> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cardano-course.gitbook.io/cardano-course/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cardano-course.gitbook.io/cardano-course/handbook/create-a-stake-pool/generate-keys.md).

# Generating keys

First, you should register a stake pool using the following command:

```
cardano-cli stake-pool registration-certificate \
--cold-verification-key-file cold.vkey \
--vrf-verification-key-file vrf.vkey \
--pool-pledge <AMOUNT TO PLEDGE IN LOVELACE> \
--pool-cost <POOL COST PER EPOCH IN LOVELACE> \
--pool-margin <POOL OPERATOR MARGIN > \
--pool-reward-account-verification-key-file stake.vkey \
--pool-owner-stake-verification-key-file stake.vkey \
--testnet-magic 2 \
--pool-relay-ipv4 <RELAY NODE PUBLIC IP> \
--pool-relay-port <RELAY NODE PORT> \
--single-host-pool-relay STRING <The stake pool relay's DNS name that corresponds to an A or AAAA DNS record> \
--metadata-url https://git.io/JJWdJ \
--metadata-hash <POOL METADATA HASH> \
--out-file pool-registration.cert
```

## Generating the artifacts

You will now need to generate all the following artifacts:

| `payment.vkey`   | payment verification key         |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `payment.skey`   | payment signing key              |
| `payment.addr`   | funded address linked to `stake` |
| `stake.vkey`     | staking verification key         |
| `stake.skey`     | staking signing key              |
| `stake.addr`     | registered stake address         |
| `cold.skey`      | cold signing key                 |
| `cold.vkey`      | cold verification key            |
| `kes.skey`       | KES signing key                  |
| `kes.vkey`       | KES verification key             |
| `vrf.skey`       | VRF signing key                  |
| `vrf.vkey`       | VRF verification key             |
| `opcert.cert`    | operational certificate          |
| `opcert.counter` | issue counter                    |
| metadata url     |                                  |
| metadata hash    |                                  |

### Payment and stake key pairs

{% hint style="info" %}
WE WILL GENERATE KEYS IN OUR AIR-GAPPED MACHINE.
{% endhint %}

**Payment and stake keys**

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Using the Cardano CLI" %}
Generate payment keys:

```bash
cardano-cli address key-gen \
--verification-key-file payment.vkey \
--signing-key-file payment.skey
```

Generate stake keys:

```bash
cardano-cli stake-address key-gen \
--verification-key-file stake.vkey \
--signing-key-file stake.skey
```

Generate the payment address:

```bash
cardano-cli address build \
--payment-verification-key-file payment.vkey \
--stake-verification-key-file stake.vkey \
--testnet-magic 2 \
--out-file payment.addr
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="From the recovery phrase" %}
Generate a recovery phrase and save it to a file:

```
cardano-address recovery-phrase generate > recoveryphrase.txt
```

Get the root private key:

```
cat recoveryphrase.txt | cardano-address key from-recovery-phrase Shelley > root.prv
```

Generate the private and public keys for the index 0 address:

```
cardano-address key child 1852H/1815H/0H/0/0    < root.prv > payment-0.prv
cardano-address key public --without-chain-code < payment-0.prv > payment-0.pub
```

Convert the private key so that it can be used within the `cardano-cli`:

```
cardano-cli key convert-cardano-address-key \
--shelley-payment-key \
--signing-key-file payment-0.prv \
--out-file payment-0.skey
```

Get the public (verification) key compatible with the `cardano-cli`:

```
cardano-cli key verification-key \
--signing-key-file payment-0.skey \
--verification-key-file payment-0.vkey
```

Generate the stake keys:

```
cardano-address key child 1852H/1815H/0H/2/0 < root.prv > stake.prv
cardano-address key public --without-chain-code < stake.prv > stake.pub
```

Convert:

```
cardano-cli key convert-cardano-address-key \
--shelley-stake-key \
--signing-key-file stake.prv \
--out-file stake.skey
```

Get the extended verification key:

```
cardano-cli key verification-key \
--signing-key-file stake.skey \
--verification-key-file stake.evkey
```

Also, get the non-extended verification key:

```
cardano-cli key non-extended-key \
--extended-verification-key-file stake.evkey \
--verification-key-file stake.vkey
```

Finally, generate the payment address:

```
cardano-cli address build --testnet-magic 2 \
--payment-verification-key $(cat payment-0.pub) \
--stake-verification-key $(cat stake.pub) \
--out-file payment-0.address
```

Also, generate the stake address:

```
cardano-cli stake-address build --testnet-magic 2 \
--stake-verification-key-file stake.pub \
--out-file stake.address
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

{% hint style="info" %}
REQUEST FUNDS FROM THE FAUCET
{% endhint %}

### Cold keys

```
cardano-cli node key-gen \
--cold-verification-key-file cold.vkey \
--cold-signing-key-file cold.skey \
--operational-certificate-issue-counter-file opcert.counter
```

### Key evolving signature (KES) keys

```
cardano-cli node key-gen-KES \
--verification-key-file kes.vkey \
--signing-key-file kes.skey
```

### Verifiable random function (VRF) keys

```
cardano-cli node key-gen-VRF \
--verification-key-file vrf.vkey \
--signing-key-file vrf.skey
```

### Upload keys to the block-producing node

On the Block producer, run:

```
mkdir keys
```

Use a USB drive to bring `kes.skey vrf.skey` and `opcert.cert` to your working machine and from there, upload:

```bash
scp kes.skey vrf.skey opcert.cert username@host:/remote/directory
```

{% hint style="info" %}
DO NOT COPY **COLD KEYS** OR **PAYMENT KEYS** TO THE BLOCK PRODUCER OR RELAY NODES.
{% endhint %}