The initial command to start the private network is shown as follows: $ ./geth init ~/ethpriv/privategenesis.json –datadir ~/ethpriv/ It is assumed that in the home directory there is a directory named ethereprivate which contains the privategenesis.json file.
This will produce an output similar to what is shown in the following screenshot: Private network initialization This output indicates that a genesis block has been created successfully.
Step-by-Step Developer Guide (Part 2)
In order for geth to start, the following command can be issued: $ ./geth –datadir ~/etherprivate/ –networkid 786 –rpc –rpcapi ‘web3,eth,net,debug,personal’ –rpccorsdomain ‘*’ This will produce the following output: Starting geth for a private network Now geth can be attached via Inter-Process Communications (IPC) (IPC is a mechanism to allow communication between processes running on the computer locally) to the running geth client on a private network using the following command.
This will allow you to interact with the running geth session on the private network: $ geth attach ipc:.ethereum/privatenet/geth.ipc As shown here, this will open the interactive JavaScript console for the running private net session: Starting geth to attach with private net 786 You may have noticed that a warning message appears when Geth starts up.
This is shown at the top line of the Starting geth for a private network screenshot.
Why This Matters for Blockchain Technology
Understanding Starting up the private network is not just an academic exercise — it has real-world implications for how blockchain systems are designed, deployed, and secured. Whether you are a developer building decentralized applications, a business leader evaluating blockchain adoption, or a curious learner exploring the technology, this knowledge provides a critical foundation.
Key Points to Remember
- Starting up the private network The initial command to start the private network is shown as follows: $ ./geth init ~/ethpriv/privategenesis.json –datadir ~/ethpriv/ It is assumed that in the home directory there is a directory named ethereprivate which contains the privategenesis.json file.
- This will produce an output similar to what is shown in the following screenshot: Private network initialization This output indicates that a genesis block has been created successfully.
- This is shown at the top line of the Starting geth for a private network screenshot.
Conclusion
Starting up the private network represents one of the many innovative layers that make blockchain technology so powerful and transformative. As distributed systems continue to evolve, a solid understanding of these core concepts becomes increasingly valuable — not just for developers, but for anyone building, investing in, or working alongside blockchain-powered systems.
Whether you are just starting your blockchain journey or deepening existing expertise, mastering these fundamentals gives you the tools to think clearly about decentralized systems and make smarter decisions in this rapidly evolving space.