Erigon is a high-performance Ethereum client written in Go. It is aimed at developers, node operators and advanced users who want to run their own Ethereum node on a Windows PC instead of relying on a third-party API. The program is free and open source, and the project publishes a ready-made Windows build or installer, so you can start without compiling from source.
The main thing to plan for is storage. Erigon keeps its chaindata directory in the tens of gigabytes, and an archive mainnet node used about 22 GB of chaindata. Pruning modes let you trade historical data for disk space. This guide explains what the client does, how to install and run it, and how it compares with other Ethereum clients in the catalog.
What Is Erigon and Who Is It For?
An Ethereum client is the software that connects your computer to the Ethereum network, downloads blocks, checks them against protocol rules and keeps a local copy of the chain. Erigon is one such client, built in Go with performance as a central goal.
It is not a wallet for everyday payments and it does not present balances in a friendly interface. Its audience is closer to infrastructure users: developers who need a private node for testing applications, operators who run services that depend on blockchain data, and researchers who want to query historical state.
If you only want to send ETH to a friend, a browser wallet is a better fit. If you need your own endpoint to read from the chain, Erigon is worth evaluating.
Real-World Use Cases for a Self-Hosted Ethereum Node
Running your own node means you do not have to rely on a remote provider for answers about the chain. A small team building an internal dashboard might point its queries at a local Erigon instance, so reads stay under the team's control.
Consider an analyst who wants every balance change for a set of addresses across several years. An archive configuration keeps the historical state needed for that kind of query, while a minimal node would not answer it. Another example is a developer who wants a realistic copy of mainnet state to test a contract before deployment.
The trade-offs are real. A node takes time to sync, uses disk space that grows over time, and needs someone to keep an eye on it. For occasional lookups, a managed service may be simpler.
Key Terms Behind Ethereum Node Storage
Chaindata is the database where a client stores the blocks and state it has verified. Its size depends on what the node keeps. A full copy of recent state is much smaller than a complete archive of every historical value.
State refers to the current account balances and contract storage at a given point. History refers to how that state changed over time. Pruning is the process of discarding parts of this history that you do not need, which reduces disk use but limits the questions the node can answer about the past.
Understanding these terms helps you choose a storage profile before you sync, rather than discovering the trade-off after the drive is full.
Key features
Hardware Planning Guidance
Pruning Modes
Command-Line Reference
Default Ports and Security
JSON-RPC, GraphQL and gRPC Access
Prometheus and Grafana Dashboards
Upgrades and Snapshot Formats
Supported coins
The documentation names Ethereum (ETH) as the network Erigon is built to run. The client is focused on that chain, so you should not expect it to sync several unrelated blockchains from the same installation.
How to install Erigon on Windows
- 1
Choose Your Source
Open the official website or the GitHub Releases page for Erigon and download only from there. Pick the Windows build or installer that matches your system. Avoid mirrors and file-sharing sites, even ones that look identical to the original release.
- 2
Verify the File
Compare the SHA-256 checksum or signature published on the release page with the file you downloaded. If the values do not match, delete the file and download it again from the same page before you run anything.
- 3
Install or Unpack
Run the Windows installer, or extract the binary to a folder you can find later. Use a short, simple path and make sure your Windows account has write access to the folder where the node will keep its files.
- 4
Prepare the Data Drive
Choose a drive with plenty of free space. Chaindata reaches tens of gigabytes, and an archive mainnet node used about 22 GB, so plan for growth rather than the size you see on day one.
- 5
Start the Node with Flags
Open a terminal in the install folder and launch Erigon with the flags you need. Use the command-line reference to set the data directory and pruning mode. The project recommends a --batchSize value of 1G or less to keep database growth under control.
-
Optional: Docker and Monitoring
If you prefer containers, the documentation describes a Docker setup. Once the node runs, you can follow the Prometheus and Grafana guide to add dashboards. The docs also cover Linux, macOS and ARM installation options.
System requirements
- Free disk space in the tens of gigabytes; an archive mainnet node used about 22 GB of chaindata
- Hardware guidance for disk, RAM, CPU and bandwidth is published in the project documentation
How to use Erigon
Once Erigon is installed, the basic workflow is to pick a data directory, choose a pruning mode, start the node and let the first sync finish. The steps below follow the order most operators use.
- Decide how much history you need: archive keeps the most, while full and lighter modes keep less.
- Set the data directory on a drive with room to grow, not just enough space for today.
- Start the node from a terminal, passing the flags you chose from the command-line reference.
- Let the initial sync complete, and check disk usage periodically to confirm growth is within your plan.
- Use JSON-RPC, GraphQL or gRPC from your own tools to query the node locally.
- Optionally connect Prometheus and Grafana so you can watch metrics as the node runs.
For a first run, a smaller pruning mode is a practical choice. You can always switch later, but check the upgrade notes before changing storage settings on an existing node.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source
- A ready-made Windows build or installer is available
- Several pruning modes let you balance historical data against disk space
- JSON-RPC, GraphQL and gRPC interfaces support application integration
- Prometheus and Grafana guidance supports ongoing monitoring
- Documentation covers flags, ports, security and upgrades
- Chaindata grows to tens of gigabytes, and archive nodes need careful planning
- Focused on Ethereum, so it is not a multi-chain tool
- Command-line setup is a barrier for users who are not comfortable with terminals
- Requires ongoing attention to disk space and version upgrades
- Not a wallet, so it will not handle everyday coin transfers for you
Is Erigon safe?
Download Erigon only from the official website or its GitHub Releases page, and avoid copies hosted elsewhere. After downloading, compare the SHA-256 checksum or verify the signature against the values published with the release. A mismatch means the file should be discarded. Erigon is a node client, not a wallet, and no legitimate node software needs your seed phrase. Never type a seed phrase into a website, a chat or a program that asks for one. Deleting the chaindata folder forces a full resync, so do that only on purpose. Before installing, confirm the latest version on the official website.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/erigontech/erigon. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Erigon sits alongside several Ethereum clients in the catalog, and the right choice depends on what you want to run. Geth is the official Go implementation of the Ethereum protocol, so it is the reference point many tools are tested against. Erigon is also written in Go, but it has its own storage design and pruning profiles aimed at operators who manage disk use closely. Nethermind is an execution client built on .NET, which suits teams already working in that ecosystem. Nimbus is a lightweight consensus client, so it addresses a different part of the stack. OpenEthereum, the former Parity client, is closed and is not a practical choice today. Ganache is a personal blockchain for development rather than a mainnet node.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v20201.01.02
- Last update
- 31 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/erigontech/erigon
Frequently asked questions
Erigon is open source and distributed through its official GitHub Releases page. Safety depends mostly on where you get the file. Download only from the official source, check the SHA-256 checksum or signature, and never enter a seed phrase into a website. Those steps cover most of the practical risk.
Yes. Erigon is free and open source, and its Windows build or installer is available without a purchase. Your real costs are hardware, disk space and the bandwidth needed to sync and keep the node online.
Plan for tens of gigabytes of chaindata. The project notes that an archive mainnet node used about 22 GB, and the database keeps growing over time. Leave extra free space, consider a lighter pruning mode if you do not need full history, and use the recommended batch size flag to keep growth under control.
An archive node keeps the complete historical state, so it can answer questions about past balances and contract storage at earlier blocks. A full node keeps recent state and discards much older history, which saves disk space. The blocks and minimal modes trim data further, so pick the mode that matches the queries you need.
The documentation names Ethereum (ETH) as the supported network. Erigon is built around that chain, so it is not a tool for syncing several unrelated blockchains. If you need another network, look for a client designed specifically for it.
Yes. The documentation describes creating a dashboard with Prometheus and Grafana. Prometheus collects metrics from the node, and Grafana displays them as charts. Setting this up early gives you a clear view of sync progress and resource use.
Read the upgrade notes in the documentation before replacing the binary. They explain how versions and snapshot formats change, so you know whether existing data can be reused. Back up your configuration files first, then stop the node, replace the program and restart it.
Verdict
Erigon suits developers and operators who want a free, self-run Ethereum node on Windows and are comfortable with command-line tools. Its pruning modes, API interfaces and monitoring guidance give you real control over how the node stores and serves data. It is less suitable if you want a simple wallet or do not have spare disk space. Start with a test sync, watch storage growth over a few days, and decide from there.