The Bitcoin Core

What is the Bitcoin Core?

The Bitcoin Core is the software that upholds the Bitcoin network. It was originally released by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009 under the name Bitcoin. It was updated and renamed Bitcoin-Qt, and now is referred to simply as the Bitcoin Core.

Because transactions are constantly being made and verified as the data passes to all of the computers in the network, there are always several different versions of the blockchain. The purpose of the Bitcoin Core is to determine which version of the blockchain is valid.

The Bitcoin Core does not exist on a single server but rather is downloaded to the node computers that uphold the network. This feature helps ensure the ongoing decentralization feature of Bitcoin. Those who operate the Bitcoin Core receive special privileges, such as a higher level of security for their Bitcoins and a wallet that contains better privacy features.

Getting Started with the Bitcoin Core

If you want to get started with the Bitcoin network by becoming a part of its core, the first thing you need to do is go to https://Bitcoin.org/en/Bitcoin-core/ to download the core. Make sure that you go exactly to that address instead of doing a Google search, as there are counterfeit versions of the core that are actually malicious wallets designed to steal your Bitcoins. As of the summer of 2017, the total size of the entire blockchain is 130GB, so you will need to have enough free space on your computer to download it. You will also need to make sure that your computer is completely free of viruses and other infections.

Depending on the speed of your computer, downloading the blockchain can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Make sure that your computer is connected to a power supply and stays on so that the downloading process won’t be interrupted. Once it is fully downloaded, you will need to set up the wallet connected to it by clicking on “Settings,” then “Encrypt wallet.” Enter in a unique password that you will remember; if you forget the password, you will not be able to reset it. The Bitcoins in your wallet will be lost forever. Once you set up the wallet, your computer will automatically shut down. Restart your computer and backup your wallet onto a USB drive that is used only for this purpose. Now, you are all set to use the Bitcoin Core.

The Bitcoin Source Code

Bitcoin is open source, meaning that anyone with programming knowledge can add to the source code. The source code is written in C++, so to work on it, you need to be knowledgeable in that programming language. You can go to GitHub to download the source code and create a pull request for changes that you wish to make. Those changes must be approved by an experienced programmer, so you may have to wait a while before your pull request is approved. Gavin Andersen, the current lead programmer, and developer for Bitcoin has suggested that programmers test out their code changes before submitting them for implementation. You can do so via TestNet.

Building Bitcoin Software from Source Code

Since Bitcoin is open source, you can contribute to the Bitcoin community by building software onto the source code. Maybe you have a great idea for how you will improve some aspect of Bitcoin or fix what you see as a problem. Building software is a great way for technophiles to become a part of the Bitcoin movement.

How you build Bitcoin software from the source code will depend on what operating system you have. Ubuntu, Unix, Windows, and different versions of Mac OS will all have different starting points from which to build software. Nevertheless, the programming language used for Bitcoin is C++, so in order to build on it, you must be familiar with that language. C++ uses a lot of memory, so you will need an additional 1.5GB to 4GB of memory available before you can get started.  There are many online tutorials available to help you get started with contributing to the Bitcoin community by building Bitcoin software from the source code with the particular operating system that you are using.

Mastering Bitcoin for Beginners - Neil Hoffman