Regarding the definition of node, in many cases, it is not the same. When referring to a computer or communication network, a node often refers to a redistribution point or communication terminal. Usually, a node is composed of physical network devices, but virtual nodes are quite different.

In short, a network node can generate, receive or transmit information. According to this, we are going to discuss the different types of Bitcoin network nodes: full nodes, super nodes, mining nodes and SPV users.

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Bitcoin node

Through an in-depth study of the blockchain article — due to its distribution system characteristics — the nodes of a computer network enable Bitcoin to function like a decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) digital currency. Likewise, Bitcoin is censorship-free, and transfers between users do not require any intermediaries to provide security (regardless of how far apart the users are).

Therefore, the node of the blockchain is like a communication node with different functions. Any computer or other device connected to the Bitcoin network can be regarded as a node of the Bitcoin network. These nodes also communicate with each other, and they can also transmit transactions and districts through Bitcoin’s peer-to-peer protocol. block information. However, each computer node is defined according to its specific function, so there are many different types of nodes in the Bitcoin network.

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Full node

Full nodes are those nodes that truly support and secure the Bitcoin network, they are independent of the network. They will also participate in the confirmation of transaction information and block information. Similarly, full nodes can also add new block information to the blockchain network.

Typically, a full node will download a full copy of the Bitcoin blockchain network information, but this is not a hard requirement (sometimes a reduced copy is also downloaded).

The establishment of a Bitcoin full node can be accomplished by installing a variety of different software, but the most commonly used software is Bitcoin Core. The following are the basic requirements for running a Bitcoin Core full node:

  • A desktop or laptop computer with Windows, Mac OS X or Linux operating system
  • 200GB of free disk space
  • Upload speed no less than 50kB/s bandwidth
  • 2GB of RAM
  • A network connection with no upload limit or high upload limit. Every month, the information that a full node can upload is not less than 200GB, and the download information is not less than 20GB. When running a full node for the first time, about 200GB of text needs to be downloaded.
  • The full node runs for no less than 6 hours a day, preferably 7×24 hours.

Many voluntary organizations and users run as full nodes of the Bitcoin network to help the ecological development of Bitcoin. Like in 2018, there are about 9,700+ public nodes running on the Bitcoin network. Note that this number is only for public nodes, that is, those nodes that are visible.

In addition to public nodes, there are many hidden nodes that are not visible, often through hidden protocols like Tor, or simply because they are configured to be unannounceable, and only operate behind firewalls.

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Public Node (Super Node)

Essentially, a public node or a super node is a visible full node. It communicates and transmits data with other nodes. Therefore, a super node is a redistribution point, which plays the role of a data source and a communication bridge.

A reliable super node usually transmits the historical information and transaction data of the blockchain to nodes around the world 24/7. For this reason, a super node requires more computing power and better network connections than a hidden full node.

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Mining node

To be able to mine bitcoins in an increasingly competitive environment, it is necessary to invest in special mining hardware and programs. These mining programs (software) are not directly linked to Bitcoin Core, they are mined in parallel with Bitcoin Core. A miner can either choose to mine by himself or to join a mining pool.

The full nodes of individual miners use their own copy of the block data, and the miners of the mining pool work together, and each person can contribute their own computing power. In a mining pool, only the admin of the mining pool is required to operate as a full node — which can be thought of as a full node for the entire mining pool.

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Lightweight or SPV users

Also known as Simple Payment Verification (SPV) users, these lightweight users use the Bitcoin network but are not full nodes. SPV users do not contribute to network security because they do not keep a copy of the blockchain information and do not participate in the verification of transaction information.

Simply put, SPV is a way to view transaction information without downloading a copy of the entire blockchain information, so SPV users rely on other full nodes (super nodes) to provide information. These lightweight users are like communication terminals and are also used by numerous digital currency wallets.

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User VS Mining Node

It is worth mentioning that running a full node is different from running a full mining node. Anyone can become a full mining node just by investing in special mining hardware and software.

Before attempting to mine a block, a miner needs to gather information about transactions previously confirmed by full nodes. Then, it is necessary to create a candidate block (with a set of transaction information), and try to mine at the same time. If a miner successfully finds the hash value of this candidate block, he publishes it to the whole network, so that other nodes can verify its authenticity. Therefore, the accuracy and security of the rules of this consensus are jointly maintained by the nodes of the entire network, not just the miners.

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Conclusion

Bitcoin nodes communicate with each other through Bitcoin’s peer-to-peer network protocol, and in this way they verify the integrity of the system. If a node wants to spread some wrong information, it will be quickly identified by those faithful nodes and disconnected from the network.

There is no financial reward for running a full node, but the action is still highly commended because it provides users with integrity, security, and privacy. The full node guarantees the smooth execution of the rules, they protect the blockchain from being attacked, in addition, a full node does not need to trust others, it enables users to have 100% control over their own property.

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