Release v0.12.2

.gitignore

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ crypto_nodes/*/*.tar.gz
 crypto_nodes/bitcoin/bitcoin/
 crypto_nodes/dogecoin/dogecoin/
 crypto_nodes/litecoin/litecoin/
+# The build writes the credential-injected conf here, beside the tracked template.
+crypto_nodes/*/*.generated.conf
 
 # Per-coin/network node configs - never track (generated at install). The main files hold
 # only non-secret operator overrides now, but stay ignored to protect any leftover files
@@ -38,3 +40,7 @@ config/*.bak*
 # Coverage output (c8/nyc) - generated, not source
 coverage/
 .nyc_output/
+
+# Validator identity, coin wallets and the DOGE signer written by `validator init`.
+# Private keys live here (signing.key, wallets.env, signer/.env): never a repo artifact.
+config/validator/

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,18 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [0.12.2] - 2026-09-01
+
+### Added
+- `validator stake` and `validator unstake` mint, stake and withdraw against the public network, so an operator can join before installing any stack.
+- `validator init` builds the stake and publisher wallets and prints the two addresses to fund.
+
+### Fixed
+- An unrecognised service name is refused with the list of valid ones, instead of silently expanding to every service on every coin and network.
+- A coin image builds from a context that holds its Dockerfile, and never writes live credentials into the tracked config template.
+- A mutating command waits out a busy lock instead of losing the run, and a locked bootstrap create is retried by the publisher.
+- The next step printed after `validator init` names the release rather than a branch.
+
 ## [0.12.1] - 2026-08-31
 
 ### Fixed

README.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 <p align="center">
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/version-0.12.1-blue" alt="Version">
-  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/tests-2%2C568%2B%20passing-brightgreen" alt="Tests">
+  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/tests-2%2C659%2B%20passing-brightgreen" alt="Tests">
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/node-%3E%3D22-green" alt="Node">
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-AGPL--3.0--or--later-blue" alt="License">
 </p>
@@ -84,26 +84,31 @@ as a full validator (P2P + PBFT + capability staking), generate a validator
 identity first. This is offline and needs no running stack:
 
 ```bash
-xchain-node validator init \
-  --seed-nodes seed1.example:10001,seed2.example:10001 \
-  --p2p-addr <your-public-host>:10001 \
-  --oracle-epoch-start <shared-federation-unix-ms> \
-  --capabilities price,cross_chain,oracle_publish,attestation
+xchain-node validator init --network testnet --p2p-addr <your-public-host>:10002
 ```
 
-It generates an Ed25519 signing key (saved `0600` under `config/validator/`),
-prints the **pubkey to stake XCHAIN to**, and writes a starter `capabilities.json`
-under `config/validator/hub-caps/` (its own subdirectory, mounted read-only into
-the hub container; the signing key is never mounted). Edit that file to set real
-`cross_chain` RPC endpoints and `oracle_publish` DOGE values, then install/start
-the hub. It will boot in validator mode with your key and capability config
-mounted automatically:
+It generates an Ed25519 signing key, a BTC **stake wallet** and a DOGE
+**publisher wallet** (all `0600` under `config/validator/`, git-ignored), prints
+the **pubkey to stake XCHAIN to** and the **two addresses to fund**, and writes
+`capabilities.json` under `config/validator/hub-caps/` already pointed at the
+DOGE wallet, plus the signer module the hub loads to publish price rounds and
+anchors from it. Seed nodes, network and the testnet oracle epoch default to
+the federation's values. To use keys you already hold (a vanity address, say),
+add `--import-stake-key` / `--import-doge-key`; each prompts for the WIF with
+echo off.
+
+Fund the two addresses, then stake and start:
 
 ```bash
-xchain-node install master xchain-hub
-xchain-node validator status      # show pubkey, peers, capabilities
+xchain-node validator stake              # dry run: balances and the plan
+xchain-node validator stake --broadcast  # mints XCHAIN on testnet if short, then STAKEs
+xchain-node install master xchain-hub    # boots in validator mode, signer mounted
+xchain-node validator status             # pubkey, network, wallets, peers, capabilities
 ```
 
+The full walkthrough, including the BTC indexer the hub needs and how to verify
+membership on the explorer, is `xchain-documentation/operations/run-a-validator.md`.
+
 ## Host environment variables
 
 Five env vars override where xchain-node stores its filesystem state. Set them in the shell or systemd unit before running `xchain-node install`. Each falls back to a path inside this repo if unset, so existing installs are unaffected.
@@ -151,19 +156,19 @@ Turn it off with any of: `--no-telemetry` on any command (sticks for future runs
 
 | Command | Description |
 |---|---|
-| `npm test` | Unit tests (1,676 tests) |
+| `npm test` | Unit tests (1,766 tests) |
 | `npm run test:integration` | Integration tests (103 tests) |
 | `npm run test:smoke` | Smoke tests (159 tests) |
 | `npm run test:boundary` | Boundary condition tests (57 tests) |
-| `npm run test:security` | Security tests (73 tests) |
+| `npm run test:security` | Security tests (74 tests) |
 | `npm run test:e2e` | End-to-end tests (57 tests) |
 | `npm run test:fuzz` | Fuzz tests (264 tests) |
 | `npm run test:chaos` | Chaos engineering tests (121 tests) |
 | `npm run test:regression` | Regression tests (58 tests) |
 | `npm run test:regression:p0` | Regression P0: critical gate (33 tests) |
 | `npm run test:regression:p0p1` | Regression P0+P1: standard gate (51 tests) |
 | `npm run test:mutation` | Mutation testing (Stryker Mutator) |
-| `npm run test:all` | All tests (~2,438 tests; excludes security/boundary) |
+| `npm run test:all` | All tests (~2,528 tests; excludes security/boundary) |
 | `npm run benchmark` | Performance benchmarks (5 scenarios) |
 | `npm run benchmark:quick` | Quick benchmarks |