From zero to active.
Learn the ciphernode model, run a node on Sepolia, and prepare an operator for mainnet participation.
What you’ll be able to do
Each section answers a different operator question. Move through them in order, or jump directly to the task you need.
Build the mental model
See how E3s, committees, DKG, FHE, and threshold decryption fit together.
Run the software
Rehearse a complete ciphernode setup on Sepolia before committing capital.
Prepare the operator
Separate keys, validate configuration, and understand the onchain activation path.
Enter the protocol
Bond FOLD, register, add tickets, and verify that the operator is eligible.
Operate responsibly
Keep requirements, lifecycle states, contracts, and CLI commands close at hand.
Stay current
Use official Interfold docs and live contracts as the authority for volatile values.
One confidential computation, end to end
A ciphernode is not the machine doing the application computation. It is part of the committee that collectively establishes encryption and decryption authority for an E3.
Operator path at a glance
The sequence is progressive, but the reference layer stays available whenever you need to verify a detail.
Read the docs in order
Start with the mental model, rehearse the software, activate the onchain position, then keep the reference pages nearby while you operate.
Start here
See the complete route from understanding a ciphernode to operating one responsibly.
Why ciphernodes?
Understand the trust problem, threshold cryptography, committee formation, and why “encrypted” is not the same as “decentralized.”
Run your first node
Use Sepolia to install the CLI, create credentials, configure contracts, verify your setup, and start the process.
Become active
Separate your operator and bond-owner roles, bond FOLD, register the operator, add tickets, and verify active status.