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User Guide

1. What Beaconcha Tools Is

Beaconcha Tools is an operator workstation for Ethereum validators:

  • runtime monitoring (Beacon + Execution heads, duties, rewards, incidents)
  • validator inventory and action eligibility
  • action workflows (0x00 -> 0x01, convert, consolidate, exits, partial withdraw preflight)
  • key management integration through Keymanager API
  • unified diagnostics and incident timeline

The product is designed to work with public RPC providers and without running your own node.

2. Startup and Access

2.1 Startup flow

On first launch, the access window verifies:

  • daemon connectivity
  • local cache storage access
  • runtime payload validity
  • release channel reachability

Next is enabled only after required checks are successful.

2.2 Identity and local password

During onboarding:

  1. Enter validator index or validator pubkey.
  2. Verify validator identity against Beacon API.
  3. Set a local password for lock/unlock.

The local password protects UI access and is independent from validator signing/withdrawal secrets.

3. Main Navigation

Overview

Core operational dashboard with:

  • Beacon/Execution heads
  • runtime mode and failover status
  • incident pulse trend
  • full validator inventory cards

Inventory cards expose:

  • validator index and pubkey
  • withdrawal credentials type (0x00/0x01/0x02)
  • withdrawal address
  • current and effective balances
  • lifecycle state (active/pending/exiting/exited/slashed)
  • action eligibility with block reasons

Duties

Shows proposer and sync committee context:

  • next proposer slot
  • ETA to duty
  • safe maintenance window

Use this screen before maintenance/restarts.

Rewards

Shows:

  • balance deltas (1h/24h/7d)
  • missed attestation counters and streak
  • balance history curve for selectable interval

Operations

Action Center for:

  • 0x00 -> 0x01 sign/submit
  • batch 0x00 -> 0x01
  • consensus voluntary exit
  • execution-layer action submit with preflight (convert, consolidate, top_up, full_exit, partial_withdraw)
  • validator keypair generation for operational testing flows

Always run dry-run first before any live submit.

Key Mgmt

Keymanager API section for:

  • list/import/delete keystores
  • list/import/delete remote signer keys

Requires [keymanager].endpoints configured in daemon config.

RPC Health

Endpoint health matrix:

  • score
  • latency
  • success/failure counters
  • last error

Use it to decide endpoint rotation and failover remediation.

Incidents

Unified incident stream:

  • severity (info, warning, critical)
  • code
  • details and timeline

Use incident codes with docs/incident-playbooks.md.

Settings

Runtime and access controls:

  • theme switch
  • auto-lock timeout
  • lock now
  • reset access
  • manual retry
  • cache reset

Help

Built-in searchable instructions:

  • quick start runbooks
  • monitoring interpretation
  • action safety guides
  • key management guides
  • troubleshooting
  • FAQ and glossary
  • interactive first-run checklist

4. Error Handling Model

All operational failures should be shown via one system sheet:

  • clear human message
  • error code
  • technical details (expandable)
  • recovery actions (retry, copy diagnostics, open logs, reset state, report issue)

If an API request fails, the UI must stay recoverable and never dead-end on a blank screen.

5. Recommended Daily Routine

  1. Check runtime mode and heads in Overview.
  2. Confirm no fresh critical incidents.
  3. Review endpoint score trend in RPC Health.
  4. Check upcoming duties before planned maintenance.
  5. Review rewards deltas and missed-attestation streak.
  6. Only then execute Action Center operations with dry-run first.

6. Security Notes

  • Do not store withdrawal/validator private keys in plain text.
  • Keep custody domains separated where possible.
  • Export slashing protection before key migration/delete operations.
  • Keep auto-lock enabled on shared or unattended workstations.