Pruning Modes
Erigon 3 supports four pruning modes that control how much chain history your node retains. Choose based on your use case — most users should run a Full Node.
| Pruning Mode | Flag | Data Retained | Primary Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
* Full Node | --prune.mode=full | State and block data within the EIP-8252 window (last 262,144 blocks, ~36 days) | General users, DApp interaction, fastest sync. |
| * Minimal Node | --prune.mode=minimal | State and block data within the last 100,000 blocks (~14 days) | Solo staking, users with constrained hardware, maximum privacy for sending transactions. |
| Historical Blocks | --prune.mode=blocks | All block/transaction history, plus state within the EIP-8252 window | Users needing historical block data for research or indexing. |
| Archive Node | --prune.mode=archive | All historical state and all blocks | Developers, researchers, and RPC providers requiring full historical state access. |
By default, Erigon run as a full node, to change its behavior use the flag --prune.mode <value>.
In order to switch type of node, you must first delete the /chaindata folder in the chosen --datadir directory and re-sync from scratch.
* Persisting receipts, which are pre-calculated receipts, increase the requests-per-second (RPS) and improve the latency and throughput of all receipts and logs-related RPC calls.
They are enabled by default for Minimal and Full Node. They can be activated or deactivated with the flag --persist.receipts <value> .
--prune.mode=full now follows the EIP-8252 reorg-retention window. In v3.4, full mode pruned only pre-merge block data (EIP-4444 history-expiry) and kept all post-merge block bodies, transactions, and receipts, with a 100,000-block state-history window. In v3.5 it retains just the last 262,144 blocks (~36.4 days) for both state and block data, matching EIP-8252's REORG_RETENTION_WINDOW. The state-history window therefore grows (100,000 → 262,144), but block bodies and receipts older than 262,144 blocks are now pruned — a full node will no longer serve them.
--prune.mode=blocks is unaffected for block data (it still keeps every block back to genesis); only its History window bumps from 100,000 to 262,144. --prune.mode=minimal is unchanged — both Blocks and History retain the 100,000-block window. Existing datadirs upgrade automatically on first start — Erigon rewrites the persisted mode and logs the transition, no operator action required. But already-pruned block data cannot be recovered: if you need to keep all post-merge blocks, switch to --prune.mode=blocks before upgrading. See #21342 for details.
Archive node
Ethereum's state refers to account balances, contracts, and consensus data. Archive nodes retain all historical state and require more disk space. However, Erigon 3 has consistently reduced the disk space requirements for running an archive node, rendering it more affordable and accessible to a broader range of users.
Archive are ideal for extensive research on the blockchain, developers, researchers, and RPC providers requiring a complete history of the state.
Full node
The default configuration in Erigon 3 is a Full Node. This setup is designed to offer significantly faster sync times and reduced resource consumption for daily operations compared to other clients. It maintains state and block data within the EIP-8252 reorg-retention window — the last 262,144 blocks (~36.4 days), the inactivity-leak-bounded non-finality window across which an execution-layer client must be able to reconstruct state to handle any reorg without external sync. Older blocks, receipts, and state history are pruned. See EIP-8252 for the rationale behind the constant.
We strongly recommend running a Full Node whenever possible, as its reduced disk space requirements make it suitable for the majority of users. By running a Full Node, you directly support the network's decentralization, resilience, and robustness, aligning with Ethereum's distributed ethos.
Minimal node
The Minimal Node configuration (--prune.mode=minimal) is the smallest possible setup. It keeps only recent blocks and the latest state — it does not retain state history, so historical state queries are not supported. This makes it perfectly suited for solo staking and users seeking maximum privacy when interacting with the EVM, such as sending transactions directly through their node. This mode is the most suitable for users with severely constrained hardware.
Blocks node
The Blocks Node configuration (--prune.mode=blocks) keeps the full block and transaction history — every block back to genesis — while pruning state history. It retains state only within the EIP-8252 window (the last 262,144 blocks), the same state-retention as a Full Node, but unlike a Full Node it never prunes older blocks. This suits users who need complete historical block and receipt data — for research, indexing, or block explorers — without paying the disk cost of an archive node's full historical state.