What’s the major difference between adresss and public key?

[Aykenchi]

I’m new here, I tried reading a few technical side of the bitcoin which really was interesting to me, but some few things got me confused. in my reading I tried as much as possible to understand the difference between addresses and public key, in my small thought they are the same but it’s just different way of representation since they are all derived from the private key they should also mean the same thing.
Please I’ll like to know if I’m on the on the right track with what I’ve learnt so far? And will also like to know the major differences between the public key and address if there really is any.

[SatoPrincess]

Although both can be generated using private keys, it does not mean the public key and bitcoin address have the same function. Your bitcoin address is used for transactions. While your public key is used to generate bitcoin address.

Edit: you can read this thread for more information on the topic.

Public keys
The basic usage of the public key is for encryption and validation of signature. It is generated from the private key through a mathematical function called "elliptic curve multiplication" as shown in the diagram below. A public key is not the main recipient of a transaction, but rather part of the address itself.

Address
The basic usage of Address is to receive Bitcoin from anyone. It is also generated from something, but this time around the Public key. Address practically contains about 25 to 40. alphanumeric characters. the mathematical function in getting a wallet address from a public key is known as a one-way function, and the process is known as hashing. This also means that an address is a hash of a public key. The two common wallet address are the SegWit wallet address(which begins 3 or bc1) and Legacy wallet address(which begins with 1).

[Tongley]

This topic has been discussed a lot in the past and you may be able to get your answers from that thread.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5499462.msg64193874#msg64193874

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5350111.msg57499874#msg57499874

[hmbdofficial]

Similar questions like this have been asked multiple times here, but since you’re just a newbie you might no know just maybe the pages have been buried.

You’re right to say both wallet addresses and public key can all be linked to private key.
This is the difference;
The public key is derived from private key using elliptical curve multiplication, while the address is just the hash of the public key.
This means that you can generate the address from public key but public key cannot be generated from address.
And when you want to receive bitcoin from someone you only give out your address and not public key.
 Public key key format start like this; 02, 03, but the address start with 1, 3 or even bc1
You may also use this link to learn more about it
https://learnmeabitcoin.com/technical/keys/public-key/hash/

[Upgrade00]

in my small thought they are the same but it’s just different way of representation since they are all derived from the private key they should also mean the same thing.

They aren't the same. The public keys are generated from the private keys, while the address is hashed from the public key with none of these processes being backwards compatible.

With modern wallets, you have a master private key that generates other private keys for each individual address and the master public key which generates other public keys that hashes their individual addresses. Using just the master public key, you'll be able to only watch the addresses generated from it and create raw transaction files, but cannot sign transactions.
Anytime you spend from an address the public key is exposed, but if you have never spent from it, it stays "private".

[SilverCryptoBullet]

I tried as much as possible to understand the difference between addresses and public key, in my small thought they are the same but it’s just different way of representation since they are all derived from the private key they should also mean the same thing.

also like to know the major differences between the public key and address if there really is any.

Private key - Public key - Address.

There are two steps: private key to create public key; then public key to create address. Both steps are one-sided as described and you can not do a reversed side like: Address - Public key - Private key.

It means to receive bitcoin, you need only a Bitcoin address for senders to send their bitcoin to you. To send your bitcoin, you need private key for signing transactions, and to lose your bitcoin, you must lose your Bitcoin private key.

https://learnmeabitcoin.com/beginners/guide/keys-addresses/
https://learnmeabitcoin.com/beginners/guide/private-keys/
https://learnmeabitcoin.com/beginners/guide/public-keys/

[Comeacross]

It's actually confusing for someone who is just starting their journey. As seen from the previous posts above mine, links have been provided where similar things were discussed in the past. You're not alone on this and I believe we are going to see similar question again in the future.

If you can tell that both the public key and address come from the private key, then you are not that far again from spotting the difference. Your public key and address are not the same thing and they of course serve different purposes.

The more deeper you go in your research, the more understand the difference. The easiest way I can differentiate them for you is your address is for receiving and your public key is to prove you own the address.

[SeriouslyGiveaway]

It's actually confusing for someone who is just starting their journey. As seen from the previous posts above mine, links have been provided where similar things were discussed in the past. You're not alone on this and I believe we are going to see similar question again in the future

With my experience, I felt it is simple even I did not learn so much before using Bitcoin.
Create a wallet, see the address, use it for receive. If I want to send my bitcoin, click on send, paste an address, and send it.

I know by doing that, I carelessly practiced because I did not learn about private keys, public keys but for practice only, I did not go too far technnically.

I actually backed up my wallet because when I create a wallet, Electrum wallet software required me to do so, so I did that, it's simple.

I agree people need to learn something technically to store and use Bitcoin more safely but don't stress newbies too much.

[Upgrade00]

The easiest way I can differentiate them for you is your address is for receiving and your public key is to prove you own the address.

The public key is to prove that the signature was made by the private key of that address. Your private key should always remain private, the public key comes in as a way for the network to verify signed transactions to have come from the correct private keys.
Your public address is an identifier you use to receive payments to your 'wallet' without revealing your public key.

For security your public key remains private until you spend from that address at which point it is exposed as a means of verifying the transaction. This is why it is advised not to reuse an address. If it only received one utxo, after that is spent the change returns to a different change address with a public key that's still unknown.

[348Judah]

This is where making use of the forum search engine is necessary before making a thread; avoid repetitive posts on topics that have already been discussed in the past. There are people who will not take the time to research well before engaging in any discussion. It is even easier to do when you just Google it on the internet and see several suggestions that will pop up on your screen, including the ones that have been discussed on the forum here.

[Alvin_talk]

I want you to understand this sequence: privatet key=>public key=>bitcoin address.

Bitcoin address is a hashed, encoded form of the public key. The simple reason for hashing the public key is to add another layer of security or protection to the intended user. Therefore it was reasonable idea to hash the public key so that users don't just send their public keys as address. Note that their was once a time when outputs (P2PK) were locked directly at the  public key. An example of this is the Satoshi era coin. Satoshi’s era coins are more vulnerable to potential quantum attack because the coins are in public key address. Modern day addresses are only at risk to potential quantum attack if the address is reused. To cut the whole story short, public key can serve as an address but hashing it is necessary to give you more security.

[EluguHcman]

in my small thought they are the same but it’s just different way of representation since they are all derived from the private key they should also mean the same thing.

They aren't the same. The public keys are generated from the private keys, while the address is hashed from the public key with none of these processes being backwards compatible.

You are very much correct.
Their compatibility can never be interwoven neither are they integrated of the same functions.
Where cryptography is emphasized, Privacy is definitely somehow acknowledged essential which maybe extreme or limitedly secures users data.
This is generally why you generates your public keys through the private keys and the address hash digest derived from the public keys.

Public keys is not an architect to keep Privacy and so it is also made public the same as the address which your transaction address prove identity of ownership with private keys proves control of ownership.

[suzanne5223]

I’m new here, I tried reading a few technical side of the bitcoin which really was interesting to me, but some few things got me confused. in my reading I tried as much as possible to understand the difference between addresses and public key, in my small thought they are the same but it’s just different way of representation since they are all derived from the private key they should also mean the same thing.
Please I’ll like to know if I’m on the on the right track with what I’ve learnt so far? And will also like to know the major differences between the public key and address if there really is any.

We can say they are sibling but one of the heir to the throne because address is just the simply human-friendly encoding convenient version of a public key hash or a script hash.. But public key is the raw cryptographic derived from the private key.
Therefore, wallet address is created through the hashing of the public key  and encoding it in a user-friendly format (Base58 or Bech32) with the use of a checksum. 
  https://learnmeabitcoin.com/technical/keys/address/
https://learnmeabitcoin.com/beginners/guide/public-keys/

[Aykenchi]

I think I finally understand it now. At first I thought the public key and Bitcoin address were almost the same thing.
The simple way I see it now is:
Private key = used to sign
Public key = used to verify
Bitcoin address = where you receive Bitcoin

So the private key is the one we must protect, while the address is the one we can share with someone who wants to send us Bitcoin.
I’m still learning, but this simple explanation made it much easier for me to understand.
I Thank you all for your positive contributions.
Please let me know if I get the whole thing right with my simple mental model.

[Cricktor]

You can also view the public address simply as a recipe for what kind of unlock script is written into a transaction output when a transaction sends some amount of coins to such an "address". The Bitcoin blockchain doesn't know or store addresses, actually. I'm sure this may confuse beginners...

Bitcoin addresses are recipes for a wallet to construct the required unlock script for a certain address type.

This is maybe a jump too deep into the rabbit hole, but if you want you can learn more about Bitcoin Script here: https://learnmeabitcoin.com/technical/script/

Further down that page (and rabbit hole) unlock scripts are mentioned and links to their explanation provided. Have fun, I love and highly recommend https://learnmeabitcoin.com to learn and understand how Bitcoin works.

[hugeblack]

The simplest definition is that a Bitcoin address is a hashed version of a public key (which can be shared safely) whereas the public key itself is a cryptographic key generated from the private key.

Most wallets today are standard HD wallets that provide an extended public key (xPub); through derivation paths, a new public key is generated for each index. This derived child public key is then processed using SHA-256 and RIPEMD-160 to create distinct addresses (such as Legacy, SegWit, or bc1).

[DubemIfedigbo001]

Public key key format start like this; 02, 03, but the address start with 1, 3 or even bc1

public keys that start with 02 and 03 are compressed public keys, uncompressed public keys starts with 04. 02 if Y coordinate is even and 03 if the Y coordinate is odd.

The easiest way I can differentiate them for you is your address is for receiving and your public key is to prove you own the address.

Nope actually the public key doesn't prove you own any address, you don't need such proof to receive coins, but you need the proof to spend them. When you want to spend from your address, you need the digital signature created when your private keys signs the transaction output, which proves your ownership of the funds in the address and your right to spend them. The public key is used to verify the digital signature.