Execute Commands Running Docker

In order to interact with the node's CLI commands, you need to be authenticated. This means that you need to access a shell within the Chainlink node's running container first. You can obtain the running container's NAME by running:

docker ps

The output will look similar to:

CONTAINER ID        IMAGE                     COMMAND                  CREATED             STATUS              PORTS                              NAMES
436882efd51d        smartcontract/chainlink   "./chainlink-launche…"   33 minutes ago      Up 21 minutes       6688/tcp, 0.0.0.0:6688->6688/tcp   chainlink

The last item, chainlink, is the name of the running container (using --name chainlink in your docker run command will give you a common name). Accessing a shell for this container is accomplished by running:

docker exec -it chainlink /bin/bash

This changes the prompt to something similar to:

root@436882efd51d:~#

You can now log in by running:

chainlink admin login

You will be prompted to enter your API Email and Password, and if successful, the prompt will simply appear again. You can check that you are authenticated by running:

chainlink jobs list

If no jobs have been added, you will receive the following output, otherwise, the list of added jobs will be returned:

╔ Jobs
╬════╬════════════╬════════════╬═══════╬
║ ID ║ CREATED AT ║ INITIATORS ║ TASKS ║
╬════╬════════════╬════════════╬═══════╬

Change your API password

In order to change your password, you first need to log into the CLI by running:

chainlink admin login

Use your API email and old password in order to authenticate.

Then run the following in order to update the password:

chainlink admin chpass

It will ask for your old password first, then ask for the new password and a confirmation.

Once complete, you should see a message "Password updated."

Use Named Chainlink Container

Instead of allowing Docker to generate a name for your running container for you, you can provide a name with the --name option in your run command. For example, without the --name option, docker ps could reveal a name like:

... NAMES
... cocky_austin

However, if we add --name chainlink to our run command, docker ps gives us:

... NAMES
... chainlink

This can be easily accomplished by using the following example run command:

cd ~/.chainlink-rinkeby && docker run --name chainlink -p 6688:6688 -v ~/.chainlink-rinkeby:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink local n

cd ~/.chainlink-kovan && docker run --name chainlink -p 6688:6688 -v ~/.chainlink-kovan:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink local n

cd ~/.chainlink && docker run --name chainlink -p 6688:6688 -v ~/.chainlink:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink local n

Running this the once will save the options provided so that you may easily start the named container in the future by running:

docker start -i chainlink

If you need to make changes to the run parameters or the environment file, first remove the named container by running:

docker rm chainlink

Then make your changes and use the longer docker run command again.

Use Password and API Files On Startup

The Chainlink node can be supplied with files for the wallet password and API email and password (on separate lines) on startup so that you don't need to enter credentials when starting the node. Following the pattern established in Running a Chainlink Node, you can create an API file by running the following:

echo "user@example.com" > ~/.chainlink-rinkeby/.api

echo "user@example.com" > ~/.chainlink-kovan/.api

echo "user@example.com" > ~/.chainlink/.api

Then add the password line by running:

echo "password" >> ~/.chainlink-rinkeby/.api

echo "password" >> ~/.chainlink-kovan/.api

echo "password" >> ~/.chainlink/.api

Create the password file by running the following:

echo "my_wallet_password" > ~/.chainlink-rinkeby/.password

echo "my_wallet_password" > ~/.chainlink-kovan/.password

echo "my_wallet_password" > ~/.chainlink/.password

Finally, in order to use the password and API files upon running the node, add -p /chainlink/.password -a /chainlink/.api to your run command, like so:

cd ~/.chainlink-rinkeby && docker run -p 6688:6688 -v ~/.chainlink-rinkeby:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink local n -p /chainlink/.password -a /chainlink/.api

cd ~/.chainlink-kovan && docker run -p 6688:6688 -v ~/.chainlink-kovan:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink local n -p /chainlink/.password -a /chainlink/.api

cd ~/.chainlink && docker run -p 6688:6688 -v ~/.chainlink:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink local n -p /chainlink/.password -a /chainlink/.api

Importing a Keystore

If you haven't ran the node before and want to import a key you can use the following command, where ./keystore.json is the path to the keystore file of your account.

chainlink local import ./keystore.json

If there is already a key in your database and you want to import another key, you will need to make sure that the same password unlocks all accounts.

Full example in detached mode

cd ~/.chainlink-kovan && docker run --restart=always  -p 6688:6688 -d --name kovan-primary -v ~/.chainlink-kovan:/chainlink -it --env-file=.env smartcontract/chainlink:0.9.4 local n -p /chainlink/.password