> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.optimism.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deploy the OP Stack

> Launch a scalable and customizable Layer 2 Rollup blockchain with Ethereum-grade security - powered by Optimism.

<div className="hero-section">
  <div className="hero-content">
    <div className="hero-buttons">
      <a href="/chain-operators/tutorials/create-l2-rollup" className="btn-primary">Deployment Tutorial</a>
      <a href="/op-stack/introduction/op-stack" className="btn-secondary">Learn More</a>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

## Components

The OP Stack is an open-source, modular, Ethereum Layer 2 rollup stack.
Before you deploy, it is important to understand the key components and how they come together to create your blockchain.

* **L1 Smart contracts**: A set of smart contracts to be deployed on Ethereum to bridge between the L1 and L2 domains and manage aspects of the rollup.
* **Sequencer**: A single privileged node that accepts and derives user transactions on the network to construct the blockchain.
* **Batcher**: A sequencer service that publishes L2 transactions onto Ethereum.
  Using Ethereum as a data availability layer, the OP Stack inherits Ethereum's security properties by allowing any node to derive the state of the L2 blockchain from L1.
* **Proposer**: A service responsible for publishing the L2 state root to Ethereum which enables user withdrawals of assets.
* **Challenger**: The challenger enforces network security by disputing invalid state roots that have been posted to Ethereum.

## Deployment

The following section will walk you through the sequence of steps a chain operator will follow to begin sequencing a chain.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Smart contract deployment">
    Using a CLI tool called [op-deployer](/chain-operators/tools/op-deployer/overview) you will configure your chain and then deploy the smart contracts on Ethereum.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Validate your deployment">
    After deploying the L1 smart contracts you will use [op-validator](/chain-operators/tools/op-validator) to verify that your deployment configurations match what you expect.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Chain genesis creation">
    After deploying the L1 smart contracts, you will use [op-deployer](/chain-operators/tools/op-deployer/overview) to generate two files necessary to run nodes on the L2 network:

    * **Genesis file** (`genesis.json`): Initializes the execution client (`op-geth`)
    * **Rollup configuration file** (`rollup.json`): Configures the consensus client (`op-node`)

    These files contain all the essential information your services need to interact with Ethereum and the system contracts you deployed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start sequencing">
    To begin sequencing transactions and building blocks, you will then run an **execution client** and **consensus client** that come together as your **sequencer node**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Begin batching transactions">
    Next you will run `op-batcher` which will publish user transactions on Ethereum.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start proposing state roots">
    Then you will run `op-proposer` to publish the L2 state root on Ethereum to enable withdrawals back to Ethereum.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Protect your chain">
    Finally you will run `op-challenger` to monitor and dispute any invalid L2 state roots that have been posted.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next Steps

Of course there is a lot more work to do ensure you're operating a highly available chain.
Take a look at some of the [chain operator best practices](/chain-operators/guides/management/best-practices) to get an idea of some of the things you'll need to keep in mind.