| `--log-file` | Full path to the log file. Example (mind file permissions): <br/>`./monerod --log-file=/var/log/monero/mainnet/monerod.log`
| `--log-level` | `0-4` with `0` being minimal logging and `4` being full tracing. Defaults to `0`. These are general presets and do not directly map to severity levels. For example, even with minimal `0`, you may see some most important `INFO` entries. Temporarily changing to `1` allows for much better understanding of how the full node operates. Example: <br/>`./monerod --log-level=1`
| `--max-log-file-size` | Soft limit in bytes for the log file (=104850000 by default, which is just under 100MB). Once log file grows past that limit, `monerod` creates next log file with a `-YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM-SS` UTC timestamp postfix. In production deployments, you would probably prefer to use established solutions like logrotate instead.
| `--config-file` | Full path to the configuration file. By default `monerod` looks for `bitmonero.conf` in Monero [data directory](/interacting/monerod/overview/#data-directory). TODO: describe configuration file syntax.
| `--data-dir` | Full path to data directory. This is where the blockchain, log files, and p2p network memory are stored. For defaults and details see [data directory](/interacting/monerod/overview/#data-directory).
| `--detach` | Go to background (decouple from the terminal). This is useful for long-running / server scenarios. Typically, you will also want to manage `monerod` daemon with systemd or similar. By default `monerod` runs in a foreground.
| `--non-interactive` | Do not require tty in a foreground mode. Helpful when running in a container. By default `monerod` runs in a foreground and opens stdin for reading. This breaks containerization because no tty getss assigned and `monerod` process crashes. You can make it run in a background with `--detach` but this is inconvenient in a containerized environment because the canonical usage is that the container waits on the main process to exist (forking makes things more complicated).
| `--no-igd` | Disable UPnP port mapping on the router ("Internet Gateway Device"). Add this option to improve security if you are **not** behind a NAT (you can bind directly to public IP or you run through Tor).
| `--max-txpool-size arg` | Set maximum transactions pool size in bytes. By default 648000000 (~618MB). These are transactions pending for confirmations (not included in any block).
| `--enforce-dns-checkpointing` | The emergency checkpoints set by [MoneroPulse](/infrastructure/monero-pulse.md) operators will be enforced. It is probably a good idea to set enforcing for unattended nodes. <br/><br/>If encountered block hash does not match corresponding checkpoint, the local blockchain will be rolled back a few blocks, effectively blocking following what MoneroPulse operators consider invalid fork. The log entry will be produced: `ERROR``Local blockchain failed to pass a checkpoint, rolling back!` Eventually, the alternative ("fixed") fork will get heavier and the node will follow it, leaving the "invalid" fork behind.<br/><br/>By default checkpointing only notifies about discrepancy by producing the following log entry: `ERROR``WARNING: local blockchain failed to pass a MoneroPulse checkpoint, and you could be on a fork. You should either sync up from scratch, OR download a fresh blockchain bootstrap, OR enable checkpoint enforcing with the --enforce-dns-checkpointing command-line option`.<br/><br/>Reference: [source code](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/blob/22a6591a70151840381e327f1b41dc27cbdb2ee6/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp#L3614).
| `--disable-dns-checkpoints` | The [MoneroPulse](/infrastructure/monero-pulse.md) checkpoints set by core developers will be discarded. The checkpoints are apparently still fetched though.
| `--p2p-bind-ip` | Network interface to bind to for p2p network protocol. Default value `0.0.0.0` binds to all network interfaces. This is typically what you want. <br/><br/>You must change this if you want to constrain binding, for example to configure connection through Tor via torsocks: <br/>`DNS_PUBLIC=tcp://1.1.1.1 TORSOCKS_ALLOW_INBOUND=1 torsocks ./monerod --p2p-bind-ip 127.0.0.1--no-igd--hide-my-port`
| `--p2p-bind-port` | TCP port to listen for p2p network connections. Defaults to `18080` for mainnet, `28080` for testnet, and `38080` for stagenet. You normally wouldn't change that. This is helpful to run several nodes on your machine to simulate private Monero p2p network (likely using private Testnet). Example: <br/>`./monerod --p2p-bind-port=48080`
| `--p2p-external-port` | TCP port to listen for p2p network connections on your router. Relevant if you are behind a NAT and still want to accept incoming connections. You must then set this to relevant port on your router. This is to let `monerod` know what to advertise on the network. Default is `0`.
| `--hide-my-port` | `monerod` will still open and listen on the p2p port. However, it will not announce itself as a peer list candidate. Technically, it will return port `0` in a response to p2p handshake (`node_data.my_port = 0` in `get_local_node_data` function). In effect nodes you connect to won't spread your IP to other nodes. To sum up, it is not really hiding, it is more like "do not advertise".
| `--seed-node` | Connect to a node to retrieve other nodes' addresses, and disconnect. If not specified, `monerod` will use hardcoded seed nodes on the first run, and peers cached on disk on subsequent runs.
| `--add-priority-node` | Specify list of nodes to connect to and then attempt to keep the connection open. <br/><br/>To add multiple nodes use the option several times. Example: <br/>`./monerod --add-priority-node=178.128.192.138:18081 --add-priority-node=144.76.202.167:18081`
| `--add-exclusive-node` | Specify list of nodes to connect to only. If this option is given the options `--add-priority-node` and `--seed-node` are ignored. <br/><br/>To add multiple nodes use the option several times. Example: <br/>`./monerod --add-exclusive-node=178.128.192.138:18081 --add-exclusive-node=144.76.202.167:18081`
| `--out-peers` | Set max number of outgoing connections to other nodes. By default 8. Value `-1` represents the code default.
| `--in-peers` | Set max number of incoming connections (nodes actively connecting to you). By default unlimited. Value `-1` represents the code default.
| `--limit-rate-up` | Set outgoing data transfer limit [kB/s]. By default 2048 kB/s. Value `-1` represents the code default.
| `--limit-rate-down` | Set incoming data transfer limit [kB/s]. By default 8192 kB/s. Value `-1` represents the code default.
| `--limit-rate` | Set the same limit value for incoming and outgoing data transfer. By default (`-1`) the individual up/down default limits will be used. It is better to use `--limit-rate-up` and `--limit-rate-down` instead to avoid confusion.
| `--offline` | Do not listen for peers, nor connect to any. Useful for working with a local, archival blockchain.
| `--allow-local-ip` | Allow adding local IP to peer list. Useful mostly for debug purposes when you may want to have multiple nodes on a single machine.
| `--max-concurrency` | Max number of threads to use for a parallel jobs. The default value `0` uses the number of CPU threads.
| `--prep-blocks-threads` | Max number of threads to use when computing block hashes (PoW) in groups. Defaults to 4. Decrease this if you don't want `monerod` hog your computer when syncing.
| `--bootstrap-daemon-address` | The host:port of a "bootstrap" remote open node that the connected wallets can use while this node is still not fully synced. Example:<br/>`./monerod --bootstrap-daemon-address=opennode.xmr-tw.org:18089`. The node will forward selected RPC calls to the bootstrap node. The wallet will handle this automatically and transparently. Obviously, such bootstraping phase has privacy implications similar to directly using a remote node.
| `--bootstrap-daemon-login` | Specify username:password for the bootstrap daemon login (if required). This considers the RPC interface used by the wallet. Normally, open nodes do not require any credentials.
#### Mining
The following options configure **solo mining** using **CPU** with the standard software stack `monerod`. This is mostly useful for:
* generating your [stagenet](/infrastructure/networks#stagenet) or [testnet](/infrastructure/networks#testnet) coins
* experimentation and learning
* if you have super cheap access to vast CPU resources
Be advised though that real mining happens **in pools** and with high-end **GPU-s** instead of CPU-s.
| `--start-mining` | Specify wallet address to mining for. **This must be a [main address](/public-address/main-address)!** It can be neither a subaddres nor integrated address.
| `--mining-threads` | Specify mining threads count. By default ony one thread will be used. For best results, set it to number of your physical cores.
| `--extra-messages-file` | Specify file for extra messages to include into coinbase transactions.
| `--bg-mining-enable` | Enable unobtrusive mining. In this mode mininig will use a small percentage of your system resources to never noticeably slow down your computer. This is intended to encourage people to mine to improve decentralization. That being said chances of finding a block are diminishingly small with solo CPU mining, and even lesser with its unobtrusive version. You can tweak the unobtrusivness / power trade-offs with the further `--bg-*` options below.
| `--bg-mining-ignore-battery` | If true, assumes plugged in when unable to query system power status.
| `--bg-mining-min-idle-interval` | Specify min lookback interval in seconds for determining idle state.
| `--fluffy-blocks` | Relay compact blocks. Default. Compact block is just a header and a list of transaction IDs.
| `--no-fluffy-blocks` | Relay classic full blocks. Classic block contains all transactions.
| `--show-time-stats` | Official docs say "Show time-stats when processing blocks/txs and disk synchronization." but it does not seem to produce any output during usual blockchain synchronization.
| `--zmq-rpc-bind-ip` | IP for ZMQ RPC server to listen on. This is not widely used as ZMQ interface currently does not provide meaningful advantage over classic JSON-RPC interface.
| `--zmq-rpc-bind-port` | Port for ZMQ RPC server to listen on. Defaults to `18082`, or `28082` for testnet, or `38082` for stagenet.
| `--db-type` | Specify database type. The default and only available: `lmdb`.
| `--version` | Shows `monerod` version to stdout. Example: <br/>`Monero 'Lithium Luna' (v0.12.3.0-release)`
| `--os-version` | Shows build timestamp and target operating system. Example output:<br/>`OS: Linux #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Aug 24 12:48:58 UTC 2018 4.18.5-arch1-1-ARCH`.
