> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.unitynodes.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Celestia Mainnet snapshot

Bootstrap a Celestia `celestia` mainnet node in minutes instead of a multi-day full sync.

<iframe src="https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/widget.html" width="100%" height="160" style={{ border: 'none', background: 'transparent', display: 'block' }} />

## What's inside

* `data/` folder from a live `celestia-appd v9.0.6` mainnet node running on **PebbleDB** with aggressive pruning (`custom` / `keep-recent=100` / `interval=19`, `min-retain-blocks=3000`, `indexer=null`).
* `snapshots/` sub-dir included so your node can immediately serve state-sync to peers.

**Download:** [snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/latest.tar.lz4](https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/latest.tar.lz4) - refreshed every 4 hours.

Full archive listing: [snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/](https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/)

Also available: [`genesis.json`](https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/genesis.json) · [`addrbook.json`](https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/addrbook.json)

<Warning>
  This is a **pruned** snapshot. It is meant for validators, full nodes and RPC endpoints that
  only need recent state. It cannot serve historical queries - for that you need an archive node.
</Warning>

## Restore

```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl stop celestia-appd && \
cp $HOME/.celestia-app/data/priv_validator_state.json $HOME/.celestia-app/priv_validator_state.json.backup && \
rm -rf $HOME/.celestia-app/data && \
(set -o pipefail; curl -fL https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/latest.tar.lz4 | lz4 -dc - | tar -xf - -C $HOME/.celestia-app) && \
mv $HOME/.celestia-app/priv_validator_state.json.backup $HOME/.celestia-app/data/priv_validator_state.json && \
sudo systemctl restart celestia-appd && \
sudo journalctl -u celestia-appd -fo cat
```

Each step runs only if the previous one succeeded, so a failed or cut download never restarts
`celestia-appd` on a partial `data/`. Your signing state then stays in
`~/.celestia-app/priv_validator_state.json.backup`: fix the cause and run the command again starting
from the `rm -rf` line.

<Warning>
  Do not skip the `priv_validator_state.json` backup step. That file records the last height and
  round your validator signed. Restoring somebody else's signing state - or an older copy of your
  own - is the classic way to double-sign and get slashed.
</Warning>

## Verify (optional)

```bash theme={null}
curl -fsSL -o snapshot.sha256 https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/latest.tar.lz4.sha256 && \
F=$(awk '{print $2}' snapshot.sha256) && \
curl -fL -o "$F" "https://snapshots.unitynodes.com/celestia-mainnet/$F" && \
sha256sum -c snapshot.sha256
```

The `.sha256` file is fetched first: it names the dated archive it belongs to, so the file you download is
always the one the checksum is for, even if a new snapshot is published during a long download. The last line should read `<archive name>: OK`.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How often is the snapshot updated?">
    Every **4 hours**. The last 2 snapshots are kept online.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What db backend?">
    `pebbledb` - Celestia's default since v9.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use this to bootstrap a validator?">
    Yes. The tarball contains only `data/`. There is no `config/` directory in it, so no
    `priv_validator_key.json`, no `node_key.json` and no keyring - your identity files are never
    overwritten by a restore. `data/priv_validator_state.json` is deliberately excluded too.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does the snapshot include state-sync chunks?">
    Yes. After restore, your node can also serve `state-sync` to downstream peers (`snapshot-interval=1500`, `snapshot-keep-recent=2`).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is the node stopped while the snapshot is taken?">
    Yes, briefly. The archive is a cold tar taken with `celestia-appd` stopped, so the database is
    never copied mid-write. Downtime is around 10-15 seconds per cycle.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>