Polygon (MATIC) nodes are essential for developers and validators operating on the Polygon blockchain. It serves as a scaling solution for Ethereum, addressing issues like high gas fees and low transaction bandwidth. Polygon is compatible with Ethereum and its layer-2 solutions via bridges, allowing users to interact with the blockchain using RPC endpoints.

It has its own developed infrastructure, with DeFis, dApps, tokens, and NFTs, and its node structure is quite unique compared to other networks.

Types of Polygon nodes

Polygon features several node types, each serving specific functions. Let’s now look closer at each.

Heimdall node

Heimdall is the Polygon validator layer, allowing users to validate the network state and earn rewards by staking MATIC tokens by using Heimdall nodes. It ensures transactions are sent to the Ethereum network, validating it and ensuring its functionality as an Ethereum scaling solution.

Bor node

Bor is the Polygon block production layer. Validators operating on Bor nodes can participate in this process based on the amount of MATIC they stake, earning rewards for each block generated. Both Bor and Heimdall software are needed for Polygon validation, so they are usually used together.

Full (archive) node

A Polygon full node contains all historical transactions since the network’s launch and updates very often, requiring significant storage and computational resources. As the blockchain grows, the full node becomes larger and larger.

Pruned node

To avoid overcomplication, blockchain users can deploy a pruned node, which is an optimized version of a full node, retaining essential historical data while removing less relevant information.

Light node

Still, for most development and exploring purposes, a Polygon light node is enough. It contains only the blockchain software and the latest transactions in the network, while earlier ones are validated using full nodes. Therefore, it enables users to use all blockchain’s functionalities without large expenses.

Sentry node

A sentry node combines the functions of Heimdall and Bor nodes, participating in validation and block creation. It is a full node with both Bor and Heimdall nodes software installed and properly set ports, so it can participate in Polygon validation and send it on Ethereum together with the validator node.

Validator nodes

Polygon validator nodes are similar to sentry nodes but connect directly with Ethereum, using Ethereum RPCs instead of Polygon. They are used to validate the Polygon transactions and connect them to Ethereum, ensuring the stable functioning of Polygon as a L2 scaling solution.

Therefore, Polygon validators need to run both of them.

Running a Polygon node

To run a Polygon node, users need an RPC MATIC endpoint and a coding environment for making blockchain requests. Usually, they also need hardware powerful enough to run the Polygon software and the transaction history, with a stable Internet connection and configured ports to proceed with requests.

GetBlock simplifies this process by providing access tokens and guides for making RPC calls. Instead of setting up their own hardware and servers, users can just get their RPC access token and use it in their applications.

Polygon full node requirements

Running a full node requires extensive computational capacities, as it means storing and proceeding with a large amount of data. The official Polygon Foundation requirements are at least 4 CPUs/cores, 16 GB of RAM, and from 2.5 to 5 terabytes of SSD memory.

Polygon validator node requirements

Becoming a Polygon validator requires compliance to its official guidelines. Here is the short summary of these requirements.

• Meeting all hardware requirements for running a full node.

• Having two machines that meet them to run both sentry and validator nodes.

• Having the Polygon and Ethereum RPC endpoints.

• Opening and configuring machines’ ports.

• Downloading Polygon snapshots.

• Installing RabbitMQ software for node management.

• Installing Bor and Heimdall services on both machines.

• Following the best practices and recommendations when running a node.

These nodes also require robust hardware and software literacy, as validators stake MATIC and maintain the network state. Therefore, they should understand how the network works and which methods are crucial for its steady functioning.

GetBlock offers a variety of Polygon and Ethereum RPC nodes for different purposes, including shared and dedicated options. Developers can get a free RPC for personal usage or order a paid node service for scaling their applications.

Dedicated Polygon nodes

A dedicated Polygon node is a personal server for communicating with the blockchain, operating at maximum speed and able to process thousands of requests instantly. Such nodes are indispensable for large-scale dApps and services used by thousands of customers. They can handle all their requests without compromising speed or connection quality.

For example, GetBlock offers dedicated nodes that are fully private and have unlimited requests and speed. Their price starts from $600/month, with enterprise solutions for large-scale operations handling tens of thousands of clients each day are also available.

Making MATIC RPC calls

To make a MATIC RPC node call, users need the node RPC endpoint. It can be obtained from GetBlock for free: it can handle 40,000 requests per day with the maximum speed of 60 requests per second. To get it, use the algorithm below.

1. Register at GetBlock using email or the MetaMask wallet address.

2. Proceed to the dashboard and select MATIC in the node list below.

3. Select Mainnet network and JSON-RPC API.

4. Get a unique access token that can be used to access the blockchain.

After obtaining the RPC, different Polygon methods can be directly integrated in the application’s code to call the blockchain when necessary. For example, the eth_accounts method can be used to retrieve the wallet addresses connected to the endpoint.

Polygon node rewards

Along with its 99.99% uptime guarantee and transparent pricing, GetBlock now offers tasty rewards for those purchasing its shared nodes plans. New users can receive a 30–50% discount within the first 7 days after registration.

Paid shared node solutions start at $29/month, offering up to 100 million requests per month with a 200 RPS speed, while unused requests are automatically moved to the next month if the subscription is renewed.

Conclusion

Therefore, Polygon nodes are crucial for various applications, from developing dApps to validating the blockchain. There are different types of them for these purposes: while light nodes are enough for development, blockchain validation requires the usage of full nodes with Bor and Heimdall software on them.

GetBlock offers tailored RPC node solutions for developers, validators, and traders, allowing them to scale their projects efficiently. By choosing the right Polygon node and setting it up using the node’s RPC endpoint, users can explore, develop, and contribute to the growth of the Polygon ecosystem.