Enterprise Ethereum deployments typically require hours of manual configuration across genesis files, validator keys, and networking. According to Hyperledger Foundation's 2025 Annual Report, Besu adoption grew 38% year-over-year among enterprise users. This guide shows you how to create a fully configured Besu network with 4 validator nodes in under 2 minutes — no YAML editing required.
TL;DR: You can deploy a production-ready, 4-node Hyperledger Besu network with QBFT consensus in under 2 minutes using ChainLaunch's network wizard. The process handles validator key generation, genesis block creation, and node networking automatically — a task that traditionally takes hours of manual configuration.
Wondering whether Besu or Fabric is the right fit? Read our Hyperledger Fabric vs Besu comparison.
What You'll Deploy
By the end of this guide, you'll have:
- A 4-node Besu network using QBFT consensus
- Automatic validator key generation and management
- Pre-funded accounts with 1,000,000 ETH each
- Production-ready configuration with metrics enabled
- Genesis block automatically created
Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure you have:
- Operating System: macOS or Linux (Windows is not supported)
- Network Access: Internet connection to download ChainLaunch
- System Requirements: At least 4GB RAM, 10GB free disk space
Install ChainLaunch Pro
To install ChainLaunch Pro with advanced features:
export GITHUB_TOKEN="<your_github_token>"
curl -fsSL https://chainlaunch.dev/install-pro.sh | bashOr install the free version:
curl -fsSL https://chainlaunch.dev/install.sh | bashStart the Server
Once installed, start ChainLaunch with:
export CHAINLAUNCH_USER=admin
export CHAINLAUNCH_PASSWORD=admin123
chainlaunch serve --data=./chainlaunch-data --db=./chainlaunch.db --port=3100This will start the dashboard at http://localhost:3100.
Step 1: Log In to ChainLaunch
Navigate to your ChainLaunch instance and log in with your credentials.
After logging in, you'll see the dashboard with an overview of your blockchain infrastructure.
Step 2: Access the Create Network Wizard
Click the "+" button in the top right header to open the quick actions menu. You'll see options for creating both Fabric and Besu networks.
Select "Besu Create Network" to start the network creation wizard.
Step 3: Configure Basic Settings
The wizard starts with Step 1: Number of Nodes. Here you'll configure:
- Network Name: A unique identifier for your network (e.g.,
my-besu-network) - Number of Nodes: How many validator nodes to create (default is 4)
- Besu Version: The version of Hyperledger Besu to use
Enter your network name and click "Next" to proceed.
Step 4: Network Configuration
Step 2: Network Configuration shows the detailed network settings:
Key configuration options include:
- Consensus Algorithm: QBFT (Quorum Byzantine Fault Tolerance) - enterprise-grade consensus
- Validator Keys: Automatically generated for each node
- Chain ID: Network identifier (default: 1337)
- Block Period: Time between blocks (default: 5 seconds)
- Gas Limit: Maximum gas per block
Initial Allocations
Each validator receives an initial balance of 1,000,000 ETH, perfect for development and testing.
Click "Next" to proceed to node configuration.
Step 5: Nodes Configuration
Step 3: Nodes Configuration lets you customize each node's settings:
The wizard creates:
- 2 Bootnode + Validator nodes (Node 1 & 2)
- 2 Validator nodes (Node 3 & 4)
Each node is pre-configured with:
- Unique node names
- Assigned validator keys
- P2P and RPC endpoints
- Prometheus metrics enabled
You can expand each node to customize settings like:
- IP addresses (internal/external)
- Port configurations
- Metrics settings
- Boot nodes list
Click "Next" to review your configuration.
Step 6: Review and Create
Step 4: Review & Create shows a summary of your network:
Review the summary:
- Network Name: my-besu-network
- Number of Nodes: 4
- Chain ID: 1337
- Nodes: besu-my-besu-network-1 through besu-my-besu-network-4
Click "Create Network" to start the deployment.
Step 7: Network Creation
ChainLaunch creates all 4 nodes in parallel for maximum speed:
The status indicators show the progress for each node.
Step 8: Network Ready
Once complete, you're redirected to your new network's detail page:
Your Besu network is now ready with:
- Genesis block created status
- 4 validator addresses configured
- QBFT consensus active
- Network ID 1337 assigned
Step 9: Explore Your Network
The network detail page provides several tabs to explore and manage your network:
Genesis Tab
The Genesis tab displays the complete genesis block configuration in JSON format:
Here you can view and edit:
- Chain ID: Network identifier (1337)
- QBFT Configuration: Block period, epoch length, request timeout
- Gas Limit: Maximum gas per block
- Initial Allocations: Pre-funded account balances
- Extra Data: Encoded validator addresses
Validators Tab
The Validators tab shows the active validators on your network:
From this tab you can:
- View all 4 active validators with their addresses
- Switch nodes to perform validator operations from different nodes
- Manage Validators: Add or remove validators dynamically (QBFT supports on-chain voting)
- Copy validator addresses for use in your applications
Explorer Tab
The Explorer tab provides a built-in block explorer:
Features include:
- Latest Block: Shows current block height (blocks are produced every 5 seconds)
- Recent Blocks: Browse the last 5 blocks with pagination
- Block Search: Find blocks by number or hash
- View Details: Click any block to see transactions, gas usage, and more
Dashboard Overview
Back on the dashboard, you can see your new network and all its nodes running:
The dashboard now shows:
- 12 total nodes (including your 4 new Besu nodes)
- 3 networks (your new my-besu-network plus existing networks)
- All my-besu-network nodes with RUNNING status
What's Next?
Now that your Besu network is running, you can:
Connect Your Applications
const Web3 = require('web3');
const web3 = new Web3('http://localhost:8545');
// Check connection
web3.eth.getBlockNumber().then(console.log);Deploy Smart Contracts
Use Hardhat, Truffle, or Foundry to deploy contracts to your network. If you're working with Hyperledger Fabric instead, check out our guide on deploying chaincodes with AI assistance.
Monitor Your Network
Navigate to the Monitoring section in ChainLaunch to view:
- Node health status
- Block production metrics
- Transaction throughput
Add More Nodes
Need more capacity? Use the wizard to add additional validator or non-validator nodes.
Why QBFT Consensus?
ChainLaunch uses QBFT (Quorum Byzantine Fault Tolerance) by default because it offers:
- Immediate finality: Transactions are final once included in a block
- Enterprise-grade: Designed for permissioned networks
- Fault tolerant: Network continues with up to (n-1)/3 faulty nodes
- Performance: High throughput with low latency
QBFT replaced IBFT 2.0 as the recommended consensus protocol for Hyperledger Besu permissioned networks. For a deeper comparison of consensus mechanisms across blockchain platforms, see our Hyperledger Fabric vs Besu comparison.
For a breakdown of what enterprise blockchain development actually costs, see our Hyperledger development cost guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many validator nodes do I need for a Besu network?
QBFT requires a minimum of 4 validators to tolerate 1 faulty node (the formula is 3f + 1, where f is the number of faults). Four nodes is the default in ChainLaunch and the recommended starting point for development and testing environments.
Can I add nodes to a running Besu network?
Yes. QBFT supports dynamic validator management through on-chain voting. You can add or remove validators from the Validators tab without restarting existing nodes. ChainLaunch handles the proposal and voting process through its UI.
What's the difference between Besu and Hyperledger Fabric?
Besu is an Ethereum-compatible client best suited for EVM-based smart contracts and token use cases. Fabric uses a channel-based architecture designed for complex permissioned workflows. We've written a detailed comparison of Fabric vs Besu covering performance, use cases, and architecture differences.
How does ChainLaunch compare to manual Kubernetes deployments?
Manual Kubernetes setups for Besu typically involve writing Helm charts, configuring persistent volumes, managing secrets, and scripting genesis generation. ChainLaunch abstracts all of this into a guided wizard. For a cost and complexity breakdown, see our Kaleido vs ChainLaunch vs Kubernetes comparison.
Conclusion
What used to take hours of manual configuration now takes less than 2 minutes. The wizard handles validator key generation, genesis block creation, node configuration, and metrics setup automatically. With 4 validator nodes running QBFT consensus, you get immediate finality and Byzantine fault tolerance out of the box.
Whether you're building a proof of concept or preparing for production, this is the fastest path to a working Besu network. Pair it with ChainLaunch's AI-powered development tools to accelerate your smart contract workflow too.
Related guides: 8 Products to Deploy Hyperledger Besu | How Much Does Hyperledger Development Cost? | Kaleido vs ChainLaunch vs Kubernetes | Create a Hyperledger Fabric Network | Hyperledger Fabric vs Besu
Need help? Check out our documentation or reach out to our support team.