diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/content_topic.ts b/packages/sdk/src/content_topic.ts
index c4a5c789bf..77d5e07de2 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/content_topic.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/content_topic.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import type { Multiaddr } from "@multiformats/multiaddr";
 import { createDecoder, DecodedMessage, waitForRemotePeer } from "@waku/core";
 import {
-  Callback,
   IDecoder,
   IFilterSubscription,
   LightNode,
@@ -12,16 +11,9 @@ import {
   shardInfoToPubsubTopics
 } from "@waku/utils";
 
-import { createLightNode } from "./create.js";
-
-interface CreateTopicOptions {
-  waku?: LightNode;
-  peer: Multiaddr;
-}
-
 // Given a Waku node, peer Multiaddr, and content topic, creates a decoder and
 // subscription for that content topic.
-async function prepareSubscription(
+export async function prepareSubscription(
   waku: LightNode,
   contentTopic: string,
   peer: Multiaddr
@@ -56,66 +48,3 @@ async function prepareSubscription(
 
   return { decoder, subscription };
 }
-
-/**
- * Creates a subscription and streams all new messages for a content topic.
- * Will create a light node configured for the content topic with default settings if a node is not provided in `opts`.
- * Assumes node is using autosharding.
- * @param contentTopic
- * @param opts
- */
-export async function streamContentTopic(
-  contentTopic: string,
-  opts: CreateTopicOptions
-): Promise<[ReadableStream<DecodedMessage>, LightNode]> {
-  opts.waku =
-    opts.waku ??
-    (await createLightNode({
-      shardInfo: { contentTopics: [contentTopic] }
-    }));
-  const { decoder, subscription } = await prepareSubscription(
-    opts.waku,
-    contentTopic,
-    opts.peer
-  );
-
-  // Create a ReadableStream that receives any messages for the content topic
-  const messageStream = new ReadableStream<DecodedMessage>({
-    async start(controller) {
-      await subscription.subscribe(decoder, (message) => {
-        controller.enqueue(message);
-      });
-    },
-    cancel() {
-      return subscription.unsubscribe([contentTopic]);
-    }
-  });
-  return [messageStream, opts.waku];
-}
-
-/**
- * Subscribes to new messages for a content topic via callback function.
- * Will create a light node configured for the content topic with default settings if a node is not provided in `opts`.
- * Assumes node is using autosharding.
- * @param contentTopic
- * @param callback Called every time a new message is received on the content topic
- * @param opts
- */
-export async function subscribeToContentTopic(
-  contentTopic: string,
-  callback: Callback<DecodedMessage>,
-  opts: CreateTopicOptions
-): Promise<{ subscription: IFilterSubscription; waku: LightNode }> {
-  opts.waku =
-    opts.waku ??
-    (await createLightNode({
-      shardInfo: { contentTopics: [contentTopic] }
-    }));
-  const { decoder, subscription } = await prepareSubscription(
-    opts.waku,
-    contentTopic,
-    opts.peer
-  );
-  await subscription.subscribe(decoder, callback);
-  return { subscription, waku: opts.waku };
-}
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/create.ts b/packages/sdk/src/create.ts
index 3cdb809ebf..6ba5ea9ca6 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/create.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/create.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,21 @@ import { mplex } from "@libp2p/mplex";
 import { ping } from "@libp2p/ping";
 import { webSockets } from "@libp2p/websockets";
 import { all as filterAll } from "@libp2p/websockets/filters";
-import { wakuFilter, wakuLightPush, wakuMetadata, wakuStore } from "@waku/core";
+import type { Multiaddr } from "@multiformats/multiaddr";
+import {
+  DecodedMessage,
+  wakuFilter,
+  wakuLightPush,
+  wakuMetadata,
+  wakuStore
+} from "@waku/core";
 import { enrTree, wakuDnsDiscovery } from "@waku/dns-discovery";
 import {
+  Callback,
   type CreateLibp2pOptions,
   DefaultPubsubTopic,
   type FullNode,
+  IFilterSubscription,
   type IMetadata,
   type Libp2p,
   type Libp2pComponents,
@@ -26,8 +35,14 @@ import { RelayCreateOptions, wakuGossipSub, wakuRelay } from "@waku/relay";
 import { ensureShardingConfigured } from "@waku/utils";
 import { createLibp2p } from "libp2p";
 
+import { prepareSubscription } from "./content_topic.js";
 import { DefaultUserAgent, WakuNode, WakuOptions } from "./waku.js";
 
+interface CreateTopicOptions {
+  waku?: LightNode;
+  peer: Multiaddr;
+}
+
 const DEFAULT_NODE_REQUIREMENTS = {
   lightPush: 1,
   filter: 1,
@@ -36,6 +51,17 @@ const DEFAULT_NODE_REQUIREMENTS = {
 
 export { Libp2pComponents };
 
+export async function createApplicationNode(
+  application: string,
+  version: string,
+  options?: ProtocolCreateOptions &
+    Partial<WakuOptions> &
+    Partial<RelayCreateOptions>
+): Promise<LightNode> {
+  options = options ?? {};
+  options.shardInfo = { application, version };
+  return createNode(options);
+}
 /**
  * Create a Waku node configured to use autosharding or static sharding.
  */
@@ -248,3 +274,66 @@ export async function defaultLibp2p(
     }
   }) as any as Libp2p; // TODO: make libp2p include it;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Subscribes to new messages for a content topic via callback function.
+ * Will create a light node configured for the content topic with default settings if a node is not provided in `opts`.
+ * Assumes node is using autosharding.
+ * @param contentTopic
+ * @param callback Called every time a new message is received on the content topic
+ * @param opts
+ */
+export async function subscribeToContentTopic(
+  contentTopic: string,
+  callback: Callback<DecodedMessage>,
+  opts: CreateTopicOptions
+): Promise<{ subscription: IFilterSubscription; waku: LightNode }> {
+  opts.waku =
+    opts.waku ??
+    (await createLightNode({
+      shardInfo: { contentTopics: [contentTopic] }
+    }));
+  const { decoder, subscription } = await prepareSubscription(
+    opts.waku,
+    contentTopic,
+    opts.peer
+  );
+  await subscription.subscribe(decoder, callback);
+  return { subscription, waku: opts.waku };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Creates a subscription and streams all new messages for a content topic.
+ * Will create a light node configured for the content topic with default settings if a node is not provided in `opts`.
+ * Assumes node is using autosharding.
+ * @param contentTopic
+ * @param opts
+ */
+export async function streamContentTopic(
+  contentTopic: string,
+  opts: CreateTopicOptions
+): Promise<[ReadableStream<DecodedMessage>, LightNode]> {
+  opts.waku =
+    opts.waku ??
+    (await createLightNode({
+      shardInfo: { contentTopics: [contentTopic] }
+    }));
+  const { decoder, subscription } = await prepareSubscription(
+    opts.waku,
+    contentTopic,
+    opts.peer
+  );
+
+  // Create a ReadableStream that receives any messages for the content topic
+  const messageStream = new ReadableStream<DecodedMessage>({
+    async start(controller) {
+      await subscription.subscribe(decoder, (message) => {
+        controller.enqueue(message);
+      });
+    },
+    cancel() {
+      return subscription.unsubscribe([contentTopic]);
+    }
+  });
+  return [messageStream, opts.waku];
+}
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/waku.ts b/packages/sdk/src/waku.ts
index a4649b5be3..ff4825c104 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/waku.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/waku.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import type {
 import { Protocols } from "@waku/interfaces";
 import { Logger } from "@waku/utils";
 
-import { subscribeToContentTopic } from "./content_topic.js";
+import { prepareSubscription } from "./content_topic.js";
 
 export const DefaultPingKeepAliveValueSecs = 5 * 60;
 export const DefaultRelayKeepAliveValueSecs = 5 * 60;
@@ -189,12 +189,13 @@ export class WakuNode implements Waku {
     peer: Multiaddr,
     callback: Callback<DecodedMessage>
   ): Promise<IFilterSubscription> {
-    return (
-      await subscribeToContentTopic(contentTopic, callback, {
-        waku: this as LightNode,
-        peer
-      })
-    ).subscription;
+    const { decoder, subscription } = await prepareSubscription(
+      this as LightNode,
+      contentTopic,
+      peer
+    );
+    await subscription.subscribe(decoder, callback);
+    return subscription;
   }
 
   isStarted(): boolean {