Getting Started

1. Introduction

The Guardian is an open-source platform that streamlines the creation, management, and verification of digital environmental assets. It leverages a customizable Policy Workflow Engine and Web3 technology to ensure transparent and fraud-proof operations, making it a key tool for transforming sustainability practices & carbon markets.

Below are the universal software prerequisites, followed by network-specific items.

2. Prerequisites

2.1 Universal software

1. Git – source-control tooling

2. Docker – one-command build & run (recommended)

3. MongoDB v6, Node.js v24.15+, and NATS 2.9.25 – auto-provisioned when using Docker Compose

4. IPFS storage (choose one):

   • Storacha account – IPFS pinning service (formerly Web3.Storage)

   • Filebase account – S3-compatible IPFS pinning

   • Local IPFS node (e.g., Kubo) – auto-provisioned when using Docker Compose

5. Valkey – in-memory cache & message broker (auto-provisioned by the Docker stack)

2.2 Hedera network

	Testnet (default)	Mainnet (production)
Account	Create via Hedera Developer Portal	Create via Hedera-enabled wallet (e.g., HashPack)
Key type	ED25519	ED25519
Network	testnet	mainnet

Fees: Mainnet operations incur HBAR costs—fund your account before running Guardian.

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3. Preparing a Mainnet Account & Keys

1. Install a Hedera-enabled wallet (e.g., HashPack).

2. Create a Mainnet account and note the Account ID (0.0.x).

3. Export the ED25519 key pair

   • HashPack path: Settings → Manage Accounts → Export Private Key (DER format).

4. Update your .env

   HEDERA_NET=mainnet
   HEDERA_OPERATOR_ID=0.0.123456
   HEDERA_OPERATOR_KEY=-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY----- … -----END PRIVATE KEY-----

4. Preparing a Testnet Account & Keys

1. Create a Testnet account via the Hedera Developer Portal.

2. Record your Account ID (0.0.x).

3. Download the ED25519 private key (ignore ECDSA)

   • Select DER Encoded — do not choose HEX Encoded.

4. Update your .env

   HEDERA_NET=testnet
   HEDERA_OPERATOR_ID=0.0.987654
   HEDERA_OPERATOR_KEY=-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY----- … -----END PRIVATE KEY-----

5. Installation

1. Docker-Compose

   docker compose -f ./deploy/docker-compose.yml --profile all up -d

   (Detects Testnet/Mainnet from .env)

2. Pre-built containers — pull hashgraph/guardian:latest and supply .env as a secret.

3. Manual build — clone repo, install Node deps, compile, start services.

6. Troubleshooting

• Server not starting? Ensure that Docker is running and all containers are up.

• Cannot access the admin dashboard? Check if the correct ports (3000) are open and not blocked by your firewall.

• Issues with API calls? Verify that your Hedera account ID and private key are correctly configured in the .env file.

• For additional help, visit the Hedera Guardian GitHub Issues.

7. Additional Resources

• Hedera Guardian Documentation

• Hedera Developer Portal

• Roadmap

• Youtube Channel

8. Feedback and Support

• Please send feedback, feature, and support requests to [e-mail]

• You can also open issues and feature requests in the GitHub repository.

9. Legal and Licensing

• Hedera Guardian is open-source and licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. Please review the LICENSE file for more details.