Steps to run LN explorer on Blockstream/Esplora

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This is a stepwise instruction on how to install or run LN explorer within Esplora

1. Download / Clone clightning-node-server repo from https://github.com/vinayaksh42/clightning-node-server

2. npm install withing the above repo.

3. cp config/example.default.json config/default.json run this command for making a copy of the default configuration file

4. The configuration must point towards a valid PostgreSQL database containing Lightning network gossip messages. Example of a config file is provided within the clightning-node-server.

5. Feel free to use this SQL database dump for creating your own database with LN gossip messages - https://drive.google.com/file/d/18T0NAxR_bwmMcE2qTPqVvpA08haulYjk/view?usp=sharing

6. npm run start to get the server started.

7. Download / Clone Blockstream/esplora repo with LN explorer changes from - https://github.com/vinayaksh42/esplora/tree/channelUpdate or directly download from esplora repo if it is up to date.

8. npm install within the Esplora repo

9. enter the following env variables via command prompt -

   export IS_LN=true
   export LN_API=http://localhost:3000/
   export API_URL=https://blockstream.info/api/
   

   The above variables will make esplora point towards your cligthning node server as well as Esplora's API, you can change them accordingly

10. npm run dev-server for starting the frontend of Esplora.

11. channel/scid points towards individual channel profiles and nodeprofile/nodeid points towards individual node profiles.