> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://zugchain.gitbook.io/zugchain/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://zugchain.gitbook.io/zugchain/validator-operations/requirements-and-overview.md).

# Requirements & Overview

### <mark style="color:$primary;">Validator Operations</mark>

Institutional-grade deployment suite for the ZugChain network. Features auto-architecture detection for seamless x86\_64 and ARM64 infrastructure integration. Whether you are an experienced DevOps engineer or setting up a node for the very first time, this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.

{% hint style="info" %}
Linux Exclusivity: *This deployment suite and its core tools are designed exclusively for Linux environments. We strongly recommend a fresh installation of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS. If you are using Windows or macOS, please read the "Windows & macOS Setup Guides" on the left menu before proceeding.*
{% endhint %}

### <mark style="color:$primary;">Hardware Requirements</mark>

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><mark style="color:$primary;">Minimum Specification</mark></td><td>Compute: 4 Cores / 8GB RAM | Storage &#x26; Net: 500GB SSD / 100Mbps</td></tr><tr><td><mark style="color:$primary;">Recommended (Production)</mark></td><td>Compute: 8 Cores / 32GB+ RAM | Storage &#x26; Net: 2TB NVMe / 1Gbps</td></tr></tbody></table>

### <mark style="color:$primary;">Staking Protocol</mark>

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><mark style="color:$primary;">Minimum Stake</mark></td><td>32,000 ZUG. Validator funds are locked in the Beacon Chain contract. Exit period is approximately 27 hours (5 epochs).</td></tr><tr><td><mark style="color:$danger;">Ejection Balance (Critical)</mark></td><td>16,000 ZUG. If your validator goes offline and suffers inactivity penalties dropping your balance to 16000 ZUG, you will be forcibly ejected from the network.</td></tr></tbody></table>