macOS Installation (Automated) ​

This guide describes how to install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot a DAC Blockchain Node on macOS using the official automated installer script.

INFO

This guide focuses on the automated installer script. If you prefer to manually download and run the node binary, please see the Manual Installation guide.

Features ​

The automated installer handles the entire setup process, including:

  • Architecture Auto-detection: Native support for Apple Silicon (arm64 - M1/M2/M3) and Intel (amd64).
  • Service Configuration: Installs the node as a system-wide LaunchDaemon that starts on boot and runs in the background.
  • Gatekeeper Bypass: Automatically removes the macOS com.apple.quarantine attribute from the downloaded executable, preventing Gatekeeper from blocking node execution.
  • Node Configurations:
    • Standard Node: Configured for Mainnet (stable channel) with standard resources.
    • Developer Node: Allows choosing between Mainnet (stable) and Testnet (dev), enabling HTTP JSON-RPC APIs (eth, net, web3), and selecting node storage types (Standard/Light, Full, or Archive).
  • Wallet & Mining Setup: Walks through creating a new mining wallet, password protection, keystore backups, and configuring the miner (--mine, --unlock, --miner.etherbase).
  • Global Status Utility: Installs dacnode-status in /usr/local/bin for real-time node monitoring.

Prerequisites ​

  • Operating System: macOS 10.15+ (Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, etc.).
  • Permissions: Administrator access (sudo).
  • Dependencies: Native terminal tools (curl).

Shared Data Directory Concept ​

Unlike Linux/Windows which place configuration files in user home folders, the macOS installer places all configuration in a shared system folder: /Users/Shared/DAC/

The LaunchDaemon runs as root, but the data directory is located in the shared path and configured with open permissions. This design prevents file permission issues:

  • You can run the node-attach console (dacnode attach) without using sudo.
  • You can read log files, check node status, or access keystores directly from your user account.

Installation Steps ​

  1. Download and Run the Installer Execute the wrapper script using curl in Terminal:

    bash
    curl -o dac-install.sh https://repo.dachain.tech/installer/install.sh && sudo bash dac-install.sh

  2. Select Installation Mode

    • 1) Standard Install (Recommended): Installs a Mainnet node.
    • 2) Developer / Advanced Install: Enables advanced network and API choices.

  3. Select Node Storage Type (Developer Mode + Mainnet only)

    • Standard / Light Node: Low storage footprint, fast synchronization.
    • Full Node: Full verification of all transactions (requires more storage).
    • Archive Node: Stores all historical state (huge storage requirements).

  4. Enable JSON-RPC API (Developer Mode only)

    • Offers to enable the HTTP RPC endpoint (http://0.0.0.0:8545).

    RPC Port Exposure

    Enabling RPC allows external apps to interact with your node. Secure your port 8545 using a firewall and do not expose it to the public internet.

  5. Configure Wallet & Mining (Mainnet only, and only if RPC is disabled)

    • If you choose to enable mining, the installer prompts you to set a password.
    • It writes the password securely to /Users/Shared/DAC/password.txt.
    • It creates a new account and outputs the public address (e.g., 0x...).

    ::: important Backup Keystore Back up the generated keystore file located in /Users/Shared/DAC/.dac/keystore/ immediately. :::

  6. System Service & Status Monitor

    • Installs the system-wide background launch daemon.
    • Installs the global dacnode-status command.
    • During the binary installation, you will see the following output informing you that Gatekeeper has been bypassed: Bypassing macOS Gatekeeper quarantine warning for unsigned binary...

Managing an Existing Installation ​

When you run the installer script on a machine where a DAC Node is already installed, it detects the LaunchDaemon plist and prompts you with a management menu:

1) Update Binary ​

  • Stops the io.dacnetwork.dacnode service.
  • Backs up the current binary to /usr/local/bin/dacnode.bak.
  • Detects your current network/channel and downloads the latest matching executable.
  • Bypasses Gatekeeper on the new binary.
  • Updates the status script and restarts the service.

2) Reconfigure ​

  • Reruns the interactive configuration wizard.
  • Allows you to rename your node, switch network mode (Mainnet <-> Testnet), change node storage types, toggle RPC settings, or adjust mining parameters.
  • Restarts the service with the new settings.

3) Uninstall ​

  • Safely stops and unloads the LaunchDaemon service.
  • Deletes the plist service file, the dacnode executable, and the status command.
  • Renames the data directory /Users/Shared/DAC to a timestamped backup folder (e.g., /Users/Shared/DAC_backup_20260626120000/) to prevent data loss.

4) Check Node Status ​

  • Invokes the status monitor tool to inspect sync state and peer connections.

Post-Installation File Structure ​

  • Service Executable: /usr/local/bin/dacnode
  • Data Folder: /Users/Shared/DAC/
  • Environment Settings: /Users/Shared/DAC/environment (defines starting flags like MINER_FLAGS and RPC_FLAGS)
  • Startup Launcher: /Users/Shared/DAC/start.sh
  • Keystore Directory: /Users/Shared/DAC/.dac/keystore/
  • LaunchDaemon plist: /Library/LaunchDaemons/io.dacnetwork.dacnode.plist
  • Console Log: /var/log/dacnode.log
  • Error Log: /var/log/dacnode.err

Verification & Troubleshooting ​

Service Commands

You can start and stop the background service using launchctl:

  • Start: sudo launchctl start io.dacnetwork.dacnode
  • Stop: sudo launchctl stop io.dacnetwork.dacnode
  • Monitor Node Logs:
    bash
    tail -f /var/log/dacnode.log
  • Monitor Error Logs:
    bash
    tail -f /var/log/dacnode.err
  • Verify Daemon Status:
    bash
    sudo launchctl list | grep dacnode
  • Check Sync Status:
    bash
    dacnode-status
    For more details on the status monitor, see the Status Monitor guide.