------------- | ---------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `name`           | `platform` | `settings.py:11`, `validator.example.yaml:2` |
| `netuid`         | `100`      | `settings.py:12`, `validator.example.yaml:3` |
| `chain_endpoint` | `null`     | `settings.py:13`, `validator.example.yaml:4` |
| `wallet_name`    | `default`  | `settings.py:14`, `validator.example.yaml:5` |
| `wallet_hotkey`  | `default`  | `settings.py:15`, `validator.example.yaml:6` |
| `wallet_path`    | `null`     | `settings.py:16`, `validator.example.yaml:7` |
| `master_uid`     | `0`        | `settings.py:17`, `validator.example.yaml:8` |

## Validator block

The validator block controls the registry reconcile loop and the weight submit
loop (`config/validator.example.yaml:15-22`,
`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:41-52`):

| Key                         | Default                          | Purpose                      | Source                                        |
| --------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `registry_url`              | `https://chain.platform.network` | Registry the validator reads | `settings.py:42`, `validator.example.yaml:16` |
| `registry_retry_seconds`    | `15`                             | Reconcile retry interval     | `settings.py:43`, `validator.example.yaml:17` |
| `weights_url`               | `null`                           | Weights source override      | `settings.py:44`, `validator.example.yaml:18` |
| `weights_interval_seconds`  | `360`                            | Submit loop interval         | `settings.py:45`, `validator.example.yaml:19` |
| `weights_timeout_seconds`   | `15.0`                           | Weights fetch timeout        | `settings.py:46`, `validator.example.yaml:20` |
| `weights_retries`           | `3`                              | Weights fetch retries        | `settings.py:47`, `validator.example.yaml:21` |
| `weights_freshness_seconds` | `720`                            | Max vector age before skip   | `settings.py:48`, `validator.example.yaml:22` |

### Weights URL resolution

`weights_url` defaults to `null`. When it is null, the validator fetches weights
from `registry_url`. The `resolved_weights_url` property returns `weights_url`
when set, otherwise `registry_url`
(`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:50-52`).

## Database block

The validator config includes a database URL using the asyncpg driver
(`config/validator.example.yaml:24-25`):

```yaml theme={"dark"}
database:
  url: postgresql+asyncpg://platform:<password>@postgres.platform.svc.cluster.local/platform
```

## Observability block

Logging defaults to JSON output (`config/validator.example.yaml:35-38`,
`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:112-115`):

| Key                 | Default              | Source                                         |
| ------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `log_json`          | `true`               | `settings.py:113`, `validator.example.yaml:36` |
| `sentry_dsn`        | `null`               | `settings.py:114`, `validator.example.yaml:37` |
| `otel_service_name` | `platform-validator` | `validator.example.yaml:38`                    |

## Delegation instead of self-hosting

If running the validator stack is too demanding, you can delegate validation
power with Bittensor CHK / stake-weight check to the recommended validator
hotkey, rather than running this stack yourself
(`config/validator.example.yaml:10-13`).

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Running a validator" icon="play" href="/validators/running">
    Apply the config and start the runtime.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Weight setting" icon="scale-balanced" href="/validators/weight-setting">
    How the cadence values drive submissions.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>