> ## 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.

# Validator quickstart

> Install, configure, and start a BASE validator from the CLI.

This is the fastest path to a running validator that submits weights on-chain
for netuid **100** (`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:12`).

## Prerequisites

* Python **3.12 or newer** (`pyproject.toml:5`).
* A Bittensor wallet (coldkey + hotkey) registered on netuid 100.
* The `platform` CLI installed with its bittensor extra (next step).

## Get started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install the validator">
    Install the package with the validator extra, which pulls in `bittensor>=9`
    (`pyproject.toml:40`).

    ```bash theme={"dark"}
    pip install 'platform-network[validator]'
    ```

    The install provides the `platform` command (`pyproject.toml:43`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create your config">
    Copy the example validator config and edit the wallet and network fields.

    ```bash theme={"dark"}
    cp config/validator.example.yaml config/validator.yaml
    ```

    The example sets `netuid: 100` and the validator loop defaults
    (`config/validator.example.yaml:1-22`). See
    [Configuration](/validators/configuration) for every field.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Point at the registry">
    `registry_url` defaults to `https://chain.platform.network`
    (`config/validator.example.yaml:16`). When `weights_url` is left null, the
    validator fetches weights from the same `registry_url`
    (`src/platform_network/config/settings.py:50-52`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the validator">
    Start the runtime. It reconciles challenges and submits weights on-chain
    (`src/platform_network/cli_app/main.py:834-854`).

    ```bash theme={"dark"}
    platform validator run --config config/validator.yaml
    ```

    The default config path is `config/validator.example.yaml`
    (`src/platform_network/cli_app/main.py:835`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm it is submitting">
    The submit loop runs every `weights_interval_seconds`, which defaults to
    **360 seconds** (`config/validator.example.yaml:19`,
    `src/platform_network/config/settings.py:45`). Watch the logs for weight
    submission. See [Monitoring](/validators/monitoring).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Verify the registry connection

Print the live registry the validator reads, to confirm connectivity
(`src/platform_network/cli_app/main.py:943-948`):

```bash theme={"dark"}
platform registry print --config config/validator.yaml
```

<Tip>
  If the validator infrastructure requirements are too high, you can delegate
  validation power with Bittensor CHK / stake-weight check instead of running this
  stack (`config/validator.example.yaml:10-13`).
</Tip>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Running a validator" icon="play" href="/validators/running">
    Runtime details and the two concurrent loops.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Weight setting" icon="scale-balanced" href="/validators/weight-setting">
    The cadence and the on-chain submit path.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>