Roll back a node update

Rollback installs the Rusk and Rusk Wallet versions pinned by an older node-installer release. Use it only when that software still supports the active network.

Caution

Do not roll back across a protocol activation unless Dusk explicitly instructs operators to do so. An incompatible node can stop following the network, and an archive database migration may not support downgrade.

Before rollback

Record the current state and preserve intentional configuration:

ruskquery version
ruskquery info | jq '{version, chain_id, kadcast_address}'
ruskquery peers
ruskquery block-height
systemctl is-active rusk

Confirm that the failure is caused by the installed release. A stalled or corrupt state normally requires re-sync, not older software.

Rollback regenerates the same managed files as an upgrade, including rusk.toml and the systemd unit. It preserves consensus keys, protected service environment files, and chain state, but it does not restore an older database snapshot.

Install a pinned release

Set the node-installer release approved for rollback:

INSTALLER_VERSION="vX.Y.Z"

Use the command matching the node’s existing network and role. The installer stages and verifies downloads before stopping Rusk, so do not stop the service first.

Mainnet provisioner or full node

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSfL \
  "https://github.com/dusk-network/node-installer/releases/download/${INSTALLER_VERSION}/node-installer.sh" \
  | sudo bash

Mainnet archive node

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSfL \
  "https://github.com/dusk-network/node-installer/releases/download/${INSTALLER_VERSION}/node-installer.sh" \
  | sudo bash -s -- --feature archive

Testnet provisioner or full node

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSfL \
  "https://github.com/dusk-network/node-installer/releases/download/${INSTALLER_VERSION}/node-installer.sh" \
  | sudo bash -s -- --network testnet

Testnet archive node

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSfL \
  "https://github.com/dusk-network/node-installer/releases/download/${INSTALLER_VERSION}/node-installer.sh" \
  | sudo bash -s -- --network testnet --feature archive

For direct root automation, append --user <operator-user>.

Restart and verify

Review regenerated configuration and reapply only intentional settings that remain valid for the older release. Then start Rusk:

sudo systemctl start rusk
systemctl is-active rusk
ruskquery info | jq '{version, chain_id, kadcast_address}'
ruskquery peers
ruskquery block-height
sudo tail -n 50 /var/log/rusk.log

Confirm that height continues to increase and remains close to the selected network. For an archive, verify required historical queries before returning API traffic.

If the older release cannot open current state or archive data, reinstall the supported current release. Do not repeatedly alternate versions against the same database.