((("Bitcoin Explorer commands","commands in", id="ix_appdx-bx-asciidoc0", range="startofrange")))
----
Usage: bx COMMAND [--help]
Info: The bx commands are:
address-decode
address-embed
address-encode
address-validate
base16-decode
base16-encode
base58-decode
base58-encode
base58check-decode
base58check-encode
base64-decode
base64-encode
bitcoin160
bitcoin256
btc-to-satoshi
ec-add
ec-add-secrets
ec-multiply
ec-multiply-secrets
ec-new
ec-to-address
ec-to-public
ec-to-wif
fetch-balance
fetch-header
fetch-height
fetch-history
fetch-stealth
fetch-tx
fetch-tx-index
hd-new
hd-private
hd-public
hd-to-address
hd-to-ec
hd-to-public
hd-to-wif
help
input-set
input-sign
input-validate
message-sign
message-validate
mnemonic-decode
mnemonic-encode
ripemd160
satoshi-to-btc
script-decode
script-encode
script-to-address
seed
send-tx
send-tx-node
send-tx-p2p
settings
sha160
sha256
sha512
stealth-decode
stealth-encode
stealth-public
stealth-secret
stealth-shared
tx-decode
tx-encode
uri-decode
uri-encode
validate-tx
watch-address
wif-to-ec
wif-to-public
wrap-decode
wrap-encode
----
For more information, see the https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-explorer[Bitcoin Explorer home page] and https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-explorer/wiki[Bitcoin Explorer user documentation].
=== Examples of bx command use
Let's look at some examples of using Bitcoin Explorer commands to experiment with keys and addresses:
Generate a random "seed" value using the((("Bitcoin Explorer","seed command")))((("seed command (bx)"))) +seed+ command, which uses the operating system's random number generator. Pass the seed to the((("Bitcoin Explorer","ec-new command")))((("ec-new command (bx)"))) +ec-new+ command to generate a new private key. We save the standard output into the file _private_key_:
Now, generate the public key from that private key using the((("Bitcoin Explorer","ec-to-public command")))((("ec-to-public command (bx)"))) +ec-to-public+ command. We pass the _private_key_ file into the standard input and save the standard output of the command into a new file _public_key_:
We can reformat the +public_key+ as an address using the((("Bitcoin Explorer","ec-to-address command")))((("ec-to-address command (bx)"))) +ec-to-address+ command. We pass the _public_key_ into standard input:
----
$ bx ec-to-address < public_key
17re1S4Q8ZHyCP8Kw7xQad1Lr6XUzWUnkG
----
Keys generated in this manner produce a type-0 nondeterministic wallet. That means that each key is generated from an independent seed. Bitcoin Explorer commands can also generate keys deterministically, in accordance with BIP0032. In this case, a "master" key is created from a seed and then extended deterministically to produce a tree of subkeys, resulting in a type-2 deterministic wallet.
First, we we use the((("Bitcoin Explorer","seed command")))((("seed command (bx)"))) +seed+ and((("Bitcoin Explorer","hd-new command")))((("hd-new command (bx)"))) +hd-new+ commands to generate a master key that will be used as the basis to derive a hierarchy of keys.
We now use the((("Bitcoin Explorer","hd-private command")))((("hd-private command (bx)"))) +hd-private+ command to generate a hardened "account" key and a sequence of two private keys within the account.
Next we use the((("Bitcoin Explorer","hd-public command")))((("hd-public command (bx)"))) +hd-public+ command to generate the corresponding sequence of two public keys.
The public keys can also be derived from their corresponding private keys using the((("Bitcoin Explorer","hd-to-public command")))((("hd-to-public command (bx)"))) +hd-to-public+ command.
We can generate a practically limitless number of keys in a deterministic chain, all derived from a single seed. This technique is used in many wallet applications to generate keys that can be backed up and restored with a single seed value. This is easier than having to back up the wallet with all its randomly generated keys every time a new key is created.
The seed can be encoded using the((("Bitcoin Explorer","mnemonic-encode command")))((("mnemonic-encode command (bx)"))) +mnemonic-encode+ command.
----
$ bx hd-mnemonic < seed > words
adore repeat vision worst especially veil inch woman cast recall dwell appreciate
----
The seed can then be decoded using the((("Bitcoin Explorer","mnemonic-decode command")))((("mnemonic-decode command (bx)"))) +mnemonic-decode+ command.
----
$ bx mnemonic-decode < words
eb68ee9f3df6bd4441a9feadec179ff1
----
Mnemonic encoding can make the seed easier to record and even remember.(((range="endofrange", startref="ix_appdx-bx-asciidoc0")))
