Allow binding to port 0 for OS-assigned ports

Add support for configuring listening addresses with port 0, letting
the OS pick a free port. After binding, the actual port is resolved
via local_addr() and stored in last_bound_addresses on Node, preserved
across restarts so the node rebinds the same ports.

Node::listening_addresses() returns the last bound addresses when
available, falling back to configured addresses. The gossip broadcast
task and announcement_addresses() prefer actual bound addresses over
configured ones, so OS-assigned ports are correctly announced.

Port 0 is only allowed under cfg(test). In production, the builder
rejects it to prevent accidentally announcing ephemeral ports.

Tests now use 127.0.0.1:0 instead of a deterministic port picker,
eliminating potential port collisions between concurrent test runs.

AI tools were used in preparing this commit.

Author: joostjager

src/builder.rs

@@ -541,6 +541,11 @@ impl NodeBuilder {
 			return Err(BuildError::InvalidListeningAddresses);
 		}
 
+		#[cfg(not(test))]
+		if listening_addresses.iter().any(crate::config::has_port_zero) {
+			return Err(BuildError::InvalidListeningAddresses);
+		}
+
 		self.config.listening_addresses = Some(listening_addresses);
 		Ok(self)
 	}
@@ -1944,6 +1949,8 @@ fn build_with_store_internal(
 
 	let (stop_sender, _) = tokio::sync::watch::channel(());
 	let (background_processor_stop_sender, _) = tokio::sync::watch::channel(());
+	let last_bound_addresses: Arc<RwLock<Option<Vec<SocketAddress>>>> =
+		Arc::new(RwLock::new(None));
 	let is_running = Arc::new(RwLock::new(false));
 
 	let pathfinding_scores_sync_url = pathfinding_scores_sync_config.map(|c| c.url.clone());
@@ -1988,6 +1995,7 @@ fn build_with_store_internal(
 		peer_store,
 		payment_store,
 		lnurl_auth,
+		last_bound_addresses,
 		is_running,
 		node_metrics,
 		om_mailbox,

src/config.rs

@@ -331,6 +331,17 @@ pub(crate) fn may_announce_channel(config: &Config) -> Result<(), AnnounceError>
 	}
 }
 
+#[cfg_attr(test, allow(dead_code))]
+pub(crate) fn has_port_zero(addr: &SocketAddress) -> bool {
+	match addr {
+		SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { port, .. }
+		| SocketAddress::TcpIpV6 { port, .. }
+		| SocketAddress::OnionV3 { port, .. }
+		| SocketAddress::Hostname { port, .. } => *port == 0,
+		_ => false,
+	}
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn default_user_config(config: &Config) -> UserConfig {
 	// Initialize the default config values.
 	//

src/lib.rs

@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ pub struct Node {
 	peer_store: Arc<PeerStore<Arc<Logger>>>,
 	payment_store: Arc<PaymentStore>,
 	lnurl_auth: Arc<LnurlAuth>,
+	last_bound_addresses: Arc<RwLock<Option<Vec<SocketAddress>>>>,
 	is_running: Arc<RwLock<bool>>,
 	node_metrics: Arc<RwLock<NodeMetrics>>,
 	om_mailbox: Option<Arc<OnionMessageMailbox>>,
@@ -356,7 +357,14 @@ impl Node {
 			);
 		}
 
-		if let Some(listening_addresses) = &self.config.listening_addresses {
+		let effective_listening_addresses = self
+			.last_bound_addresses
+			.read()
+			.unwrap()
+			.clone()
+			.or_else(|| self.config.listening_addresses.clone());
+
+		if let Some(listening_addresses) = &effective_listening_addresses {
 			// Setup networking
 			let peer_manager_connection_handler = Arc::clone(&self.peer_manager);
 			let listening_logger = Arc::clone(&self.logger);
@@ -378,14 +386,31 @@ impl Node {
 			}
 
 			let logger = Arc::clone(&listening_logger);
-			let listeners = self.runtime.block_on(async move {
+			let (listeners, bound_addrs) = self.runtime.block_on(async move {
 				let mut listeners = Vec::new();
+				let mut bound_addrs = Vec::new();
 
-				// Try to bind to all addresses
 				for addr in &*bind_addrs {
 					match tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(addr).await {
 						Ok(listener) => {
-							log_trace!(logger, "Listener bound to {}", addr);
+							let local_addr = listener.local_addr().map_err(|e| {
+								log_error!(
+									logger,
+									"Failed to retrieve local address from listener: {}",
+									e
+								);
+								Error::InvalidSocketAddress
+							})?;
+							let socket_address = match local_addr {
+								std::net::SocketAddr::V4(a) => {
+									SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { addr: a.ip().octets(), port: a.port() }
+								},
+								std::net::SocketAddr::V6(a) => {
+									SocketAddress::TcpIpV6 { addr: a.ip().octets(), port: a.port() }
+								},
+							};
+							log_info!(logger, "Listening on {}", socket_address);
+							bound_addrs.push(socket_address);
 							listeners.push(listener);
 						},
 						Err(e) => {
@@ -400,9 +425,11 @@ impl Node {
 					}
 				}
 
-				Ok(listeners)
+				Ok((listeners, bound_addrs))
 			})?;
 
+			*self.last_bound_addresses.write().unwrap() = Some(bound_addrs);
+
 			for listener in listeners {
 				let logger = Arc::clone(&listening_logger);
 				let peer_mgr = Arc::clone(&peer_manager_connection_handler);
@@ -475,6 +502,7 @@ impl Node {
 		let bcast_cm = Arc::clone(&self.channel_manager);
 		let bcast_pm = Arc::clone(&self.peer_manager);
 		let bcast_config = Arc::clone(&self.config);
+		let bcast_bound_addrs = Arc::clone(&self.last_bound_addresses);
 		let bcast_store = Arc::clone(&self.kv_store);
 		let bcast_logger = Arc::clone(&self.logger);
 		let bcast_node_metrics = Arc::clone(&self.node_metrics);
@@ -525,6 +553,8 @@ impl Node {
 
 							let addresses = if let Some(announcement_addresses) = bcast_config.announcement_addresses.clone() {
 								announcement_addresses
+							} else if let Some(bound_addresses) = bcast_bound_addrs.read().unwrap().clone() {
+								bound_addresses
 							} else if let Some(listening_addresses) = bcast_config.listening_addresses.clone() {
 								listening_addresses
 							} else {
@@ -842,15 +872,28 @@ impl Node {
 	}
 
 	/// Returns our own listening addresses.
+	///
+	/// If the node has been started, this returns the actual bound addresses (which may differ
+	/// from the configured addresses if port 0 was used). Otherwise, this returns the configured
+	/// addresses.
 	pub fn listening_addresses(&self) -> Option<Vec<SocketAddress>> {
-		self.config.listening_addresses.clone()
+		self.last_bound_addresses
+			.read()
+			.unwrap()
+			.clone()
+			.or_else(|| self.config.listening_addresses.clone())
 	}
 
 	/// Returns the addresses that the node will announce to the network.
+	///
+	/// Returns the configured announcement addresses if set, otherwise falls back to the
+	/// actual bound addresses (which may differ from configured addresses if port 0 was used),
+	/// or the configured listening addresses.
 	pub fn announcement_addresses(&self) -> Option<Vec<SocketAddress>> {
 		self.config
 			.announcement_addresses
 			.clone()
+			.or_else(|| self.last_bound_addresses.read().unwrap().clone())
 			.or_else(|| self.config.listening_addresses.clone())
 	}
 

tests/common/mod.rs

@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::env;
 use std::future::Future;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
-use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU16, Ordering};
 use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
@@ -269,16 +268,6 @@ pub(crate) fn random_storage_path() -> PathBuf {
 	temp_path
 }
 
-static NEXT_PORT: AtomicU16 = AtomicU16::new(20000);
-
-pub(crate) fn generate_listening_addresses() -> Vec<SocketAddress> {
-	let port = NEXT_PORT.fetch_add(2, Ordering::Relaxed);
-	vec![
-		SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { addr: [127, 0, 0, 1], port },
-		SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { addr: [127, 0, 0, 1], port: port + 1 },
-	]
-}
-
 pub(crate) fn random_node_alias() -> Option<NodeAlias> {
 	let mut rng = rng();
 	let rand_val = rng.random_range(0..1000);
@@ -302,7 +291,7 @@ pub(crate) fn random_config(anchor_channels: bool) -> TestConfig {
 	println!("Setting random LDK storage dir: {}", rand_dir.display());
 	node_config.storage_dir_path = rand_dir.to_str().unwrap().to_owned();
 
-	let listening_addresses = generate_listening_addresses();
+	let listening_addresses = vec![SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { addr: [127, 0, 0, 1], port: 0 }];
 	println!("Setting LDK listening addresses: {:?}", listening_addresses);
 	node_config.listening_addresses = Some(listening_addresses);
 

tests/integration_tests_rust.rs

@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ use common::{
 	expect_channel_pending_event, expect_channel_ready_event, expect_channel_ready_events,
 	expect_event, expect_payment_claimable_event, expect_payment_received_event,
 	expect_payment_successful_event, expect_splice_pending_event, generate_blocks_and_wait,
-	generate_listening_addresses, open_channel, open_channel_push_amt, open_channel_with_all,
-	premine_and_distribute_funds, premine_blocks, prepare_rbf, random_chain_source, random_config,
-	setup_bitcoind_and_electrsd, setup_builder, setup_node, setup_two_nodes, splice_in_with_all,
-	wait_for_tx, TestChainSource, TestStoreType, TestSyncStore,
+	open_channel, open_channel_push_amt, open_channel_with_all, premine_and_distribute_funds,
+	premine_blocks, prepare_rbf, random_chain_source, random_config, setup_bitcoind_and_electrsd,
+	setup_builder, setup_node, setup_two_nodes, splice_in_with_all, wait_for_tx, TestChainSource,
+	TestStoreType, TestSyncStore,
 };
 use electrsd::corepc_node::Node as BitcoinD;
 use electrsd::ElectrsD;
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ use ldk_node::payment::{
 };
 use ldk_node::{Builder, Event, NodeError};
 use lightning::ln::channelmanager::PaymentId;
+use lightning::ln::msgs::SocketAddress;
 use lightning::routing::gossip::{NodeAlias, NodeId};
 use lightning::routing::router::RouteParametersConfig;
 use lightning_invoice::{Bolt11InvoiceDescription, Description};
@@ -1424,29 +1425,28 @@ async fn test_node_announcement_propagation() {
 	let (bitcoind, electrsd) = setup_bitcoind_and_electrsd();
 	let chain_source = random_chain_source(&bitcoind, &electrsd);
 
-	// Node A will use both listening and announcement addresses
 	let mut config_a = random_config(true);
 	let node_a_alias_string = "ldk-node-a".to_string();
 	let mut node_a_alias_bytes = [0u8; 32];
 	node_a_alias_bytes[..node_a_alias_string.as_bytes().len()]
 		.copy_from_slice(node_a_alias_string.as_bytes());
 	let node_a_node_alias = Some(NodeAlias(node_a_alias_bytes));
-	let node_a_announcement_addresses = generate_listening_addresses();
 	config_a.node_config.node_alias = node_a_node_alias.clone();
-	config_a.node_config.listening_addresses = Some(generate_listening_addresses());
+	// Set explicit announcement addresses to verify they take priority over bound addresses.
+	let node_a_announcement_addresses = vec![
+		SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { addr: [127, 0, 0, 1], port: 10001 },
+		SocketAddress::TcpIpV4 { addr: [127, 0, 0, 1], port: 10002 },
+	];
 	config_a.node_config.announcement_addresses = Some(node_a_announcement_addresses.clone());
 
-	// Node B will only use listening addresses
+	// Node B uses default config to verify that bound addresses are announced.
 	let mut config_b = random_config(true);
 	let node_b_alias_string = "ldk-node-b".to_string();
 	let mut node_b_alias_bytes = [0u8; 32];
 	node_b_alias_bytes[..node_b_alias_string.as_bytes().len()]
 		.copy_from_slice(node_b_alias_string.as_bytes());
 	let node_b_node_alias = Some(NodeAlias(node_b_alias_bytes));
-	let node_b_listening_addresses = generate_listening_addresses();
 	config_b.node_config.node_alias = node_b_node_alias.clone();
-	config_b.node_config.listening_addresses = Some(node_b_listening_addresses.clone());
-	config_b.node_config.announcement_addresses = None;
 
 	let node_a = setup_node(&chain_source, config_a);
 	let node_b = setup_node(&chain_source, config_b);
@@ -1505,10 +1505,11 @@ async fn test_node_announcement_propagation() {
 	#[cfg(feature = "uniffi")]
 	assert_eq!(node_b_announcement_info.alias, node_b_alias_string);
 
+	let node_b_announcement_addresses = node_b.announcement_addresses().unwrap();
 	#[cfg(not(feature = "uniffi"))]
-	assert_eq!(node_b_announcement_info.addresses(), &node_b_listening_addresses);
+	assert_eq!(node_b_announcement_info.addresses(), &node_b_announcement_addresses);
 	#[cfg(feature = "uniffi")]
-	assert_eq!(node_b_announcement_info.addresses, node_b_listening_addresses);
+	assert_eq!(node_b_announcement_info.addresses, node_b_announcement_addresses);
 }
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 1)]