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Client Installation and Configuration

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Philemon Ukane edited this page Aug 20, 2022 · 11 revisions

Client Installation and Configuration

Client Quick Start Installation

The DEX client can be installed in one of the following ways:

  1. Download the standalone DEX client for your operating system for the latest release on GitHub.
  2. Use Decrediton, the official graphical Decred wallet, which integrates the DEX client, and go to the DEX tab.
  3. Use the Decred command line application installer, dcrinstall, with the --dcrdex switch.
  4. Build the standalone client from source.

WARNING: If you decide to build from source, use the release-v0.5 branch, not master.

Sync Blockchains

Full nodes are NOT required to use DEX with BTC, DCR, or LTC. For Bitcoin, you can choose to create a native (built into the DEX client) BTC wallet by choosing the "Native" wallet type in the DEX client dialogs. A native DCR wallet is also available, but you may use Decrediton or dcrwallet running in SPV (light) mode for a more full-featured Decred wallet.

NOTE: The upcoming Ethereum wallet is also a native wallet that uses the standard light ethereum subprotocol (LES). However, ETH trading is not enabled in the current release and the wallet is not available in the default build.

Both LTC and BTC support external Electrum wallets, but this option is less mature and provides less privacy than the other wallet types. Be sure the wallet is connected to and synchronized with the network first, only the "default_wallet" is loaded, and its RPC server is configured (example).

If you choose to use full node wallets, you must fully synchronize them with their networks before running the DEX client. This refers to dcrd, bitcoind, litecoind, etc. Note that Bitcoin Core and most "clones" support block pruning, which can keep your blockchain storage down to a few GB, not the size of the full blockchain. Also, for good network fee estimates, the node should be running for several blocks.

Important Notes on Wallets

  • If you already have Decrediton installed, upgrade Decrediton before running dcrinstall.

  • If using external wallet software (e.g. Decrediton, dcrd+dcrwallet, bitcoind, Electrum, etc.), they must remain running while the DEX client is running. Do not shut down, lock, unlock, or otherwise modify your wallet settings while the client is running.

  • For Electrum, the wallet must be the "default_wallet". Only one Electrum wallet should be opened to ensure the correct one is accessed.

Client Configuration

These instructions assume you've used the Client Quick Start Installation. If you've used a custom installation for the client and/or blockchain software, adapt as necessary.

Prerequisites

External wallet software is not required for all assets. The native light wallets are the simplest and best option for most users. But if using external wallets, they should be running and synced before starting DEX. See the next section for a list of supported wallets and assets.

Unless you use Decrediton to start DEX, you will need a web browser to open the DEX client user interface as described in the next section.

Optional External Software

Depending on which assets you wish to use, you have different choices for wallet software. There are native/built-in light wallet options for Bitcoin and Decred, an external light wallet option for Litecoin, and full-node support for all other assets including: Bitcoin, Decred, Litecoin, ZCash, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash. The following release will include Ethereum support with a native light wallet.

  1. Bitcoin. The native wallet has no prerequisites. To use a Bitcoin Core full node wallet (bitcoind or bitcoin-qt), the supported versions are v0.21, v22, and v23. Descriptor wallets are not supported in v0.21. An Electrum v4.2.x wallet is also supported.
  2. Decred. The native wallet has no prerequisites. Alternatively, Decrediton or the dcrwallet command line application may be used in either SPV or full node (RPC) mode. The latest Decrediton installer includes DEX. If using a standalone dcrwallet, install from the v1.7.x release binaries, or build from the release-v1.7 branches.
  3. Litecoin. Either Litecoin Core v0.21.x or Electrum-LTC v4.2.x are supported.
  4. Dogecoin. Dogecoin Core v1.14.5+.
  5. ZCash. zcashd v5.1.
  6. Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin Cash Node v24+

Initial Setup

  1. Start the client. Either go to the "DEX" tab within Decrediton, or with the standalone client, open a command prompt in the folder containing the pre-compiled dexc client files and run ./dexc (dexc.exe on Windows).

  2. In your web browser, navigate to http://localhost:5758. Skip this step if using Decrediton.

  3. Set your new client application password. You will use this password to perform all future security-sensitive client operations, including registering, signing in, and trading.

  4. Choose the DEX server you would like to use. Either click one of the pre-defined hosts such as dex.decred.org, or enter the address of a known server that you would like to use.

    The above example shows a local server when in simnet mode (a developer network).

  5. The DEX server will show all offered markets, and a choice of assets with which to pay the one-time setup fee. (This is a nominal amount just to discourage abuse and maintain a good experience for all users. No further fees are collected on trades.) Select the asset you wish to use.

  6. Choose the type of wallet to use. In this screenshot, we choose a native BTC wallet and click "Create!". The wallet will begin to synchronize with the asset's network.

    NOTE: This is your own self-hosted wallet. The wallet's address keys are derived from the DEX application's "seed", which you may backup from the Settings page at any time.

  7. The next form will show you synchronization progress, and give you the first deposit address for the wallet and the minimum amount you should deposit to be able to pay the fee. After sending to your address, the transaction must confirm (i.e. be mined in a block) before the form will update your balance. This form will be skipped if the wallet is already funded and synchronized.

    IMPORTANT: This is your own local wallet, and you can send as much as you like to the wallet since only the amount required for the fee will be spent in the next step. The remaining balance will be available for trading or may be withdrawn later. In the case of the screenshot above, the form indicates that for the client to make a fee payment transaction for the amount of 0.001 BTC, the wallet should be funded with "at least 0.00100823 BTC to also cover network fees". For example, you can send yourself 5 BTC and only the required amount will be spent on the registration fee, with the remainder in the wallet's balance, which can then be traded or sent to another wallet. Since this fee estimate can change as network conditions fluctuate, you should deposit as much as you wish to trade.

  8. Once the wallet is synchronized and has at least enough to pay the server's defined fee, the form will update, and you should click the button to submit the registration request and transmit the fee amount.

  9. You will then be taken to the markets view, where you must wait for confirmations on your registration fee transaction generated in the previous step, at which time your client will automatically complete authentication with that server.

    Note the remainder of the 5 BTC deposited in the available balance after the fee was paid.

    While waiting, you may create additional wallets either directly from the displayed market or on the Wallets page accessible from the navigation bar at the top. This is also a good time to retrieve your application "seed", as described in the next step.

  10. At any time you can go to the Settings page via the "gears" icon in the top navigation bar to retrieve the application seed that was generated when initializing the application in the first dialog. This seed is used to restore your DEX accounts and any native wallets, so keep it safe.

  11. That's it! Use the Buy/Sell form on the Markets page to begin placing orders. Go to the Wallets page to obtain addresses for your wallets so that you can send yourself funds to trade.

Advanced Client Installation

Dependencies

  1. Go 1.18 or 1.19
  2. Node 16 or 18 is used to bundle resources for the browser interface. It's important to note that the DEX client has no external JavaScript dependencies. The client doesn't import any Node packages. We only use Node to lint and compile our own JavaScript and css resources.
  3. At least 2 GB of available system memory.

Build from Source

Build the web assets from client/webserver/site/.

Bundle the CSS and JavaScript with Webpack:

npm clean-install && npm run build

Build and run the client from client/cmd/dexc.

go build
./dexc

Connect to the client from your browser at localhost:5758.

While dexc may be run from within the git workspace as described above, the dexc binary executable generated with go build and the entire site folder can be copied into a different folder as long as site is in the same directory as dexc (e.g. /opt/dcrdex/dexc and /opt/dcrdex/site).

Docker

Build the docker image

docker build -t user/dcrdex -f client/Dockerfile .

Create docker volume

docker volume create --name=dcrdex_data

Run image

docker run -d --rm -p 127.0.0.1:5758:5758 -v dcrdex_data:/root/.dexc user/dcrdex
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