bitcoinbook/ch03.asciidoc

[[ch03_bitcoin_client]]
== Bitcoin Core: The Reference Implementation

((("open source licenses")))((("Nakamoto, Satoshi")))Bitcoin is an _open
source_ project and the source code is available under an open (MIT)
license, free to download and use for any purpose. Open source means
more than simply free to use. It also means that bitcoin is developed by
an open community of volunteers. At first, that community consisted of
only Satoshi Nakamoto. By 2016, bitcoin's source code had more than 400
contributors with about a dozen developers working on the code almost
full-time and several dozen more on a part-time basis. Anyone can
contribute to the code—including you!

((("bitcoin whitepaper")))((("Satoshi client")))((("reference
implementation", see="Bitcoin Core")))((("Bitcoin Core", "reference
implementation")))When bitcoin was created by Satoshi Nakamoto, the
software was mostly completed before the whitepaper reproduced in
<<satoshi_whitepaper>> was published. Satoshi wanted to make sure it
worked before publishing about it. That first implementation, then simply
known as "Bitcoin", has been heavily modified and
improved. It has evolved into what is known as _Bitcoin Core_, to
differentiate it from other implementations. Bitcoin Core is
the _reference implementation_ of the Bitcoin system, meaning that it is
provides a reference for how each part of the technology should be
implemented. Bitcoin Core implements all aspects of bitcoin, including
wallets, a transaction and block validation engine, and all modern parts
of Bitcoin peer-to-peer communication.

[WARNING]
====
((("wallets", "best practices for")))((("bitcoin improvement proposals",
"Mnemonic Code Words (BIP-39)")))((("bitcoin improvement proposals",
"Hierarchical Deterministic Wallets (BIP-32/BIP-44)")))Even though
Bitcoin Core includes a reference implementation of a wallet, this is
not intended to be used as a production wallet for users or for
applications. Application developers are advised to build wallets using
modern standards such as BIP-39 and BIP-32 (see <<mnemonic_code_words>>
and <<hd_wallets>>). BIP stands for _Bitcoin Improvement Proposal_.
====

<<bitcoin_core_architecture>> shows the architecture of Bitcoin
Core.((("Bitcoin Core", "architecture")))

[[bitcoin_core_architecture]]
.Bitcoin Core architecture (Source: Eric Lombrozo)
image::images/mbc2_0301.png["Bitcoin Core Architecture"]


=== Bitcoin Development Environment

((("development environment", "setup", see="Bitcoin Core")))If you're a
developer, you will want to set up a development environment with all
the tools, libraries, and support software for writing bitcoin
applications. In this highly technical chapter, we'll walk through that
process step-by-step. If the material becomes too dense (and you're not
actually setting up a development environment) feel free to skip to the
next chapter, which is less technical.

[[compiling_core]]
=== Compiling Bitcoin Core from the Source Code

((("Bitcoin Core", "compiling from source code",
id="BCsource03")))((("Bitcoin Core", "compiling from source code",
"downloading")))((("code examples, obtaining and using")))Bitcoin Core's
source code can be downloaded as a archive or by cloning the
authoritative source repository from GitHub.  ((("Bitcoin Core
downloads")))On the https://bitcoincore.org/bin/[Bitcoin Core download
page], select the most recent version and download the compressed
archive of the source code, e.g., +bitcoin-0.15.0.2.tar.gz+. ((("GitHub
bitcoin page")))Alternatively, use the git command line to create a
local copy of the source code from the
https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin[GitHub bitcoin page].

[TIP]
====
((("$ symbol")))((("shell commands")))((("terminal applications")))In
many of the examples in this chapter we will be using the operating
system's command-line interface (also known as a "shell"), accessed via
a "terminal" application. The shell will display a prompt; you type a
command; and the shell responds with some text and a new prompt for your
next command. The prompt may look different on your system, but in the
following examples it is denoted by a +$+ symbol. In the examples, when
you see text after a +$+ symbol, don't type the +$+ symbol but type the
command immediately following it, then press Enter to execute the
command. In the examples, the lines below each command are the operating
system's responses to that command. When you see the next +$+ prefix,
you'll know it's a new command and you should repeat the process.
====

((("cloning source code")))((("source code, cloning", seealso="Bitcoin
Core")))In this example, we are using the +git+ command to create a
local copy ("clone") of the source code:

----
$ git clone https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin.git
Cloning into 'bitcoin'...
remote: Counting objects: 102071, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (10/10), done.
Receiving objects: 100% (102071/102071), 86.38 MiB | 730.00 KiB/s, done.
remote: Total 102071 (delta 4), reused 5 (delta 1), pack-reused 102060
Resolving deltas: 100% (76168/76168), done.
Checking connectivity... done.
$
----

[TIP]
====
((("distributed version control systems")))Git is the most widely used
distributed version control system, an essential part of any software
developer's toolkit. You may need to install the +git+ command, or a
graphical user interface for git, on your operating system if you do not
have it already.
====

When the git cloning operation has completed, you will have a complete
local copy of the source code repository in the directory _bitcoin_.
Change to this directory by typing ++**cd bitcoin**++ at the prompt:

----
$ cd bitcoin
----

==== Selecting a Bitcoin Core Release

((("Bitcoin Core", "compiling from source code", "version
selection")))By default, the local copy will be synchronized with the
most recent code, which might be an unstable or beta version of bitcoin.
Before compiling the code, select a specific version by checking out a
release _tag_. This will synchronize the local copy with a specific
snapshot of the code repository identified by a keyword tag. Tags are
used by the developers to mark specific releases of the code by version
number. First, to find the available tags, we use the +git tag+ command:

----
$ git tag
v0.1.5
v0.1.6test1
v0.10.0
...
v0.11.2
v0.11.2rc1
v0.12.0rc1
v0.12.0rc2
...
----

The list of tags shows all the released versions of bitcoin. By
convention, _release candidates_, which are intended for testing, have
the suffix "rc." Stable releases that can be run on production systems
have no suffix. From the preceding list, select the highest version
release, which at the time of writing was v0.15.0. To synchronize the
local code with this version, use the +git checkout+ command:

----
$ git checkout v0.15.0
HEAD is now at 3751912... Merge #11295: doc: Old fee_estimates.dat are discarded by 0.15.0
----

You can confirm you have the desired version "checked out" by issuing
the command +git status+:

----
$ git status
HEAD detached at v0.15.0
nothing to commit, working directory clean
----

==== Configuring the Bitcoin Core Build

((("Bitcoin Core", "compiling from source code", "build
configuration")))((("documentation")))((("build documentation",
seealso="Bitcoin Core")))The source code includes documentation, which
can be found in a number of files. Review the main documentation located
in _README.md_ in the _bitcoin_ directory by typing ++**more
README.md**++ at the prompt and using the spacebar to progress to the
next page. In this chapter, we will build the command-line Bitcoin
client, also known as +bitcoind+ on Linux. Review the instructions for
compiling the +bitcoind+ command-line client on your platform by typing
++**more doc/build-unix.md**++. Alternative instructions for macOS and
Windows can be found in the _doc_ directory, as _build-osx.md_ or
_build-windows.md_, respectively.

Carefully review the build prerequisites, which are in the first part of
the build documentation. These are libraries that must be present on
your system before you can begin to compile bitcoin. If these
prerequisites are missing, the build process will fail with an error. If
this happens because you missed a prerequisite, you can install it and
then resume the build process from where you left off. Assuming the
prerequisites are installed, you start the build process by generating a
set of build scripts using the _autogen.sh_ script.

----
$ ./autogen.sh
...
glibtoolize: copying file 'build-aux/m4/libtool.m4'
glibtoolize: copying file 'build-aux/m4/ltoptions.m4'
glibtoolize: copying file 'build-aux/m4/ltsugar.m4'
glibtoolize: copying file 'build-aux/m4/ltversion.m4'
...
configure.ac:10: installing 'build-aux/compile'
configure.ac:5: installing 'build-aux/config.guess'
configure.ac:5: installing 'build-aux/config.sub'
configure.ac:9: installing 'build-aux/install-sh'
configure.ac:9: installing 'build-aux/missing'
Makefile.am: installing 'build-aux/depcomp'
...
----

The _autogen.sh_ script creates a set of automatic configuration scripts
that will interrogate your system to discover the correct settings and
ensure you have all the necessary libraries to compile the code. The
most important of these is the +configure+ script that offers a number
of different options to customize the build process. Type
++**./configure --help**++ to see the various options:

----
$ ./configure --help
`configure' configures Bitcoin Core 0.15.0 to adapt to many kinds of systems.

Usage: ./configure [OPTION]... [VAR=VALUE]...

...
Optional Features:
  --disable-option-checking  ignore unrecognized --enable/--with options
  --disable-FEATURE       do not include FEATURE (same as --enable-FEATURE=no)
  --enable-FEATURE[=ARG]  include FEATURE [ARG=yes]

  --enable-wallet         enable wallet (default is yes)

  --with-gui[=no|qt4|qt5|auto]
...
----

The +configure+ script allows you to enable or disable certain features
of +bitcoind+ through the use of the +--enable-FEATURE+ and
+--disable-FEATURE+ flags, where pass:[<span
class="keep-together"><code>FEATURE</code></span>] is replaced by the
feature name, as listed in the help output. In this chapter, we will
build the +bitcoind+ client with all the default features. We won't be
using the configuration flags, but you should review them to understand
what optional features are part of the client. If you are in an academic
setting, computer lab restrictions may require you to install
applications in your home directory (e.g., using +--prefix=$HOME+).

Here are some useful options that override the default behavior of the
configure script:

++++
<dl>
<dt><code>--prefix=$HOME</code></dt>
<dd><p>This overrides the default installation location (which is <em>/usr/local/</em>) for the resulting executable. Use <code>$HOME</code> to put everything in your home directory, or a different path.</p></dd>

<dt><code>--disable-wallet</code></dt>
<dd><p>This is used to disable the reference wallet implementation.</p></dd>

<dt><code>--with-incompatible-bdb</code></dt>
<dd><p>If you are building a wallet, allow the use of an incompatible version of the Berkeley DB library.</p></dd>

<dt><code>--with-gui=no</code></dt>
<dd><p>Don't build the graphical user interface, which requires the Qt library. This builds server and command-line bitcoin only.</p></dd>
</dl>
++++

Next, run the +configure+ script to automatically discover all the necessary libraries and create a customized build script for your system:

----
$ ./configure
checking build system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
checking host system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for a thread-safe mkdir -p... /bin/mkdir -p
checking for gawk... gawk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... yes
...
[many pages of configuration tests follow]
...
$
----

If all went well, the +configure+ command will end by creating the
customized build scripts that will allow us to compile +bitcoind+. If
there are any missing libraries or errors, the +configure+ command will
terminate with an error instead of creating the build scripts. If an
error occurs, it is most likely because of a missing or incompatible
library. Review the build documentation again and make sure you install
the missing prerequisites. Then run +configure+ again and see if that
fixes the error.

==== Building the Bitcoin Core Executables

((("Bitcoin Core", "compiling from source code", "core
executables")))((("core executables", seealso="Bitcoin Core")))Next, you
will compile the source code, a process that can take up to an hour to
complete, depending on the speed of your CPU and available memory.
During the compilation process you should see output every few seconds
or every few minutes, or an error if something goes wrong. If an error
occurs, or the compilation process is interrupted, it can be resumed any
time by typing +make+ again. Type ++**make**++ to start compiling the
executable application:

----
$ make
Making all in src
  CXX      crypto/libbitcoinconsensus_la-hmac_sha512.lo
  CXX      crypto/libbitcoinconsensus_la-ripemd160.lo
  CXX      crypto/libbitcoinconsensus_la-sha1.lo
  CXX      crypto/libbitcoinconsensus_la-sha256.lo
  CXX      crypto/libbitcoinconsensus_la-sha512.lo
  CXX      libbitcoinconsensus_la-hash.lo
  CXX      primitives/libbitcoinconsensus_la-transaction.lo
  CXX      libbitcoinconsensus_la-pubkey.lo
  CXX      script/libbitcoinconsensus_la-bitcoinconsensus.lo
  CXX      script/libbitcoinconsensus_la-interpreter.lo

[... many more compilation messages follow ...]

$
----

On a fast system with more than one CPU, you might want to set the
number of parallel compile jobs. For instance, +make -j 2+ will use two
cores if they are available. If all goes well, Bitcoin Core is now
compiled. You should run the unit test suite with +make check+ to ensure
the linked libraries are not broken in obvious ways. The final step is
to install the various executables on your system using the +make
install+ command. You may be prompted for your user password, because
this step requires administrative privileges:

----
$ make check && sudo make install
Password:
Making install in src
 ../build-aux/install-sh -c -d '/usr/local/lib'
libtool: install: /usr/bin/install -c bitcoind /usr/local/bin/bitcoind
libtool: install: /usr/bin/install -c bitcoin-cli /usr/local/bin/bitcoin-cli
libtool: install: /usr/bin/install -c bitcoin-tx /usr/local/bin/bitcoin-tx
...
$
----

((("", startref="BCsource03")))The default installation of +bitcoind+
puts it in _/usr/local/bin_. You can confirm that Bitcoin Core is
correctly installed by asking the system for the path of the
executables, as follows:

----
$ which bitcoind
/usr/local/bin/bitcoind

$ which bitcoin-cli
/usr/local/bin/bitcoin-cli
----

=== Running a Bitcoin Core Node

((("Bitcoin Core", "running core nodes", id="BCnode03")))((("Bitcoin
nodes", "running core nodes", id="BNcore03")))Bitcoin's peer-to-peer
network is composed of network "nodes," run mostly by volunteers and
some of the businesses that build bitcoin applications. Those running
Bitcoin nodes have a direct and authoritative view of the Bitcoin
blockchain, with a local copy of all the transactions, independently
validated by their own system. By running a node, you don't have to rely
on any third party to validate a transaction. Moreover, by running a
Bitcoin node you contribute to the Bitcoin network by making it more
robust.

Running a node, however, requires a permanently connected system with
enough resources to process all Bitcoin transactions. Depending on
whether you choose to index all transactions and keep a full copy of the
blockchain, you may also need a lot of disk space and RAM. As of early
2018, a full-index node needs 2 GB of RAM and a minimum of 160 GB of
disk space (see https://blockchain.info/charts/blocks-size[]). Bitcoin
nodes also transmit and receive bitcoin transactions and blocks,
consuming internet bandwidth. If your internet connection is limited,
has a low data cap, or is metered (charged by the gigabit), you should
probably not run a Bitcoin node on it, or run it in a way that
constrains its bandwidth (see <<constrained_resources>>).

[TIP]
====
((("warnings and cautions", "core node resource
requirements")))((("resource requirements")))Bitcoin Core keeps a full
copy of the blockchain by default, with every transaction that has ever
occurred on the Bitcoin network since its inception in 2009. This
dataset is dozens of gigabytes in size and is downloaded incrementally
over several days or weeks, depending on the speed of your CPU and
internet connection. Bitcoin Core will not be able to process
transactions or update account balances until the full blockchain
dataset is downloaded. Make sure you have enough disk space, bandwidth,
and time to complete the initial synchronization. You can configure
Bitcoin Core to reduce the size of the blockchain by discarding old
blocks (see <<constrained_resources>>), but it will still download the
entire dataset before discarding data.
====

Despite these resource requirements, thousands of volunteers run Bitcoin
nodes. Some are running on systems as simple as a Raspberry Pi (a $35
USD computer the size of a pack of cards). Many volunteers also run
Bitcoin nodes on rented servers, usually some variant of Linux. A
_Virtual Private Server_ (VPS) or _Cloud Computing Server_ instance can
be used to run a Bitcoin node. Such servers can be rented for $25 to $50
USD per month from a variety of providers.

Why would you want to run a node? Here are some of the most common
reasons:

- If you are developing bitcoin software and need to rely on a Bitcoin
  node for programmable (API) access to the network and blockchain.

- If you are building applications that must validate transactions
  according to bitcoin's consensus rules. Typically, bitcoin software
  companies run several nodes.

- If you want to support bitcoin. Running a node makes the network more
  robust and able to serve more wallets, more users, and more
  transactions.

- If you do not want to rely on any third party to process or validate
  your transactions.

If you're reading this book and interested in developing bitcoin software, you should be running your own node.

==== Configuring the Bitcoin Core Node

((("Bitcoin Core", "running core nodes", "configuring")))((("warnings
and cautions", "password creation")))((("passwords",
"creating")))((("security", "passwords")))Bitcoin Core will look for a
configuration file in its data directory on every start. In this section
we will examine the various configuration options and set up a
configuration file. To locate the configuration file, run +bitcoind
-printtoconsole+ in your terminal and look for the first couple of
lines.

----
$ bitcoind -printtoconsole
Bitcoin version v0.15.0
Using the 'standard' SHA256 implementation
Using data directory /home/ubuntu/.bitcoin/
Using config file /home/ubuntu/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
...
[a lot more debug output]
...
----

You can hit Ctrl-C to shut down the node once you determine the location
of the config file. Usually the configuration file is inside the
_.bitcoin_ data directory under your user's home directory. Open the
configuration file in your preferred editor.

Bitcoin Core offers more than 100 configuration options that modify the
behavior of the network node, the storage of the blockchain, and many
other aspects of its operation. To see a listing of these options, run
+bitcoind  --help+:

----
$ bitcoind --help
Bitcoin Core Daemon version v0.15.0

Usage:
  bitcoind [options]                     Start Bitcoin Core Daemon

Options:

  -?
       Print this help message and exit

  -version
       Print version and exit

  -alertnotify=<cmd>
       Execute command when a relevant alert is received or we see a really
       long fork (%s in cmd is replaced by message)
...
[many more options]
...

  -rpcthreads=<n>
       Set the number of threads to service RPC calls (default: 4)
----

((("configuration options", seealso="Bitcoin Core")))Here are some of
the most important options that you can set in the configuration file,
or as command-line parameters to +bitcoind+:

alertnotify:: Run a specified command or script to send emergency alerts
to the owner of this node, usually by email.

conf:: An alternative location for the configuration file. This only
makes sense as a command-line parameter to +bitcoind+, as it can't be
inside the configuration file it refers to.

datadir:: Select the directory and filesystem in which to put all the
blockchain data. By default this is the _.bitcoin_ subdirectory of your
home directory. Make sure this filesystem has several gigabytes of free
space.

prune:: Reduce the disk space requirements to this many megabytes, by
deleting old blocks. Use this on a resource-constrained node that can't
fit the full blockchain.

txindex:: Maintain an index of all transactions. This means a complete
copy of the blockchain that allows you to programmatically retrieve any
transaction by ID.

dbcache:: The size of the UTXO cache. The default is 300 MiB. Increase
this on high-end hardware and reduce the size on low-end hardware to
save memory at the expense of slow disk IO.

maxconnections:: Set the maximum number of nodes from which to accept
connections. Reducing this from the default will reduce your bandwidth
consumption. Use if you have a data cap or pay by the gigabyte.

maxmempool:: Limit the transaction memory pool to this many megabytes.
Use it to reduce memory use on memory-constrained nodes.

maxreceivebuffer/maxsendbuffer:: Limit per-connection memory buffer to
this many multiples of 1000 bytes. Use on memory-constrained nodes.

minrelaytxfee:: Set the minimum fee rate for transaction you will relay.
Below this value, the transaction is treated nonstandard, rejected from
the transaction pool and not relayed.

[[txindex]]
.Transaction Database Index and txindex Option
****
((("Bitcoin Core", "running core nodes", "database
options")))((("transactions", "database configuration
options")))((("txindex option")))((("full indexing option")))By default,
Bitcoin Core builds a database containing _only_ the transactions
related to the user's wallet. If you want to be able to access _any_
transaction with commands like +getrawtransaction+ (see
<<exploring_and_decoding_transanctions>>), you need to configure Bitcoin
Core to build a complete transaction index, which can be achieved with
the +txindex+ option. Set +txindex=1+ in the Bitcoin Core configuration
file. If you don't set this option at first and later set it to full
indexing, you need to restart +bitcoind+ with the +-reindex+ option and
wait for it to rebuild the index.
****

<<full_index_node>> shows how you might combine the preceding options,
with a fully indexed node, running as an API backend for a bitcoin
application.

[[full_index_node]]
.Sample configuration of a full-index node
====
----
alertnotify=myemailscript.sh "Alert: %s"
datadir=/lotsofspace/bitcoin
txindex=1
----
====

<<constrained_resources>> shows a resource-constrained node running on a
smaller server.

[[constrained_resources]]
.Sample configuration of a resource-constrained system
====
----
alertnotify=myemailscript.sh "Alert: %s"
maxconnections=15
prune=5000
dbcache=150
maxmempool=150
maxreceivebuffer=2500
maxsendbuffer=500
----
====

Once you've edited the configuration file and set the options that best
represent your needs, you can test +bitcoind+ with this configuration.
Run Bitcoin Core with the option +printtoconsole+ to run in the
foreground with output to the console:

----
$ bitcoind -printtoconsole

Bitcoin version v0.15.0
InitParameterInteraction: parameter interaction: -whitelistforcerelay=1 -> setting -whitelistrelay=1
Assuming ancestors of block 0000000000000000003b9ce759c2a087d52abc4266f8f4ebd6d768b89defa50a have valid signatures.
Using the 'standard' SHA256 implementation
Default data directory /home/ubuntu/.bitcoin
Using data directory /lotsofspace/.bitcoin
Using config file /home/ubuntu/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
Using at most 125 automatic connections (1048576 file descriptors available)
Using 16 MiB out of 32/2 requested for signature cache, able to store 524288 elements
Using 16 MiB out of 32/2 requested for script execution cache, able to store 524288 elements
Using 2 threads for script verification
HTTP: creating work queue of depth 16
No rpcpassword set - using random cookie authentication
Generated RPC authentication cookie /lotsofspace/.bitcoin/.cookie
HTTP: starting 4 worker threads
init message: Verifying wallet(s)...
Using BerkeleyDB version Berkeley DB 4.8.30: (April  9, 2010)
Using wallet wallet.dat
CDBEnv::Open: LogDir=/lotsofspace/.bitcoin/database ErrorFile=/lotsofspace/.bitcoin/db.log
scheduler thread start
Cache configuration:
* Using 250.0MiB for block index database
* Using 8.0MiB for chain state database
* Using 1742.0MiB for in-memory UTXO set (plus up to 286.1MiB of unused mempool space)
init message: Loading block index...
Opening LevelDB in /lotsofspace/.bitcoin/blocks/index
Opened LevelDB successfully

[... more startup messages ...]
----

You can hit Ctrl-C to interrupt the process once you are satisfied that
it is loading the correct settings and running as you expect.

To run Bitcoin Core in the background as a process, start it with the
+daemon+ option, as +bitcoind -daemon+.

To monitor the progress and runtime status of your Bitcoin node, use the
command +bitcoin-cli getblockchaininfo+:

----
$ bitcoin-cli getblockchaininfo
----

[source,json]
----
{
  "chain": "main",
  "blocks": 0,
  "headers": 83999,
  "bestblockhash": "000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f",
  "difficulty": 1,
  "mediantime": 1231006505,
  "verificationprogress": 3.783041623201835e-09,
  "chainwork": "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000100010001",
  "pruned": false,
  [...]
}
----

This shows a node with a blockchain height of 0 blocks and 83999
headers. The node currently fetches the block headers of the best chain
and afterward continues to download the full blocks.

Once you are happy with the configuration options you have selected, you
should add bitcoin to the startup scripts in your operating system, so
that it runs continuously and restarts when the operating system
restarts. You will find a number of example startup scripts for various
operating systems in bitcoin's source directory under _contrib/init_ and
a _README.md_ file showing which system uses which script.((("",
startref="BCnode03")))((("", startref="BNcore03")))

=== Bitcoin Core Application Programming Interface (API)

((("Bitcoin Core", "Bitcoin Core API", id="BCapi03")))The Bitcoin Core
client implements a JSON-RPC interface that can also be accessed using
the command-line helper +bitcoin-cli+. The command line allows us to
experiment interactively with the capabilities that are also available
programmatically via the API. ((("Bitcoin Core", "Bitcoin Core API",
"RPC commands")))To start, invoke the +help+ command to see a list of
the available bitcoin RPC commands:

[[bitcoind_commands]]

----
$ bitcoin-cli help
addmultisigaddress nrequired ["key",...] ( "account" )
addnode "node" "add|remove|onetry"
backupwallet "destination"
createmultisig nrequired ["key",...]
createrawtransaction [{"txid":"id","vout":n},...] {"address":amount,...}
decoderawtransaction "hexstring"
...
...
verifymessage "bitcoinaddress" "signature" "message"
walletlock
walletpassphrase "passphrase" timeout
walletpassphrasechange "oldpassphrase" "newpassphrase"
----

Each of these commands may take a number of parameters. To get
additional help, a detailed description, and information on the
parameters, add the command name after +help+. For example, to see help
on the +getblockhash+ RPC command:

----
$ bitcoin-cli help getblockhash
getblockhash height

Returns hash of block in best-block-chain at height provided.

Arguments:
1. height         (numeric, required) The height index

Result:
"hash"         (string) The block hash

Examples:
> bitcoin-cli getblockhash 1000
> curl --user myusername --data-binary '{"jsonrpc": "1.0", "id":"curltest", "method": "getblockhash", "params": [1000] }' -H 'content-type: text/plain;' http://127.0.0.1:8332/
----

At the end of the help information you will see two examples of the RPC
command, using the +bitcoin-cli+ helper or the HTTP client +curl+. These
examples demonstrate how you might call the command. Copy the first
example and see the result:

----
$ bitcoin-cli getblockhash 1000
00000000c937983704a73af28acdec37b049d214adbda81d7e2a3dd146f6ed09
----

The result is a block hash, which is described in more detail in the
following chapters. But for now, this command should return the same
result on your system, demonstrating that your Bitcoin Core node is
running, is accepting commands, and has information about block 1000 to
return to you.

In the next sections we will demonstrate some very useful RPC commands
and their expected output.

==== Getting Information on the Bitcoin Core Client Status

((("Bitcoin Core", "Bitcoin Core API", "status information")))Bitcoin
Core provides status reports on diffent modules through the JSON-RPC
interface. The most important commands include +getblockchaininfo+,
+getmempoolinfo+, +getnetworkinfo+ and +getwalletinfo+.

Bitcoin's +getblockchaininfo+ RPC command was introduced earlier. The
+getnetworkinfo+ command displays basic information about the status of
the Bitcoin network node. Use +bitcoin-cli+ to run it:

----
$ bitcoin-cli getnetworkinfo
----
[source,json]
----
  "version": 150000,
  "subversion": "/Satoshi:0.15.0/",
  "protocolversion": 70015,
  "localservices": "000000000000000d",
  "localrelay": true,
  "timeoffset": 0,
  "networkactive": true,
  "connections": 8,
  "networks": [
    ...
    detailed information about all networks (ipv4, ipv6 or onion)
    ...
  ],
  "relayfee": 0.00001000,
  "incrementalfee": 0.00001000,
  "localaddresses": [
  ],
  "warnings": ""
}

----

The data is returned in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), a format that
can easily be "consumed" by all programming languages but is also quite
human-readable. Among this data we see the version numbers for the
bitcoin software client (150000) and Bitcoin protocol (70015).  We see
the current number of connections (8) and various information about the
Bitcoin network and the settings related to this client.

[TIP]
====
It will take some time, perhaps more than a day, for the +bitcoind+
client to "catch up" to the current blockchain height as it downloads
blocks from other Bitcoin clients. You can check its progress using
+getblockchaininfo+ to see the number of known blocks.
====

[[exploring_and_decoding_transanctions]]
==== Exploring and Decoding Transactions

((("Bitcoin Core", "Bitcoin Core API", "exploring and decoding
transactions")))((("transactions", "exploring with Bitcoin Core
API")))Commands: +getrawtransaction+, +decoderawtransaction+

In <<cup_of_coffee>>, ((("use cases", "buying coffee",
id="alicethree")))Alice bought a cup of coffee from Bob's Cafe. Her
transaction was recorded on the blockchain with transaction ID (+txid+)
+0627052b6f28912f2703066a912ea577f2ce4da4caa5a5fbd8a57286c345c2f2+.
Let's use the API to retrieve and examine that transaction by passing
the transaction ID as a parameter:

++++
<pre data-type="programlisting">
$ bitcoin-cli getrawtransaction 0627052b6f28912f2703066a912ea577f2ce4da4caa5a&#x21b5;
5fbd8a57286c345c2f2

0100000001186f9f998a5aa6f048e51dd8419a14d8a0f1a8a2836dd734d2804fe65fa35779000&#x21b5;
000008b483045022100884d142d86652a3f47ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1deccbb6498c75c4&#x21b5;
ae24cb02204b9f039ff08df09cbe9f6addac960298cad530a863ea8f53982c09db8f6e3813014&#x21b5;
10484ecc0d46f1918b30928fa0e4ed99f16a0fb4fde0735e7ade8416ab9fe423cc54123363767&#x21b5;
89d172787ec3457eee41c04f4938de5cc17b4a10fa336a8d752adfffffffff0260e3160000000&#x21b5;
0001976a914ab68025513c3dbd2f7b92a94e0581f5d50f654e788acd0ef8000000000001976a9&#x21b5;
147f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a888ac00000000
</pre>
++++


[TIP]
====
((("transaction IDs (txd)")))((("malleability")))A transaction ID is not
authoritative until a transaction has been confirmed. Absence of a
transaction hash in the blockchain does not mean the transaction was not
processed. This is known as "transaction malleability," because
transaction hashes can be modified prior to confirmation in a block.
After confirmation, the +txid+ is immutable and authoritative.
====

The command +getrawtransaction+ returns a serialized transaction in
hexadecimal notation. To decode that, we use the +decoderawtransaction+
command, passing the hex data as a parameter. You can copy the hex
returned by +getrawtransaction+ and paste it as a parameter to
+decoderawtransaction+:

++++
<pre data-type="programlisting">
$ bitcoin-cli decoderawtransaction 0100000001186f9f998a5aa6f048e51dd8419a14d8&#x21b5;
a0f1a8a2836dd734d2804fe65fa35779000000008b483045022100884d142d86652a3f47ba474&#x21b5;
6ec719bbfbd040a570b1deccbb6498c75c4ae24cb02204b9f039ff08df09cbe9f6addac960298&#x21b5;
cad530a863ea8f53982c09db8f6e381301410484ecc0d46f1918b30928fa0e4ed99f16a0fb4fd&#x21b5;
e0735e7ade8416ab9fe423cc5412336376789d172787ec3457eee41c04f4938de5cc17b4a10fa&#x21b5;
336a8d752adfffffffff0260e31600000000001976a914ab68025513c3dbd2f7b92a94e0581f5&#x21b5;
d50f654e788acd0ef8000000000001976a9147f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a8&#x21b5;
88ac00000000

</pre>
++++

++++
<pre data-type="programlisting" data-code-language="json">
{
  "txid": "0627052b6f28912f2703066a912ea577f2ce4da4caa5a5fbd8a57286c345c2f2",
  "size": 258,
  "version": 1,
  "locktime": 0,
  "vin": [
    {
      "txid": "7957a35fe64f80d234d76d83a2...8149a41d81de548f0a65a8a999f6f18",
      "vout": 0,
      "scriptSig": {
        "asm":"3045022100884d142d86652a3f47ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1decc...",
        "hex":"483045022100884d142d86652a3f47ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1de..."
      },
      "sequence": 4294967295
    }
  ],
  "vout": [
    {
      "value": 0.01500000,
      "n": 0,
      "scriptPubKey": {
        "asm": "OP_DUP OP_HASH160 ab68...5f654e7 OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG",
        "hex": "76a914ab68025513c3dbd2f7b92a94e0581f5d50f654e788ac",
        "reqSigs": 1,
        "type": "pubkeyhash",
        "addresses": [
          "1GdK9UzpHBzqzX2A9JFP3Di4weBwqgmoQA"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "value": 0.08450000,
      "n": 1,
      "scriptPubKey": {
        "asm": "OP_DUP OP_HASH160 7f9b1a...025a8 OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG",
        "hex": "76a9147f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a888ac",
        "reqSigs": 1,
        "type": "pubkeyhash",
        "addresses": [
          "1Cdid9KFAaatwczBwBttQcwXYCpvK8h7FK"
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

</pre>
++++

The transaction decode shows all the components of this transaction,
including the transaction inputs and outputs. In this case we see that
the transaction that credited our new address with 15 millibits used one
input and generated two outputs. The input to this transaction was the
output from a previously confirmed transaction (shown as the vin +txid+
starting with +7957a35fe+). The two outputs correspond to the 15
millibit credit and an output with change back to the sender.

We can further explore the blockchain by examining the previous
transaction referenced by its +txid+ in this transaction using the same
commands (e.g., +getrawtransaction+). Jumping from transaction to
transaction we can follow a chain of transactions back as the coins are
transmitted from owner address to owner address.



==== Exploring Blocks

((("Bitcoin Core", "Bitcoin Core API", "exploring blocks")))((("blocks",
"exploring with Bitcoin Core API")))Commands: +getblock+, +getblockhash+

((("blocks", "block height")))((("blocks", "block hash")))Exploring
blocks is similar to exploring transactions. However, blocks can be
referenced either by the block _height_ or by the block _hash_. First,
let's find a block by its height. In <<cup_of_coffee>>, we saw that
Alice's transaction was included in block 277316.

We use the +getblockhash+ command, which takes the block height as the
parameter and returns the block hash for that block:

++++
<pre data-type="programlisting">
$ bitcoin-cli getblockhash 277316
0000000000000001b6b9a13b095e96db41c4a928b97ef2d944a9b31b2cc7bdc4
</pre>
++++

Now that we know which block Alice's transaction was included in, we can
query that block. We use the +getblock+ command with the block hash as
the parameter:

++++
<pre data-type="programlisting">
$ bitcoin-cli getblock 0000000000000001b6b9a13b095e96db41c4a928b97ef2d944a9b3&#x21b5;
1b2cc7bdc4
</pre>
++++

++++
<pre data-type="programlisting" data-code-language="json">
{
  "hash": "0000000000000001b6b9a13b095e96db41c4a928b97ef2d944a9b31b2cc7bdc4",
  "confirmations": 37371,
  "size": 218629,
  "height": 277316,
  "version": 2,
  "merkleroot": "c91c008c26e50763e9f548bb8b2fc323735f73577effbc55502c51eb4cc7cf2e",
  "tx": [
    "d5ada064c6417ca25c4308bd158c34b77e1c0eca2a73cda16c737e7424afba2f",
    "b268b45c59b39d759614757718b9918caf0ba9d97c56f3b91956ff877c503fbe",
    "04905ff987ddd4cfe603b03cfb7ca50ee81d89d1f8f5f265c38f763eea4a21fd",
    "32467aab5d04f51940075055c2f20bbd1195727c961431bf0aff8443f9710f81",
    "561c5216944e21fa29dd12aaa1a45e3397f9c0d888359cb05e1f79fe73da37bd",
[... hundreds of transactions ...]
    "78b300b2a1d2d9449b58db7bc71c3884d6e0579617e0da4991b9734cef7ab23a",
    "6c87130ec283ab4c2c493b190c20de4b28ff3caf72d16ffa1ce3e96f2069aca9",
    "6f423dbc3636ef193fd8898dfdf7621dcade1bbe509e963ffbff91f696d81a62",
    "802ba8b2adabc5796a9471f25b02ae6aeee2439c679a5c33c4bbcee97e081196",
    "eaaf6a048588d9ad4d1c092539bd571dd8af30635c152a3b0e8b611e67d1a1af",
    "e67abc6bd5e2cac169821afc51b207127f42b92a841e976f9b752157879ba8bd",
    "d38985a6a1bfd35037cb7776b2dc86797abbb7a06630f5d03df2785d50d5a2ac",
    "45ea0a3f6016d2bb90ab92c34a7aac9767671a8a84b9bcce6c019e60197c134b",
    "c098445d748ced5f178ef2ff96f2758cbec9eb32cb0fc65db313bcac1d3bc98f"
  ],
  "time": 1388185914,
  "mediantime": 1388183675,
  "nonce": 924591752,
  "bits": "1903a30c",
  "difficulty": 1180923195.258026,
  "chainwork": "000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000934695e92aaf53afa1a",
  "previousblockhash": "0000000000000002a7bbd25a417c0374cc55261021e8a9ca74442b01284f0569",
  "nextblockhash": "000000000000000010236c269dd6ed714dd5db39d36b33959079d78dfd431ba7"
}
</pre>
++++

The block contains 419 transactions and the 64th transaction listed
(+0627052b...+) is Alice's coffee payment. The +height+ entry tells us
this is the 277316th block in the blockchain.

==== Using Bitcoin Core's Programmatic Interface

((("Bitcoin Core", "Bitcoin Core API", "using programmatic
interface")))((("programmatic interface", id="progint03")))The
+bitcoin-cli+ helper is very useful for exploring the Bitcoin Core API
and testing functions. But the whole point of an application programming
interface is to access functions programmatically. In this section we
will demonstrate accessing Bitcoin Core from another program.

Bitcoin Core's API is a JSON-RPC interface. JSON stands for JavaScript
Object Notation and it is a very convenient way to present data that
both humans and programs can easily read. RPC stands for Remote
Procedure Call, which means that we are calling procedures (functions)
that are remote (on the Bitcoin Core node) via a network protocol. In
this case, the network protocol is HTTP, or HTTPS (for encrypted
connections).

When we used the +bitcoin-cli+ command to get help on a command, it
showed us an example of using +curl+, the versatile command-line HTTP
client to construct one of these JSON-RPC calls:

----
$ curl --user myusername --data-binary '{"jsonrpc": "1.0", "id":"curltest", "method": "getblockchaininfo", "params": [] }' -H 'content-type: text/plain;' http://127.0.0.1:8332/
----

This command shows that +curl+ submits an HTTP request to the local host
(127.0.0.1), connecting to the default bitcoin port (8332), and
submitting a  +jsonrpc+ request for the +getblockchaininfo+ method using
+text/plain+ encoding.

You might notice that curl will ask for credentials to be sent along
with the request. Bitcoin Core will create a random password on each
start and place it in the data directory under the name +.cookie+. The
+bitcoin-cli+ helper can read this password file given the data
directory. Similarly, you can copy the password and pass it to curl (or
any higher level Bitcoin Core RPC wrappers). Alternatively, you can
create a static password with the helper script provided in
_./share/rpcuser/rpcuser.py_ in Bitcoin Core's source directory.

If you're implementing a JSON-RPC call in your own program, you can use
a generic HTTP library to construct the call, similar to what is shown
in the preceding +curl+ example.

However, there are libraries in most every programming language that
"wrap" the Bitcoin Core API in a way that makes this a lot simpler. We
will use the +python-bitcoinlib+ library to simplify API access.
Remember, this requires you to have a running Bitcoin Core instance,
which will be used to make JSON-RPC calls.

The Python script in <<rpc_example>> makes a simple +getblockchaininfo+
call and prints the +block+ parameter from the data returned by Bitcoin
Core.

[[rpc_example]]
.Running getblockchaininfo via Bitcoin Core's JSON-RPC API
====
[source,python]
----
include::code/rpc_example.py[]
----
====

Running it gives us the following result:

----
$ python rpc_example.py
394075
----

It tells us that our local Bitcoin Core node has 394075 blocks in its
blockchain. Not a spectacular result, but it demonstrates the basic use
of the library as a simplified interface to Bitcoin Core's JSON-RPC API.

Next, let's use the +getrawtransaction+ and +decodetransaction+ calls to
retrieve the details of Alice's coffee payment. In <<rpc_transaction>>,
we retrieve Alice's transaction and list the transaction's outputs. For
each output, we show the recipient address and value. As a reminder,
Alice's transaction had one output paying Bob's Cafe and one output for
change back to Alice.

[[rpc_transaction]]
.Retrieving a transaction and iterating its outputs
====
[source,python]
----
include::code/rpc_transaction.py[]
----
====

Running this code, we get:

----
$ python rpc_transaction.py
([u'1GdK9UzpHBzqzX2A9JFP3Di4weBwqgmoQA'], Decimal('0.01500000'))
([u'1Cdid9KFAaatwczBwBttQcwXYCpvK8h7FK'], Decimal('0.08450000'))
----

Both of the preceding examples are rather simple. You don't really need
a program to run them; you could just as easily use the +bitcoin-cli+
helper. The next example, however, requires several hundred RPC calls
and more clearly demonstrates the use of a programmatic interface.

In <<rpc_block>>, we first retrieve block 277316, then retrieve each of
the 419 transactions within by reference to each transaction ID. Next,
we iterate through each of the transaction's outputs and add up the
value.((("", startref="alicethree")))

[[rpc_block]]
.Retrieving a block and adding all the transaction outputs
====
[source,python]
----
include::code/rpc_block.py[]
----
====

Running this code, we get:

----
$ python rpc_block.py

('Total value in block: ', Decimal('10322.07722534'))
----

Our example code calculates that the total value transacted in this
block is 10,322.07722534 BTC (including 25 BTC reward and 0.0909 BTC in
fees). Compare that to the amount reported by a block explorer site by
searching for the block hash or height. Some block explorers report the
total value excluding the reward and excluding the fees. See if you can
spot the difference.((("", startref="BCapi03")))((("",
startref="progint03")))

[[alt_libraries]]
=== Alternative Clients, Libraries, and Toolkits

((("Bitcoin Core", "alternatives to", id="BCalt03")))((("clients,
libraries, and toolkits", id="clients03")))((("libraries, clients, and
toolkits", id="librar03")))((("toolkits, libraries, and clients",
id="toolkit03")))((("third-party API clients", id="thirdpart03")))There
are many alternative clients, libraries, toolkits, and even full-node
implementations in the bitcoin ecosystem. These are implemented in a
variety of programming languages, offering programmers native interfaces
in their preferred language.

The following sections list some of the best libraries, clients, and
toolkits, organized by programming languages.

==== C/C++
https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin[Bitcoin Core] :: The reference implementation of bitcoin
https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin[libbitcoin]:: Cross-platform C++ development toolkit, node, and consensus library
https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-explorer[bitcoin explorer]:: Libbitcoin's command-line tool
https://github.com/jgarzik/picocoin[picocoin]:: A C language lightweight client library for bitcoin by Jeff Garzik

==== JavaScript
http://bcoin.io/[bcoin]:: A modular and scalable full-node implementation with API
https://bitcore.io/[Bitcore] :: Full node, API, and library by Bitpay
https://github.com/bitcoinjs/bitcoinjs-lib[BitcoinJS] :: A pure JavaScript Bitcoin library for node.js and browsers

==== Java
https://bitcoinj.github.io[bitcoinj]:: A Java full-node client library
https://bitsofproof.com[Bits of Proof (BOP)]:: A Java enterprise-class implementation of bitcoin

==== PHP
https://github.com/bit-wasp/bitcoin-php[bitwasp/bitcoin]:: A PHP bitcoin library, and related projects

==== Python
https://github.com/petertodd/python-bitcoinlib[python-bitcoinlib]::  A Python bitcoin library, consensus library, and node by Peter Todd
https://github.com/richardkiss/pycoin[pycoin]:: A Python bitcoin library by Richard Kiss
https://github.com/vbuterin/pybitcointools[pybitcointools]:: A Python bitcoin library by Vitalik Buterin

==== Ruby
https://github.com/sinisterchipmunk/bitcoin-client[bitcoin-client]:: A Ruby library wrapper for the JSON-RPC API

==== Go
https://github.com/btcsuite/btcd[btcd]:: A Go language full-node Bitcoin client

==== Rust
https://github.com/apoelstra/rust-bitcoin[rust-bitcoin]:: Rust bitcoin library for serialization, parsing, and API calls

==== C#
https://github.com/MetacoSA/NBitcoin[NBitcoin]:: Comprehensive bitcoin library for the .NET framework

==== Objective-C
https://github.com/oleganza/CoreBitcoin[CoreBitcoin]:: Bitcoin toolkit for ObjC and Swift

Many more libraries exist in a variety of other programming languages
and more are created all the time.((("", startref="BCalt03")))((("",
startref="clients03")))((("", startref="thirdpart03")))((("",
startref="toolkit03")))((("", startref="librar03")))