# Geth Ethereum

Geth Ethereum is a self-hosted crypto currency app. Geth is the official Go implementation of the Ethereum protocol. It is open source and self-hosted, installable on Docker Hub and Unraid.

Canonical page: https://ourlocalhost.com/app/60/geth-ethereum

## Description

Geth is the official Go implementation of the Ethereum protocol. It runs a full Ethereum node, syncs chain data, and exposes JSON-RPC (Remote Procedure Call) endpoints for wallets, applications, and staking integrations. It is a solid choice for homelab users who need a mature, actively maintained Ethereum client.

## Platform availability

Available on 2 of 9 platforms: Unraid, Helm.

## Health score

76/100 (Good), based on 4 of 4 factors.
- Maintained: 100 (last commit 17 days ago)
- Popular: 94 (51,390 GitHub stars)
- Easy to install: 45 (2 install platforms, install notes, Docker image)
- Light to run: 20 (16 GB minimum RAM, runs on ARM)

## Links

- Documentation: https://geth.ethereum.org
- Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/ethereum/client-go/
- Official website: https://geth.ethereum.org
- Unraid: https://ca.unraid.net/apps/geth-ethereum-1t00r3y0yxrtzu?q=geth-ethereum
- GitHub: https://github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum

## Common questions

### Do I need a consensus client in addition to Geth?

Geth is the execution client that handles transactions and smart contract execution. Run it alongside a consensus client to make the machine an Ethereum node.

### Which Geth flags should I set first for a private network to avoid joining the wrong chain?

Set --datadir to tell Geth where to store chain files and --networkid to choose the network. Without these settings, Geth may create a blank database or join the wrong chain.

### What should I test after starting Geth to make sure external apps can use it?

Check the JSON-RPC endpoint with a block-number request. If it does not answer, apps that need to talk to Geth will get connection failures.

### Can Geth keep all historical state instead of pruning old state?

Yes, Geth can run as an archive node that retains all historical state. By default it runs as a full node.

## Alternatives

- Bitcoin: Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer digital currency.
- Cardano-Node: Cardano Node is the official node client that lets a self-hosted server join the Cardano blockchain network.
- Zcash: Zcash is the first open, permissionless cryptocurrency that can fully protect the privacy of transactions using zero-knowledge cryptography.

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Source: Our Local Host (https://ourlocalhost.com/app/60/geth-ethereum), the self-hosted and open-source app directory.