Bitcoin: What you need to node
Want to support the bitcoin network but not sure how? Consider running your own bitcoin node! This guide will go over the basics of what you need to node. This is NOT a how-to guide on how to run your own node. Instead, it serves as your gateway to running your own node.
By the end of this guide, you will know what the purpose of bitcoin nodes are, the benefits of running one, and how you can get started with your own journey. The how-to guide is coming soon, so stay tuned!
What is a bitcoin node?
A bitcoin node is simply any computer that is running the Bitcoin Core software. Many people run their nodes on old laptops but I like to use the Raspberry Pi, a small single-board computer about the size of a credit card.
Here is an image of my RasPi bitcoin node along with my phone for scale:
What does a node do?
The bitcoin node is the main building block of the bitcoin network. After all, the bitcoin network is just a collection of nodes in sync. Bitcoin nodes keep track of every transaction that has ever occurred on the bitcoin network, and when new transactions come in, they independently verify each transaction to make sure it's legit and follows the rules of the protocol. This is all verified cryptographically.
In the earlier image you may have noticed that the RasPi is sitting on top of some other grey-looking thing. This is an external SSD (data storage device, like a big USB stick) and this is where all the chain data is stored.
Below is a representation of what the bitcoin network looks like. Each orange dot represents a bitcoin node:
The benefits of running your own node
As mentioned, the bitcoin node is the core building block of the network. By running your own node, you gain direct access to the network, allowing you to use bitcoin freely. You don't need permission to send money on the bitcoin network when you're using your own node to broadcast transactions. This is a big difference from traditional financial systems where control is centralized, and use is privileged.
Bitcoin nodes keep tabs on all transactions, ensuring they're legit. Running your own node means you know exactly what software you're dealing with, hence the saying "don't trust, verify." You don't need to rely on others; you can verify everything yourself. It's passive - just set up your node, hook it to your wallet like Sparrow, and all the wallet's info and actions on the Bitcoin network come straight from your node.
Additionally, by running your own node, you're adding to the network's security through decentralization. Each node holds the entire blockchain, meaning to knock out Bitcoin, they'd have to take down every single node worldwide, including yours. In America, our 2nd Amendment rights make the idea of seizing nodes from people's homes a really bad move for anyone trying it.
How you can run your own node
There are plenty of ways to run your own node. Off-the-shelf options like MyNode, Umbrel, and others make it easy. But if you're more of a tech geek, you can dive into Bitcoin Core and customize your own setup on your machine.
I started with MyNode, but I've since moved to a custom solution.
If you're thinking about getting started with your first node, I'd recommend getting some hardware first and starting with an off-the-shelf solution. I'd suggest MyNode since I've used it myself, but there's no harm in checking out other options too. Some folks argue that a Raspberry Pi isn't beefy enough, but in my experience, my Raspberry Pi 4 handles both Bitcoin and Lightning nodes just fine. However, when I started running more advanced web servers alongside the nodes, I did notice things got a bit sluggish. For most users, though, the RasPi is more than adequate. I've been running mine for nearly four years now.
If you do want to go down the same route I did with MyNode and a Raspberry Pi, below are some affiliate links hardware I'd recommend:
| Category | Why You Need It | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi | I am using the Pi 4 (4GB RAM), but if I had to start again, I would get the latest Pi with an upgrade to RAM. I wouldn't get anything less than 4GB of RAM. This kit comes with almost everything you need, just add an SSD | Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB RAM) kit |
| SSD | For storing the chain data. Unless you want to upgrade SSD's in a couple years, I'd recommend getting a 2TB drive. Don't get anything less than 1TB | SSD (2TB) |
Wrapping Up
So there you have it, some basic information to help you get started on your node journey. I've got an old Raspberry Pi 3 (or 4) lying around, so soon I'll have a post showing how to set it up as a Bitcoin node using MyNode. I won't be using the hardware I linked above because I've got old hardware at hand and it makes no sense to spend money on new hardware when I could buy more Bitcoin instead.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you want to see next.
-Andrew