Intro to Core Lightning Node

Guides
1

Core Lightning Node (officially created and maintained by Blockstream)

How do I set up Core Lightning?

Firstly, you can install Core Lightning from the app store on your Umbrel!

Then here’s a great tutorial via Blockstream’s Twitter:

Catch this quick demonstration on getting started with @Core_LN on @umbrel to learn:

🔒 How to send #Bitcoin to your node
🏞 Channel openings with peers
🍻 How to get inbound liquidity using @Boltzhq

Setting up a Core Lightning Node on Umbrel, Video by Blockstream on YouTube

— Blockstream (@Blockstream) June 30, 2023

Using Core Lightning and Accessing the Core Lightning command line

A Core Lightning node running c-lightning / Core Lightning is a separate Lightning Node implementation by Blockstream vs LND by Lightning Labs

Balances won’t reflect as it’s a different node, you can run them simultaneously on Umbrel

If you want to interact and access the Core Lightning command line, you run commands interacting with lightningd - basically what is running in your LIGHTNINGDIR for Core Lightning on Umbrel

Referencing steps on How to SSH

SSH into Umbrel and run this command first (you only have to do this once):

sudo /umbrel/scripts/app compose core-lightning exec lightningd lightning-cli -lightning-dir=/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd

Then you can access the Core Lightning lightning-cli commands like this by prepending the following to all commands, and replacing with the command you’d like to run:

sudo ~/umbrel/scripts/app compose core-lightning exec lightningd lightning-cli <command>

Backing up a Core Lightning node

c-lightning/Core Lightning nodes don’t have a seed phrase exactly, they operate by interacting with a file called hsm_secret

You can see the process of backing up Core Lightning here: https://lightning.readthedocs.io/BACKUP.html

We recommend being confident in performing a recovery before storing any significant amount in any Lightning Node

1 Like
2

This is a great guide!

I was trying to run the lightning-hsmtool command to generate a hsm_secret file using seed words of my own, and I can’t seem to make it work. The command processes for a moment, then just goes back to the directory. Any ideas?

I am following this guide, but they are on Linux, not umbrel: https://youtu.be/fvB1SmY-y98?si=2792DXMcZUiH4Qd4&t=673

This is the command I am running:

~/umbrel/scripts/app compose core-lightning exec lightningd lightning-hsmtool generatehsm hsm_secret

Second question: Permission is being denied when trying to sudo cd into ~/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd/bitcoin. I can access using ‘sudo su,’ but is there a way to access that folder normally?

Thanks!

3

The Referencing steps on How to SSH link is 404.

4

it’s here good sir: Official Umbrel Troubleshooting Guide and FAQ

5

I just installed CL from the app store but I get a password prompt when I try to open it. I haven’t set up any password and I don’t see any default password on the app store page. What can I do? Thanks!