validator-setup

# Connecting Your Validator to Mallet

Mallet provides a secure, real-time control plane for your Jito BAM validator. By connecting your validator to Mallet, you can:

- Monitor logs and metrics in real-time.
- Execute safe management commands remotely.
- Manage plugins and configurations.

## Prerequisites

- A running Jito BAM Validator.
- Node.js installed on your validator server.
- A Mallet account (Sign in with Solana Wallet).

## Step 1: Get Your API Key

1. Sign in to [Mallet](https://mallet.bluefootlabs.com) using your Solana wallet.
2. Go to your **Profile** page.
3. Add your email address to generate an API Key.
4. Check your email for the welcome message containing your API Key.
   *Alternatively, you can reveal the key on your profile page after saving your email.*

## Step 2: Install the Mallet Agent

On your validator server, download the lightweight agent script:

```bash
curl -O https://mallet.bluefootlabs.com/mallet-agent.js
```

## Step 3: Run the Agent

Run the agent using your User ID (found on your profile) and API Key (optional for now, but recommended for future auth):

```bash
export MALLET_USER_ID="your-user-id-from-profile"
export MALLET_API_URL="wss://api.bluefootlabs.com"

node mallet-agent.js
```

## Step 4: Verify Connection

1. Go back to the Mallet Web Terminal.
2. You should see a "Validator Agent Connected" message.
3. Type `status` or `help` to interact with your validator.

## Security Note

The Mallet Agent is designed to be secure. It only executes allowlisted commands (in production) and communicates over an encrypted WebSocket connection. **Never share your API Key or User ID publicly.**