Run a cluster with MEV-Boost
Charon is in an early alpha state and is not ready to be run on mainnet.
Charon's integration with MEV-Boost is also in an alpha state and requires a non-trivial amount of configuration to get working successfully. In future this process aims to be much more automated and seamless from the users perspective.
This quickstart guide focuses on configuring the builder API for a validator and assumes you already have a cluster up and running.
Getting started with Charon & the Builder API
Running a distributed validator cluster with the builder API enabled will give the validators in the cluster access to the builder network. This builder network is a network of "Block Builders" who work with MEV searchers to produce the most valuable blocks a validator can propose. MEV-Boost is a product from flashbots that enables you to ask multiple block relays (who communicate with the "Block Builders") for blocks to propose. The block that pays the largest reward to the validator will be signed and returned to the relay for broadcasting to the wider network. The end result for the validator is generally an increased APY as they receive some share of the MEV.