Why should you run a Bitcoin Full Node?

A Full Node is a computer that stores and manages a full copy of the bitcoin blockchain. By running a Full Node, you can ensure that you have full control of your bitcoin without having to rely on third parties such as bitcoin exchanges or wallet providers. In this article, we will take a closer look at why it makes sense to run a bitcoin Full Node and the benefits it offers.

What is a Full Node?

A Full Node is a complete copy of the bitcoin transaction history starting from the first block, the Genesis block. With the help of your own bitcoin Full Node, you can independently verify, send and receive transactions while strengthening the bitcoin network. The more Full Nodes communicate with each other, the more secure and decentralized the network is from possible attacks.

Bitcoin Full Nodes also communicate with each other, securing the network. Blocks and transactions are accepted and checked by the full nodes. If no irregularities occur, these are in turn forwarded to other nodes.

Bitcoin Learning Process and Custody

When learning about bitcoin, people often start by buying it through an exchange or brokerage platform and leaving it there. The next step is usually to learn how to store bitcoin yourself by transferring it to a non-custodial wallet where you have control over the private keys.

However, in order to gain full control over one's bitcoin, it is important to use one's own Full Node. This allows one to verify the integrity of the network and improve the security of their transactions.

Complete Sovereignty

In order to use bitcoin directly without the involvement of third parties, it is essential to operate a Full Node. If you want complete monetary sovereignty, you need to set up your own Full Node.

Trusting wallet providers, brokers, or exchanges to keep your own bitcoin safe goes against bitcoin's fundamental philosophy of «don't trust, verify».

Only by operating your own bitcoin Full Node can you eliminate these uncertainties and ensure that you have full control over your own bitcoin holdings.

Voting Rights in the Bitcoin Network

By running your own Full Node, you are contributing to the maintenance of bitcoin's rules. This can benefit both you and the bitcoin network as a whole.

The rules of bitcoin are determined by a shared consensus of the participants in the network. Each Full Node communicates with other Nodes to ensure that these rules are followed.

Upgrades in the Bitcoin Blockchain

Upgrades can be proposed in the bitcoin blockchain. If this is the case, each Full Node decides for itself whether it wants to accept and implement the upgrade or stay with the old version. These individual decisions indirectly lead to a vote on the upgrade.

Depending on how the Full Nodes decide, two factions are formed: A group of Full Nodes that stay with the old version and a group of Full Nodes that implement the upgrade. When there is a clear separation between the two groups, it is called a hard fork in bitcoin.

This has already led to several hard forks in bitcoin, which resulted in Litecoin and bitcoin Cash, among others. You can only participate in this voting process with your own Full Node.

Verify Transactions yourself

By running your own Full Node, you have the ability to independently verify transactions on the bitcoin network. This means that every transaction that has ever taken place on the network is verified by your Full Node. Thus, you can be sure that the transactions and holdings on the network are correct without having to rely on the verification of others.

Support Network

The more Full Nodes are connected to the bitcoin network, the more secure it is. This is because as long as honest nodes can outvote the attacker, the bitcoin network is secure.

A larger number of active Full Nodes makes the bitcoin network more resilient to attacks, as it does not depend on a few central service providers that millions of users have to rely on.

The decentralized distribution of Full Nodes increases trust in the bitcoin network because more users are able to validate transactions independently.

Learning Effect

Running a bitcoin Full Node is not only a way to maintain full control over bitcoin, but it also provides a great opportunity to better understand the bitcoin protocol and underlying technology.

By running a Full Node, you can gain deeper insights into how the bitcoin blockchain works and understands how transactions are sent and confirmed.

Setting up a Bitcoin Full Node is easier than you think.

In practice, a Full Node is usually a Raspberry Pi with an external hard drive and internet connection. You interact with the Full Node mainly through your regular computer. Once installed, your bitcoin Full Node runs day and night, keeping your copy of the bitcoin blockchain up-to-date and error-free.

Bitcoin Full Nodes Implementations

There are several implementations of bitcoin Full Nodes, all of which provide the same basic functionality but may have different features. Examples of Full Node implementations include Raspiblitz, Umbrel, Citadel, or myNode.

Conclusion

Overall, there are good reasons why you should run a bitcoin Full Node. A Full Node allows one to operate independently and autonomously, as you have full control over your bitcoin transactions and do not have to rely on third parties such as exchanges or wallet providers.

Operating a Full Node can be a rewarding experience that helps one better understand the bitcoin protocol and participate in maintaining the decentralized nature of the bitcoin network.