Bitcoin Full Node on Mac

[dkbit98]

I am not a big fan of Mac computers but if you have some old Mac lying around and collecting dust, you can also use it to run full Bitcoin node using GordianServer.

GordianServer (previously known as Bitcoin-Standup-macOS) is opens source project made by Peter Denton and Christopher Allen, that enables you to run Bitcoin Core full node on your computer or VPS with all privacy tools like Tor.

This provides easy one-click solution for installing full Bitcoin Core server with nice UI and QR codes connecting full node with other devices, remote desktop and mobile phones.

With full node you are going to have the benefit of better privacy, you will be able to validate your own transactions, and you can carry you portable Macbook with full BTC node anywhere in the world if there is active internet connection.

Requirements:

- macOS 10.15.7 Catalina or better (or try using Catalina Patcher)
~ 400 GB of free space for a downloading full blockchain (or much less for pruned version)

Installation instructions and all other  information can be found on GordianServer github page, and you can check signatures and checksums before downloading anything:
https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/GordianServer-macOS

I think most people are running Bitcoin nodes on Linux OS, however GordianServer is interesting alternative to try on Mac but some bugs are expected in early versions.

[DannyHamilton]

Or...

Just download and run Bitcoin Core?

https://bitcoin.org/en/download

[dkbit98]

Just download and run Bitcoin Core?

Yeah sure but I think that GordianServer comes with a package of other tools like Torgap, and yes you could argue that Tor can be installed separately on Mac.
Are you or anyone else runs a node on Mac now?

[Data Clinic Ltd]

I'm running a node on my old iMac... the longer time went by the more the hardware became outdated and the less the iMac supported, so I thought I'd just have sat in a corner running a full node, which it happily just gets on with...

[dkbit98]

Do you know list of tools is bundled on this package? The repository only says "important privacy tools like onion services". It feels weird they include privacy tools though since Mac OS have several privacy concern.

No I don't know, and I don't have Macbook to test aynthing, but they claim they will eventually support optional Electrum Personal Server, C-Lightning, Esplora, and BTCPay Server.
They even have open source iOS GordianWallet with other Gordian products and I think they are working on some Bitcoin-based Decentralized Identifiers project.
This is github page for Torgap they are using for Gordian Server:
https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/torgap/