lnd.xprv/docs/INSTALL.md

Installation for lnd and btcd

If Glide isn't installed, install it:

$ go get -u github.com/Masterminds/glide

Install lnd:

$ cd $GOPATH
$ git clone https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd $GOPATH/src/github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd
$ cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd
$ glide install
$ go install . ./cmd/...

Install btcutil: (must be from roasbeef fork, not from btcsuite)

$ go get -u github.com/roasbeef/btcutil

Install btcd: (must be from roasbeef fork, not from btcsuite)

$ cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/roasbeef/btcd
$ glide install
$ go install . ./cmd/...

Start btcd (will create rpc.cert and default btcd.conf):

$ btcd --testnet --txindex --rpcuser=kek --rpcpass=kek

Before you'll be able to use lnd on testnet, btcd needs to first fully sync the blockchain. Depending on your hardware, this may take up to a few hours.

(NOTE: It may take several minutes to find segwit-enabled peers.)

While btcd is syncing you can check on it's progress using btcd's getinfo RPC command:

$ btcctl --testnet getinfo
{
  "version": 120000,
  "protocolversion": 70002,
  "blocks": 1114996, 
  "timeoffset": 0,
  "connections": 7,
  "proxy": "",
  "difficulty": 422570.58270815,
  "testnet": true,
  "relayfee": 0.00001,
  "errors": ""
}

Additionally, you can monitor btcd's logs to track its syncing progress in real time.

You can test your btcd node's connectivity using the getpeerinfo command:

$ btcctl --testnet getpeerinfo | more

Start lnd: (once btcd has synced testnet)

$ lnd --bitcoin.active --bitcoin.testnet --debuglevel=debug --externalip=X.X.X.X

If you'd like to signal to other nodes on the network that you'll accept incoming channels (as peers need to connect inbound to initiate a channel funding workflow), then the --externalip flag should be set to your publicly reachable IP address.

Simnet Development

If doing local development, you'll want to start both btcd and lnd in the simnet mode. Simnet is similar to regtest in that you'll be able to instantly mine blocks as needed to test lnd locally. In order to start either daemon in the simnet mode add the --bitcoin.simnet flag instead of the --bitcoin.testnet flag.

Another relevant command line flag for local testing of new lnd developments is the --debughtlc flag. When starting lnd with this flag, it'll be able to automatically settle a special type of HTLC sent to it. This means that you won't need to manually insert invoices in order to test payment connectivity. To send this "special" HTLC type, include the --debugsend command at the end of your sendpayment commands.

$ lnd --bitcoin.active --bitcoin.simnet --debughtlc

Create an lnd.conf (Optional)

Optionally, if you'd like to have a persistent configuration between lnd launches, allowing you to simply type lnd --bitcoin.testnet --bitcoin.active at the command line. You can create an lnd.conf.

On MacOS, located at: /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Lnd/lnd.conf

On Linux, located at: ~/.lnd/lnd.conf

Here's a sample lnd.conf to get you started:

[Application Options]
debuglevel=trace
debughtlc=true
maxpendingchannels=10
profile=5060
externalip=128.111.13.23
externalip=111.32.29.29

[Bitcoin]
bitcoin.active=1
bitcoin.rpchost=localhost:18334

Notice the [Bitcoin] section. This section houses the parameters for the Bitcoin chain. Also lnd also supports Litecoin, one is able to also specified (but not concurrently with Bitcoin!) the proper parameters, so lnd knows to be active on Litecoin's testnet4.

Accurate as of:

roasbeef/btcd commit: 54362e17a5b80643ef1e12edc08895a2e2a1202b

roasbeef/btcutil commit: d347e49

lightningnetwork/lnd commit: d7b36c6