Next steps after installing and syncing Bitcoin Core

[apogio]

Hello. I have just synced the Bitcoin blockchain on my HDD.

I am curious now, what can I do with it?

1. Can I validate transactions? If so, how? Will it happen automatically while running the program? Which transactions will I be able to validate? Only mine?

2. Can I run a block explorer like mempool.space? I am interested in developing an app that needs access to address balances etc. However I can't use an online API because the websites use rate limits. Therefore, could I use my own full node to do this?

3. What else can I possibly do? Give me ideas. I am totally new to this.

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[1715665078]

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[DaveF]

1. Can I validate transactions? If so, how? Will it happen automatically while running the program? Which transactions will I be able to validate? Only mine?

Core just sits there and talks to other nodes taking in and rebroadcasting valid transactions. 

2. Can I run a block explorer like mempool.space? I am interested in developing an app that needs access to address balances etc. However I can't use an online API because the websites use rate limits. Therefore, could I use my own full node to do this?

Yes you will need to install a few other things but:
https://github.com/mempool/mempool

You can also run this explorer https://github.com/janoside/btc-rpc-explorer
It's slower with less features, but needs a lot less on the back end to run it.

Or you can just use calls direct to core using bitcoin-cli see here: https://developer.bitcoin.org/reference/

3. What else can I possibly do? Give me ideas. I am totally new to this.

Take a look at the pre-configured nodes in a box like umbrel or raspiblitz. See what they can do and the features they have.

-Dave

[apogio]

1. Can I validate transactions? If so, how? Will it happen automatically while running the program? Which transactions will I be able to validate? Only mine?

Core just sits there and talks to other nodes taking in and rebroadcasting valid transactions. 

2. Can I run a block explorer like mempool.space? I am interested in developing an app that needs access to address balances etc. However I can't use an online API because the websites use rate limits. Therefore, could I use my own full node to do this?

Yes you will need to install a few other things but:
https://github.com/mempool/mempool

You can also run this explorer https://github.com/janoside/btc-rpc-explorer
It's slower with less features, but needs a lot less on the back end to run it.

Or you can just use calls direct to core using bitcoin-cli see here: https://developer.bitcoin.org/reference/

3. What else can I possibly do? Give me ideas. I am totally new to this.

Take a look at the pre-configured nodes in a box like umbrel or raspiblitz. See what they can do and the features they have.

-Dave

Thanks! I will definetely check umbrel.

"Core just sits there and talks to other nodes taking in and rebroadcasting valid transactions." -> Can I see this process somehow? Can I check which nodes I am connected with etc.?

[DaveF]

"Core just sits there and talks to other nodes taking in and rebroadcasting valid transactions." -> Can I see this process somehow? Can I check which nodes I am connected with etc.?

If you are running the GUI you can see the peers under Window -> peers
If you are running the cli then use bitcoin-cli getpeerinfo

That will show you the connected nodes.

I don't know if it's still current / 100% accurate but I used to point people here:
https://medium.com/@peterjd42/basic-commands-to-interact-with-the-bitcoin-core-rpc-console-180da2c2dc45

For a bit of command info. There are other guides but that one was good a couple of years ago.

-Dave

[apogio]

"Core just sits there and talks to other nodes taking in and rebroadcasting valid transactions." -> Can I see this process somehow? Can I check which nodes I am connected with etc.?

If you are running the GUI you can see the peers under Window -> peers
If you are running the cli then use bitcoin-cli getpeerinfo

That will show you the connected nodes.

I don't know if it's still current / 100% accurate but I used to point people here:
https://medium.com/@peterjd42/basic-commands-to-interact-with-the-bitcoin-core-rpc-console-180da2c2dc45

For a bit of command info. There are other guides but that one was good a couple of years ago.

-Dave

Thanks Dave, you ve been very helpful

[apogio]

Is there any way to be sure that I have done things correctly?

I have downloaded bitcoin core.

I have waited multiple hours to sync.

I have opened a bitcoin.conf file, in which I have set server=1.

I have Bitcoin Core open and I do nothing.

Can I check somehow if my node is reachable? I only want to make sure that I contribute to the network. What is the easiest way to do so?

EDIT

1. I have checked using netstat that my port 8333 is listening, but Bitnodes website shows my node is unreachable.

2. Running getpeerinfo, I get a json where all peers have the attribute "inbound": false. I guess this means that I have no incoming connections.

[DaveF]

Is there any way to be sure that I have done things correctly?

I have downloaded bitcoin core.

I have waited multiple hours to sync.

I have opened a bitcoin.conf file, in which I have set server=1.

I have Bitcoin Core open and I do nothing.

Can I check somehow if my node is reachable? I only want to make sure that I contribute to the network. What is the easiest way to do so?

EDIT

1. I have checked using netstat that my port 8333 is listening, but Bitnodes website shows my node is unreachable.

2. Running getpeerinfo, I get a json where all peers have the attribute "inbound": false. I guess this means that I have no incoming connections.

You will have to open port 8333 in your firewall / router and point it back to the PC running bitcoin.
Also, if there is any software firewall on the PC you would have to allow inbound on port 8333

-Dave

[apogio]

You will have to open port 8333 in your firewall / router and point it back to the PC running bitcoin.
Also, if there is any software firewall on the PC you would have to allow inbound on port 8333

-Dave

So I have a router, in which I have set a rule to open tcp/udp connections on port 8333.

I also checked my firewall on the pc where the Bitcoin Core is installed and I observed that there is also an inbound rule for the port 8333.

I rebooted my router.

Unfortunately, I still have 10 connections (In: 0 / Out: 10).

[apogio]

You will have to open port 8333 in your firewall / router and point it back to the PC running bitcoin.
Also, if there is any software firewall on the PC you would have to allow inbound on port 8333

-Dave

So I have a router, in which I have set a rule to open tcp/udp connections on port 8333.

I also checked my firewall on the pc where the Bitcoin Core is installed and I observed that there is also an inbound rule for the port 8333.

I rebooted my router.

Unfortunately, I still have 10 connections (In: 0 / Out: 10).

Have you checked whether your node actually can be reached by other node? Using https://bitnodes.io/ usually is easiest way to do it. If https://bitnodes.io/ can't reach your node, it's possible your ISP use CGNAT.

Yes, my ISP indeed use CGNAT. My node is unreachable through bitnodes...

Running bitcoin core with outbound connections only, is it ok? I mean, do I help the network? and if so, how is it different than a node that has inbound connections too?

[BlackHatCoiner]

Running bitcoin core with outbound connections only, is it ok? I mean, do I help the network? and if so, how is it different than a node that has inbound connections too?

Yes, you do help it bandwidth-wise. Allowing incoming connections is just even more helpful, because in comparison with outbound-only (which lets you make up to 8 full-relays), with incoming you can establish up to 125 connections.

If you want to help even more:

• Allow Tor, so that you can have mixed connections with both clearnet and anonymous nodes (and act as bridge between these two networks).
• Setup an anonymous SPV server, and let the rest of the peers find you.
• Run a reliable lightning node.

[apogio]

Running bitcoin core with outbound connections only, is it ok? I mean, do I help the network? and if so, how is it different than a node that has inbound connections too?

Yes, you do help it bandwidth-wise. Allowing incoming connections is just even more helpful, because in comparison with outbound-only (which lets you make up to 8 full-relays), with incoming you can establish up to 125 connections.

If you want to help even more:

• Allow Tor, so that you can have mixed connections with both clearnet and anonymous nodes (and act as bridge between these two networks).
• Setup an anonymous SPV server, and let the rest of the peers find you.
• Run a reliable lightning node.

Hello! Please consider I am totally new to this, so my questions may sound silly. But I am trying to learn. An I read as much as I can.

So, what does my node do now? I am only allowing outbound connections. Does this mean that my node "sends" the current blockchain (and mempool) situation to other nodes, to help them validate new transactions?

[BlackHatCoiner]

So, what does my node do now? I am only allowing outbound connections. Does this mean that my node "sends" the current blockchain (and mempool) situation to other nodes, to help them validate new transactions?

Correct. Your node downloads and verifies blocks whenever you're notified there's a new chain tip, and uploads blocks to whoever requests them from you. In fact, you can open up and see yourself how much data you send and receive by clicking on "Help" -> "Debug Window" -> "Network".

[apogio]

So, what does my node do now? I am only allowing outbound connections. Does this mean that my node "sends" the current blockchain (and mempool) situation to other nodes, to help them validate new transactions?

Correct. Your node downloads and verifies blocks whenever you're notified there's a new chain tip, and uploads blocks to whoever requests them from you. In fact, you can open up and see yourself how much data you send and receive by clicking on "Help" -> "Debug Window" -> "Network".

Brilliant! I don't have this window, at least not in this path (perhaps because I don't run the latest Core version). I can see the network traffic under "window" -> "network traffic". In fact there is column called "totals" where I can see a received attribute and a sent attribute. I guess Received: 398MB means I have received 398MB of information regarding new blocks and Sent: 82MB means I have sent 82MB of info.

If you want to help even more:

• Allow Tor, so that you can have mixed connections with both clearnet and anonymous nodes (and act as bridge between these two networks).
• Setup an anonymous SPV server, and let the rest of the peers find you.
• Run a reliable lightning node.

Regarding the first bullet, considering that I cannot receive inbound connections, will it make a difference if I allow tor?

[BlackHatCoiner]

Brilliant! I don't have this window, at least not in this path (perhaps because I don't run the latest Core version). I can see the network traffic under "window" -> "network traffic".

Correct, my bad. It's under "Window".

Regarding the first bullet, considering that I cannot receive inbound connections, will it make a difference if I allow tor?

If you allow Tor, you'll probably connect with Tor nodes, so you'll upload to / download from both Tor and clearnet nodes. Also, you can allow incoming connections through Tor without messing up with firewalls.

[apogio]

Brilliant! I don't have this window, at least not in this path (perhaps because I don't run the latest Core version). I can see the network traffic under "window" -> "network traffic".

Correct, my bad. It's under "Window".

Regarding the first bullet, considering that I cannot receive inbound connections, will it make a difference if I allow tor?

If you allow Tor, you'll probably connect with Tor nodes, so you'll upload to / download from both Tor and clearnet nodes. Also, you can allow incoming connections through Tor without messing up with firewalls.

Could you provide me with a good tutorial on how to do that? I am on Windows unfortunately.

edit:

is this enough? https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Tor