Codex

Deploying a Codex Node on Akash Network

Nasrudin

Jun 17, 2025 • 3 min read

Codex is a decentralised storage protocol designed to persist data durably and reliably across a distributed storage network.

Akash Network, on the other hand, is a decentralised compute marketplace, where users can buy and sell compute power using an SDL-based deployment model.

While you can run a Codex node on your local device by simply following the guides available at docs.codex.storage, it is also possible to deploy a node on Akash Network’s decentralised compute platform, offloading the task of running a node from your local device without relying on a centralised cloud provider.

This is a natural integration, as Codex needs a distributed network of compute nodes that can store and serve files, and Akash Network provides infrastructure where those nodes can live.

Together, both platforms can create a fully decentralised stack for file storage and sharing, all without relying on centralised servers.

In a recent Codex Learn-Up session, the team looked at how to deploy a Codex node operating in Altruistic Mode on Akash Network.

Watch the video below or read further for a brief overview of the process:

Deploying Codex Using SDL Builder

The demo followed a hands-on deployment using Akash’s SDL Builder interface. The team started with a Codex node deployment template, which they customised to run as a basic testnet node operating in Altruistic Mode.

First, they imported a YAML configuration (SDL file) that described the Codex deployment. You can find this file in the Awesome-Akash repository here. This file specifies compute resources, container images, exposed ports, and startup commands.

Various tweaks to the environment variables and command arguments were required, and the team navigated issues with unexpected argument behaviour by simplifying the deployment and creating a minimal setup to validate the ability for a basic node configuration to run on the platform.

The team tested the node by accessing its debug endpoint once the node was live. Seeing a healthy DHT (Distributed Hash Table) confirmed that the Codex node was participating in the network and discovering peers.

Interacting With the Codex Node on Akash Network

After the node was successfully deployed, the team was able to retrieve files stored on the network by entering the appropriate CID.

However, this proved difficult to manually enter through the SDL Builder console, and it is much easier to simply SSH into the Akash deployment and enter console commands by navigating with the node externally from a local terminal.

In a future learn-up, we will cover how to set up your Akash instance for SSH and remote into your Codex node via a local terminal.

This will allow you to easily interact with your Codex node on Akash, upload files to the network, and retrieve files with your Akash node using their CID.

Durable Storage Running on Distributed Compute

This integration is a major step towards demonstrating the viability of decentralised infrastructure as an alternative to centralised cloud storage.

By decoupling storage and compute from centralised servers, projects like Codex and Akash Network are laying the foundation for a permissionless internet stack that is resilient, censorship-resistant, and durable.

Going forward, the Codex team will look at how to improve the process of deploying a node on Akash Network, and as it rolls out its incentivised testnet, deployments will begin to interact with an open and automated storage marketplace where storage providers can charge fees to users without intermediaries.

Codex currently supports a non-incentivised, peer-to-peer sharing mode known as Altruistic Mode, which allows users to share files directly without remuneration or guarantees of persistence.

The network is open to anyone who wants to join. Get involved, run a node, and experiment with building applications that leverage durable, decentralised storage.

To run a Codex node locally, you can use the simple Codex Installer CLI app to install Codex, run a node, and join the public testnet, or visit docs.codex.storage for more advanced deployment options.

If you would like to run a Codex node on Akash Network’s decentralised compute platform, you can use the Codex node template file in the Awesome-Akash repository.