Ethereum Network

The Ethereum Network is composed of two layers, Execution Layer and Consensus Layer, both working together with their own clients.

To start staking ETH, it's necessary to have an Eth Validator, which needs to be connected to a full node running both Consensus and Execution clients.

Execution Client

The execution client (also known as the Execution Engine, EL client or formerly the Eth1 client) listens to new transactions broadcasted in the network, executes them in EVM, and holds the latest state and database of all current Ethereum data.

Client	Language	Operating systems	Networks	Sync strategies	State pruning
Geth	Go	Linux, Windows, macOS	Mainnet, Sepolia, Goerli	Snap, Full	Archive, Pruned
Nethermind	C#, .NET	Linux, Windows, macOS	Mainnet, Sepolia, Goerli, and more	Snap (without serving), Fast, Full	Archive, Pruned
Besu	Java	Linux, Windows, macOS	Mainnet, Sepolia, Goerli, and more	Snap, Fast, Full	Archive, Pruned
Erigon	Go	Linux, Windows, macOS	Mainnet, Sepolia, Goerli, and more	Full	Archive, Pruned

Consensus Client

The consensus client (also known as the Beacon Node, CL client or formerly the Eth2 client) implements the proof-of-stake consensus algorithm, which enables the network to achieve agreement based on validated data from the execution client.

Client	Language	Operating systems	Networks
Lighthouse	Rust	Linux, Windows, macOS	Beacon Chain, Goerli, Pyrmont, Sepolia, Ropsten, and more
Lodestar	TypeScript	Linux, Windows, macOS	Beacon Chain, Goerli, Sepolia, Ropsten, and more
Nimbus	Nim	Linux, Windows, macOS	Beacon Chain, Goerli, Sepolia, Ropsten, and more
Prysm	Go	Linux, Windows, macOS	Beacon Chain, Gnosis, Goerli, Pyrmont, Sepolia, Ropsten, and more
Teku	Java	Linux, Windows, macOS	Beacon Chain, Gnosis, Goerli, Sepolia, Ropsten, and more

A consensus client serves as a Beacon Node for validators to connect. Each consensus client has its own validator software described in detail in its respective documentation.