# Download the Latest Blockchain

A running node requires up-to-date blockchain database for operation. You can download and manually deploy the latest database rather than synchronizing your blockchain state. In this case you will skip execution of transactions (validation of signatures, balances etc.) that happens during normal node operation or importing blockchain from binary file.

To download and manually deploy the latest blockchain database, complete the following steps:

Download the blockchain_last.tar archive containing the latest database from one of the trusted links below (current state from nodes.wavesnodes.com).

Mainnet: http://blockchain.wavesnodes.com/ (opens new window)

Testnet: http://blockchain-testnet.wavesnodes.com/ (opens new window)

Stagenet: http://blockchain-stagenet.wavesnodes.com/ (opens new window)

Warning: Download the blockchain database only from a trusted source. Databases from unknown sources may contain incorrect data or balances.

Approximate size of the latest database is 48 Gb (in June 2020).
Run the checksum with some tool to test files (checksum of the blockchain_last.tar file should be the same as inside blockchain_last.tar.SHA1SUM file).
Empty the existing data folder.

Linux

sudo rm -rdf /var/lib/waves/data.

By default the blockchain data is stored in data folder in base application directory.
Unpack the database files in the data folder.

Linux

tar -xvf blockchain_last.tar -C /var/lib/waves/data
Alternative downloading and unpacking method (Linux)

Traditional downloading and unpacking method requires much disc space. In some cases the disc space is only enough for the blockchain itself and very little extra. Linux users can save disc space by using one of the following commands to unpack the archive during the downloading, so that the unpacked database files will be saved on disc without storing the archive.

If the node is installed from DEB package, run the following commands:
```
cd /var/lib/waves
sudo -u waves bash -c "wget -qO- http://blockchain.wavesnodes.com/blockchain_last.tar --show-progress | tar xf -"
```
If the node is running from a JAR file, navigate to the data folder where the node's database is stored and run the following command:
```
wget -qO- http://blockchain.wavesnodes.com/blockchain_last.tar --show-progress | tar xf -
```