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==Overview==
==Overview==
A bitcoin client is the end-user software that facilitates [[private key]] generation and security, payment sending on behalf of a private key, and optionally provides:
* Useful information about the state of the network and transactions.
* Information related to the private keys under its management.
* Syndication of network events to other peer clients.


This table compares the features of the different clients. All of the listed clients are open-source.
This table compares the features of the different clients. All of the listed clients are open-source.
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! Client !! Get Started !! Audience !! Wallet Security !! Network Security !! Backups !! Setup Time !! Disk Space !! Maturity !! Multi-user !! Available for
! Client !! Get Started !! Audience !! Wallet Security !! Network Security !! Backups !! Setup Time !! Disk Space !! Maturity !! Multi-user !! Available for
|-
|-
! Armory
! [[Airbitz]]
|| [http://bitcoinarmory.com/index.php/get-armory Download] || Power users || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || Addon || {{CLBest|One-time}} || Varies || {{CLBad|6+ GB}} || Jul 2011 || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLWin}}
|| [https://airbitz.co/app Download] || {{CLBest|Everyone}} || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device. Server backup}} || Partial || {{CLGood|Automatic}} || {{CLBest|Instant}} || {{CLGood|20 MB}} || Oct 2014 || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLiOS}}
|-
! [[Armory]]
|| [https://bitcoinarmory.com/download Download] || Power users || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || Addon || {{CLBest|One-time}} || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLBad|150+ GB}} || {{CLGood|Jul 2011}} || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
! [[Bitcoin Core]]
|| [https://bitcoin.org/en/download Download] || {{CLGood|End-users}} || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || {{CLBest|Full}} || Manual || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLBad|120+ GB}} || {{CLGood|May 2011}} || {{CLBad|No}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
! [[Bitcoin Knots]]
|| [http://bitcoinknots.org/ Download] || {{CLGood|End-users}} || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || {{CLBest|Full}} || Manual || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLYellow|5 GB}} || {{CLGood|Dec 2011}} || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
! [[bitcoind]]
|| [https://bitcoin.org/en/download Download] || Programmers || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || {{CLBest|Full}} || Manual || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLBad|120+ GB}} || {{CLBest|Aug 2009}} || {{CLBad|No}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLWin}}
|-
! [[Bitcoin_Explorer|Bitcoin Explorer]]
|| [https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-explorer/wiki/Download-BX Download] || Power Users || {{CLBest|Ephemeral, Multisig Optional}} || {{CLBest|Full w/local node}} || {{CLBest|BIP39}} || {{CLBest|Instant}} || {{CLBest|3 MB}} || {{CLGood|May 2011}}  || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
! [[Bitcoin Wallet]]
|| [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.schildbach.wallet Google Play] [https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/23952882/ BlackBerry World] || {{CLGood|End-users}} || {{CLGood|Isolated, on-device}} || Partial || Manual || {{CLBest|Instant}} || {{CLGood|15 MB}} || {{CLGood|Mar 2011}} || on JB tablets || {{CLAndroid}} [[file:ico-blackberry.png]]
|-
! [[Blocktrail]]
|| [https://www.blocktrail.com/ Download] || {{CLBest|Everyone}} || {{CLBest|Encrypted, on-device, Multisig, HD, Backup server}} || Remote || {{CLBest|One-time}} || {{CLBest|Instant}} || {{CLBest|7.5 MB}} || Sep 2015 || {{CLBad|No}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLiOS}}
|-
|-
! Bitcoin Wallet
! [[Electrum]]
|| [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.schildbach.wallet Google Play] [https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/23952882/ BlackBerry World] || {{CLBest|Everyone}} || {{CLGood|Isolated, on-device}} || Partial || Manual || 1 hour || 30 MB || {{CLGood|Mar 2011}} || on JB tablets || {{CLAndroid}} [[file:ico-blackberry.png]]
|| [https://electrum.org/download.html Download] || Power users || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || Minimal || {{CLBest|Memorized}} || {{CLGood|Minutes}} || {{CLGood|5 MB}} || {{CLGood|Nov 2011}} || {{CLBad|No}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
|-
! {{CLGood|Bitcoin-Qt}}
! [[Gocoin]]
|| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/ Download] || {{CLGood|End-users}} || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || {{CLBest|Full}} || Manual || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLBad|6+ GB}} || {{CLGood|May 2011}} || No || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|| [https://github.com/piotrnar/gocoin Build It Yourself] || Power users || Designated offline PC || {{CLBest|Full}} || {{CLBest|Memorized}} || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLBad|120+GB}} || May 2013 || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}{{CLFreeBSD}}
|-
|-
! bitcoind
! [[GreenAddress]]
|| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/ Download] || Programmers || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || {{CLBest|Full}} || Manual || {{CLBad|Hours}} || {{CLBad|6+ GB}} || {{CLBest|Aug 2009}} || {{CLGood|Virtual accounts}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLWin}}
|| [https://greenaddress.it Web] [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/greenaddressit/dgbimgjoijjemhdamicmljbncacfndmp ChromeApp] [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.greenaddress.cordova&hl=en Google Play] || {{CLBest|Everyone}} || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || {{CLBad|Remote}} || Memorized/Manual || {{CLBest|Instant}} || {{CLBest|None}} || Apr 2013 || {{CLBest|Yes}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
|-
! Electrum
! [[MultiBit]]
|| [http://ecdsa.org/electrum/ Download] || Power users || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || Minimal || {{CLBest|Memorized}} || {{CLGood|Minutes}} || {{CLGood|5 MB}} || Nov 2011 || No || {{CLLinux}}{{CLWin}}
|| [https://multibit.org/releases.html Download] || {{CLGood|End-users}} || {{CLGood|Encrypted, on-device}} || Partial || {{CLGood|Automatic (local)}} || {{CLBest|Seconds}} || 50 MB || {{CLGood|Jul 2011}} || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|-
|-
! MultiBit
! [[Mycelium]]
|| [http://multibit.org/releases.html Download] || {{CLGood|End-users}} || {{CLBad|None, on-device}} || Partial || {{CLBad|No}} || {{CLBest|Seconds}} || 50 MB || Jul 2011 || {{CLBest|Multi-wallet}} || {{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|| [https://mycelium.com/download Download] [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mycelium.wallet Google Play]|| {{CLBest|Everyone}} || {{CLGood|Isolated, on-device}} || Partial || Manual, encrypted || {{CLBest|Instant}} || {{CLGood|10 MB}} || Sep 2013 || {{CLBad|No}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLiOS}}
|-
|-
! My Wallet
! [[BlockChain.info#Wallet|My Wallet]]
|| [https://blockchain.info/wallet/new Web-based] || {{CLBest|Everyone}} || Encrypted, on a server || {{CLBad|Remote}} || {{CLGood|Automatic}} || {{CLGood|Minutes}} || {{CLBest|None}} || Dec 2011 || {{CLBest|Yes}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLiOS}}{{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|| [https://blockchain.info/wallet/new Web-based] || {{CLBest|Everyone}} || {{CLBad|Encrypted, on-server}} || {{CLBad|Remote}} || {{CLGood|Automatic}} || {{CLGood|Minutes}} || {{CLBest|None}} || {{CLGood|Dec 2011}} || {{CLBest|Yes}} || {{CLAndroid}}{{CLiOS}}{{CLLinux}}{{CLMac}}{{CLWin}}
|}
|}


<!-- For Wallet Security: CLBest is reserved for multisig-based -->
<!-- For Wallet Security: CLBest is reserved for multisig-based, if signatures can be managed independently. -->


==For developers==
==For developers==
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|-
|-
! Armory
! Armory
|| [http://bitcoinarmory.com/ Link] ||[https://github.com/etotheipi/BitcoinArmory/ Github] || AGPLv3 || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=97.0 Bitcointalk] || Integrated
|| [http://bitcoinarmory.com/ Link] ||[https://github.com/etotheipi/BitcoinArmory/ Github] || AGPLv3 || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=97.0 Bitcointalk] || Integrated with [[Thin_Client_Security#Full_Node_Clients|Full Node]]
|-
! Bitcoin Core (Satoshi)
|| [https://bitcoincore.org Link] || [https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin Github] || MIT || [https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development Sourceforge] || Integrated with [[Thin_Client_Security#Full_Node_Clients|Full Node]]
|-
! Bitcoin Explorer
|| [https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-explorer/wiki Link] || [https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-explorer Github] || AGPLv3 || [https://lists.dyne.org/lurker/list/libbitcoin.en.html Listserv], {{Freenode IRC|libbitcoin}} || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]] or Integrated with [[Thin_Client_Security#Full_Node_Clients|Full Node]]
|-
|-
! Bitcoin Wallet
! Bitcoin Wallet
|| [https://code.google.com/p/bitcoin-wallet/ Link] || [https://code.google.com/p/bitcoin-wallet/source/checkout Google Code] [https://github.com/schildbach/bitcoin-wallet Github] || GPLv3 || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=100.0 Bitcointalk] / [https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/bitcoinj Google Groups] || [[Thin Client Security#Simplified Payment Verification (SPV)|SPV]]
|| [http://wallet.schildbach.de Link] || [https://github.com/bitcoin-wallet/bitcoin-wallet Github] || GPLv3 || [https://plus.google.com/b/101256420499771441772/communities/105515929887248493912 Google+], [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=100.0 Bitcointalk] || [[Thin Client Security#Simplified Payment Verification (SPV)|SPV]]
|-
|-
! Bitcoin-Qt / bitcoind
! Electrum
|| [http://bitcoin.org/ Link] || [https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin Github] || MIT || [https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development Sourceforge] || Integrated
|| [https://electrum.org/ Link] || [https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum Github] || MIT || [https://electrum.org/#community Community] || [[Thin Client Security#Simplified Payment Verification (SPV)|SPV]]
|-
|-
! Electrum
! Gocoin
|| [http://ecdsa.org/electrum/ Link] || [https://gitorious.org/electrum Gitorious] || GPLv3 || [https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/electrum-discuss Sourceforge] || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]]
|| [http://www.assets-otc.com/gocoin Link] || [https://github.com/piotrnar/gocoin Github] || proprietary || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=199306.0 Bitcointalk] || Integrated with [[Thin_Client_Security#Full_Node_Clients|Full Node]]
|-
! GreenAddress
|| [https://greenaddress.it/ Link] || [https://github.com/greenaddress/ Github] || LGPLv3 || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=521988.0 Bitcointalk] || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]]
|-
|-
! MultiBit
! MultiBit
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! My Wallet
! My Wallet
|| [https://blockchain.info/wallet/ Link] || [https://github.com/blockchain/My-Wallet/ Github] || BSD* || None || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]]
|| [https://blockchain.info/wallet/ Link] || [https://github.com/blockchain/My-Wallet/ Github] || BSD* || None || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]]
|-
! bits of proof
|| [http://bitsofproof.com Link] || [https://github.com/bitsofproof/supernode Github] || Apache 2.0 || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=122013.0 Bitcointalk] || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]]
|-
! btcd
|| [https://github.com/btcsuite/btcd Link] || [https://github.com/btcsuite/btcd Github] || ISC || [https://github.com/btcsuite/btcd#irc IRC] || [[Thin Client Security#Server-Trusting Clients|Server-Client]]
|}
|}


==See Also==
==See Also==
* [[Software#Bitcoin_clients|List of clients]]
* [[Software#Bitcoin_clients|List of clients]]
* [[Bitcoin Ladder]]


<references/>
<references/>
[[Category:Software]]

Latest revision as of 01:52, 9 March 2021

Overview

A bitcoin client is the end-user software that facilitates private key generation and security, payment sending on behalf of a private key, and optionally provides:

  • Useful information about the state of the network and transactions.
  • Information related to the private keys under its management.
  • Syndication of network events to other peer clients.

This table compares the features of the different clients. All of the listed clients are open-source.

Feature key

Wallet Security
How well the client protects your private keys from people with access to the machine the wallet is stored on. The private keys can be encrypted, for example. The private keys can also be either stored on your device or on a remote server.
Network Security
Clients which more fully implement the Bitcoin network protocol are safer -- they can't be as easily tricked by powerful attackers. A client which fully implements the protocol will always use the correct block chain and will never allow double-spends or invalid transactions to exist in the block chain under any circumstances. Clients which only partially implement the protocol typically trust that 50% or more of the network's mining power is honest. Some clients trust one or more remote servers to protect them from double-spends and other network attacks.
Setup Time
Some clients require that you download and verify a large amount of data before you can send or receive BTC.
Maturity
When the project was started.

Table

Client Get Started Audience Wallet Security Network Security Backups Setup Time Disk Space Maturity Multi-user Available for
Airbitz Download Everyone Encrypted, on-device. Server backup Partial Automatic Instant 20 MB Oct 2014 Multi-wallet
Armory Download Power users Encrypted, on-device Addon One-time Hours 150+ GB Jul 2011 Multi-wallet
Bitcoin Core Download End-users Encrypted, on-device Full Manual Hours 120+ GB May 2011 No
Bitcoin Knots Download End-users Encrypted, on-device Full Manual Hours 5 GB Dec 2011 Multi-wallet
bitcoind Download Programmers Encrypted, on-device Full Manual Hours 120+ GB Aug 2009 No
Bitcoin Explorer Download Power Users Ephemeral, Multisig Optional Full w/local node BIP39 Instant 3 MB May 2011 Multi-wallet
Bitcoin Wallet Google Play BlackBerry World End-users Isolated, on-device Partial Manual Instant 15 MB Mar 2011 on JB tablets
Blocktrail Download Everyone Encrypted, on-device, Multisig, HD, Backup server Remote One-time Instant 7.5 MB Sep 2015 No
Electrum Download Power users Encrypted, on-device Minimal Memorized Minutes 5 MB Nov 2011 No
Gocoin Build It Yourself Power users Designated offline PC Full Memorized Hours 120+GB May 2013 Multi-wallet
GreenAddress Web ChromeApp Google Play Everyone Encrypted, on-device Remote Memorized/Manual Instant None Apr 2013 Yes
MultiBit Download End-users Encrypted, on-device Partial Automatic (local) Seconds 50 MB Jul 2011 Multi-wallet
Mycelium Download Google Play Everyone Isolated, on-device Partial Manual, encrypted Instant 10 MB Sep 2013 No
My Wallet Web-based Everyone Encrypted, on-server Remote Automatic Minutes None Dec 2011 Yes


For developers

This table shows additional information about various Bitcoin clients that may be relevant to developers.

Client Website Source Code License Discussion Architecture
Armory Link Github AGPLv3 Bitcointalk Integrated with Full Node
Bitcoin Core (Satoshi) Link Github MIT Sourceforge Integrated with Full Node
Bitcoin Explorer Link Github AGPLv3 Listserv, IRC Web #libbitcoin Server-Client or Integrated with Full Node
Bitcoin Wallet Link Github GPLv3 Google+, Bitcointalk SPV
Electrum Link Github MIT Community SPV
Gocoin Link Github proprietary Bitcointalk Integrated with Full Node
GreenAddress Link Github LGPLv3 Bitcointalk Server-Client
MultiBit Link Github MIT Google Groups SPV
My Wallet Link Github BSD* None Server-Client
bits of proof Link Github Apache 2.0 Bitcointalk Server-Client
btcd Link Github ISC IRC Server-Client

See Also


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