How to see blockchain data via bitcoin core in GUI\windows OS?

[ajaxtempest]

So after 11 years i am seriously going all in bitcoin. Had first heard about btc back in may 2011, downloaded bitcoin core 0.4.0 back on sep 30 2011 and got free btc via bitcoin faucet. Saved the exe file on disc but did not save the wallet.dat file. Mined some in 2012 with geforce 525m and then forgot about it.HDD crashed and threw it away. At that time the blockchain size was 600mb.
https://imgur.com/e5sCHTD
Anyways i downloaded the bitcoin core again and linked with electrum bwt watch only wallet with offline electrum in an air gapped raspberry pi 400. I wanted to know how can i view and search tx ids, btc adddresses via bitcoin core. I am not tech savy. Using win 10 for bitcoin core and using linux for air gapped wallet.

How to see blockhain info? Does mynode compnay provide an exe file which hooks up with bitcoin core and view all the data?

[LoyceV]

Bitcoin Core isn't really designed to easily search data. You can of course run your own block explorer software (there are a few open source options), but something like blockchair.com is much easier (and less private).

[ajaxtempest]

Bitcoin Core isn't really designed to easily search data. You can of course run your own block explorer software (there are a few open source options), but something like blockchair.com is much easier (and less private).

Thats the main reason is that i want to search info within the confines of my network and not use third party like blockchain.com or blockchair. I found this link
https://github.com/search?o=desc&q=bitcoin+block+explorer&s=stars&type=Repositories
CAn anyone guide me which one to choose and how to connect to bitcoin core and search it in a visual representation rather than codes.

I have already linked bitcoin core with electrum bwt so can i link another app like a blockchain explorer with bitcoin core?

Whats the use of bitcoin core if i cannot utlize its full potential.

[LoyceV]

Whats the use of bitcoin core if i cannot utlize its full potential.

You can consider Bitcoin Core the base layer: it does what it needs to do. Anything else can be built to use the blockchain stored by Bitcoin Core.
Unfortunately, I have no experience running my own block explorer. I often use this list though to get balances of addresses without sharing the data with any explorer website.

[BlackHatCoiner]

CAn anyone guide me which one to choose and how to connect to bitcoin core and search it in a visual representation rather than codes.

If you don't want to mess with commands try running a node OS such as myNode or Umbrel where they come with pre-installed plugins, such as block explorers, SPV servers, Lightning managers, payment processors etc.

Otherwise, I'll suggest you installing mempool.space which is by far the best explorer out there. The UI is simple, the fee rate is accurate; generally there's a lot of work done.

[vv181]

AFAIK, unfortunately, there is no easy solution in Windows to install your own block explorer.

But if you want to minimize third-party services/site usage, a few suggestions for you are to:

1. Use your RPI 400, to install one-click Bitcoin apps solutions like the above suggested.
Some cons are:
 - You have to use another device for your air-gapped wallet.
 - You have to redownload the bitcoin blockchain, unless you want to do some hassle to migrate your bitcoin data on Windows 10.

2. Follow this guide: Bitcoin + Electrum server + Block explorer under Windows (with WSL and Debian) to install your own personal electrum server and block explorer.

The easiest solution without too much hassle is the first option. But if you have limited devices, you might want to go with the second option.

[ajaxtempest]

AFAIK, unfortunately, there is no easy solution in Windows to install your own block explorer.

But if you want to minimize third-party services/site usage, a few suggestions for you are to:

1. Use your RPI 400, to install one-click Bitcoin apps solutions like the above suggested.
Some cons are:
 - You have to use another device for your air-gapped wallet.
 - You have to redownload the bitcoin blockchain, unless you want to do some hassle to migrate your bitcoin data on Windows 10.

2. Follow this guide: Bitcoin + Electrum server + Block explorer under Windows (with WSL and Debian) to install your own personal electrum server and block explorer.

The easiest solution without too much hassle is the first option. But if you have limited devices, you might want to go with the second option.

Can i use RPI 400 with mynode or umbrel but it queries the blockchain infor via my bitcoin core app in windows 10? ANy guide?

[ajaxtempest]

AFAIK, unfortunately, there is no easy solution in Windows to install your own block explorer.

If OP willing to try this luck, he could use install Docker and use Docker version of self-hosted block explorer (such as mempool.space[1]).

[1] https://github.com/mempool/mempool#docker-installation

docker is in linux i suppose. It went over my head.

it took 11 years for electrum bwt plugin. Hope it does not take equally amount of time for someone to create windows blockchain explorer using your bitcoin core app.

[vv181]

Can i use RPI 400 with mynode or umbrel but it queries the blockchain infor via my bitcoin core app in windows 10? ANy guide?

Umbrel and Mynode came with a prepackaged solution, changing their configuration would make the process harder, I guess. If you want to fetch the data from your bitcoin core on Windows 10, you better use your current RPI 400 OS and manually install Electrum server(Electrs) and block explorer.

Sadly, it seems there isn't any step by step guide about that.

[ajaxtempest]

What about sparrow wallet. I see in the website they state that you can use it as a blockchain explorer?
https://sparrowwallet.com/features/
"
Your Own Blockchain Explorer

With all this power, the transaction viewer doubles as a private blockchain explorer. All inputs and spent outputs are linked so you can explore the transaction graph and understand the full transaction history, as far back as the coinbase transaction. In addition, any transaction can be loaded via it’s transaction ID or hexadecimal/base64 representation (in text or QR) for detailed inspection.
"

[DaveF]

IIRC Sparrow is talking back to their own servers so you loose the privacy aspect.
Any reason you want to do this the hard way by putting the node on 1 machine in Windows and pulling the data from that instead of just using either one of the packaged 'nodes in a box' on the 400 and having it all run from there. You are just adding a lot more complexity for almost no benefit.

-Dave

[NotATether]

Why not simply browse the blocks and chainstate data directly?

Since Bitcoin Core stores this data in compact Berkeley DB .dat files, you can download a database explorer tool to inspect the physical files. It will be more verbose than what you can get from a block explorer.

I usually use DBeaver for this because it supports all the major platforms (It's written in Java) and it supports all kinds of databases like SQLite, MySQL, Berkeley and others. It of course has a GUI as well.