Difference between revisions of "Bitcoin Core"

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(removed out-of-place criticism section, all points have been answered; sync time improved by headers-first sync and its slowness is inherent in IDB, the bandwidth use points have been answered since 0.12, lack of multiwallet and deterministic wallet fixed)
m (→‎Naming Controversy: Linking UASF)
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'''Bitcoin Core''' (formerly '''Bitcoin-Qt''') is the third [[Bitcoin]] [[Clients|client]], developed by [[Wladimir van der Laan]] based on the original reference code by [[Satoshi Nakamoto]].<ref>https://gavintech.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/full-disclosure-bitcoin-qt-on-windows.html, Full disclosure: Bitcoin-Qt on Windows vulnerability, 21st October 2012</ref><ref>https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4682, Vulnerability Summary for CVE-2012-4682, 21st October 2012</ref> It has been bundled with [[bitcoind]] since version 0.5. Bitcoin-Qt has been rebranded to '''[[Bitcoin Core]]''' since version 0.9.0 <ref name="Rebranding to Bitcoin Core">{{cite web|title=Bitcoin Core version 0.9.0 released|url=https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.9.0|publisher=Bitcoin.org|accessdate=19 March 2014}}</ref>.
 
'''Bitcoin Core''' (formerly '''Bitcoin-Qt''') is the third [[Bitcoin]] [[Clients|client]], developed by [[Wladimir van der Laan]] based on the original reference code by [[Satoshi Nakamoto]].<ref>https://gavintech.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/full-disclosure-bitcoin-qt-on-windows.html, Full disclosure: Bitcoin-Qt on Windows vulnerability, 21st October 2012</ref><ref>https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4682, Vulnerability Summary for CVE-2012-4682, 21st October 2012</ref> It has been bundled with [[bitcoind]] since version 0.5. Bitcoin-Qt has been rebranded to '''[[Bitcoin Core]]''' since version 0.9.0 <ref name="Rebranding to Bitcoin Core">{{cite web|title=Bitcoin Core version 0.9.0 released|url=https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.9.0|publisher=Bitcoin.org|accessdate=19 March 2014}}</ref>.
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==History==
 
  
 
Bitcoin Core can be used as a desktop client for regular payments or as a server utility for merchants and other payment services.  
 
Bitcoin Core can be used as a desktop client for regular payments or as a server utility for merchants and other payment services.  
  
 
===Current version===
 
===Current version===
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Source code (and build instructions for supported platforms) can be found at the [https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin Bitcoin GitHub page].
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Source code (and build instructions for supported platforms) can be found on the [https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin Bitcoin GitHub page].
  
 
==Features==
 
==Features==
 +
* Most popular software implementation of a bitcoin [[full node]]. Provides trustless validation that all of bitcoin's consensus rules are being followed.
 +
* Has an RPC interface allowing developers to interface with Core and access the bitcoin currency trustlessly.
 +
* Has a GUI frontend, Bitcoin-Qt, allowing ordinary users to use bitcoin with full validation.
 
* Compatibility with Linux (both GNOME and KDE), Mac OS X and Windows
 
* Compatibility with Linux (both GNOME and KDE), Mac OS X and Windows
 
* All functionality of the original wxWidgets client
 
* All functionality of the original wxWidgets client
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* Payment requests (BIP 70)
 
* Payment requests (BIP 70)
 
* Coin control
 
* Coin control
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* bitcoin-cli as a RPC client, instead of bitcoind executable functioning both as a server and as a RPC client
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 +
== Naming Controversy ==
 +
 
 +
Some people like Peter Todd, Luke-jr and Greg Maxwell warned against the renaming to Bitcoin Core because it implied a centralization.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/60jmq2/a_proposal_for_and_demo_of_a_new_bitcoin_address/df73k2h/</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/60owl3/did_you_know_that_bitcoin_core_opposed_its_own/</ref><ref>https://bitcoinfoundation.org/forum/index.php?/topic/95-new-name-for-bitcoin-qt-bitcoind/&</ref>.
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Bitcoin Core right now may be the most popular or "reference" [[full node]] implementation, but that status depends on the [[economic majority]] continuing to use it<ref>https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/a-primer-on-bitcoin-governance-or-why-developers-aren-t-in-charge-of-the-protocol-1473270427/</ref>. Should one day come where another implementation overtakes it economically, that implementation would become the reference implementation. In one situation in 2017 significant parts of the economy moved to the BIP148 [[UASF]] implementation<ref>https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/long-road-segwit-how-bitcoins-biggest-protocol-upgrade-became-reality/</ref> and then moved back to Core after BIP148 was successful. The point here is that Bitcoin Core does not control bitcoin and the naming "Core" is misleading in that respect.
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On the other hand, many people are happy with the name Bitcoin Core and continue to use it. As long as it's emphasized that Bitcoin Core is just one possible software implementation of bitcoin that people are free to use or not use.
 +
 
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==See also==
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* [[bitcoind]]
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* [[Full node]]
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* [[Bitcoin Knots]]
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* [[QBitcoin]]
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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* [https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin Current GitHub repository shared with bitcoind]
 
* [https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin Current GitHub repository shared with bitcoind]
  
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<references
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== References ==
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/>
 
  
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==See also==
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<references/>
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* [[QBitcoin]]
 
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* [[bitcoind]]
 
  
 
[[es:Bitcoin-Qt]]
 
[[es:Bitcoin-Qt]]

Revision as of 21:32, 3 March 2019

Bitcoin Core (formerly Bitcoin-Qt) is the third Bitcoin client, developed by Wladimir van der Laan based on the original reference code by Satoshi Nakamoto.[1][2] It has been bundled with bitcoind since version 0.5. Bitcoin-Qt has been rebranded to Bitcoin Core since version 0.9.0 [3].

Bitcoin Core can be used as a desktop client for regular payments or as a server utility for merchants and other payment services.

Current version

Source code (and build instructions for supported platforms) can be found on the Bitcoin GitHub page.

Features

  • Most popular software implementation of a bitcoin full node. Provides trustless validation that all of bitcoin's consensus rules are being followed.
  • Has an RPC interface allowing developers to interface with Core and access the bitcoin currency trustlessly.
  • Has a GUI frontend, Bitcoin-Qt, allowing ordinary users to use bitcoin with full validation.
  • Compatibility with Linux (both GNOME and KDE), Mac OS X and Windows
  • All functionality of the original wxWidgets client
  • Asks for confirmation before sending coins
  • CSV export of transactions
  • Clearer transaction list with status icons and real-time filtering
  • Progress bar on initial block download
  • Languages: Dutch, English, German, Chinese and many more. Translations are being done by volunteers on Transifex.
  • Sendmany support in UI (send to multiple recipients in one transaction)
  • Multiple unit support, can show subdivided bitcoins (mBTC, µBTC) for users that like large numbers (only decimal units)
  • Splash screen that details progress
  • Debug window
  • Payment requests (BIP 70)
  • Coin control

Naming Controversy

Some people like Peter Todd, Luke-jr and Greg Maxwell warned against the renaming to Bitcoin Core because it implied a centralization.[4][5][6].

Bitcoin Core right now may be the most popular or "reference" full node implementation, but that status depends on the economic majority continuing to use it[7]. Should one day come where another implementation overtakes it economically, that implementation would become the reference implementation. In one situation in 2017 significant parts of the economy moved to the BIP148 UASF implementation[8] and then moved back to Core after BIP148 was successful. The point here is that Bitcoin Core does not control bitcoin and the naming "Core" is misleading in that respect.

On the other hand, many people are happy with the name Bitcoin Core and continue to use it. As long as it's emphasized that Bitcoin Core is just one possible software implementation of bitcoin that people are free to use or not use.

See also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ https://gavintech.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/full-disclosure-bitcoin-qt-on-windows.html, Full disclosure: Bitcoin-Qt on Windows vulnerability, 21st October 2012
  2. ↑ https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4682, Vulnerability Summary for CVE-2012-4682, 21st October 2012
  3. ↑ "Bitcoin Core version 0.9.0 released". Bitcoin.org. https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.9.0. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  4. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/60jmq2/a_proposal_for_and_demo_of_a_new_bitcoin_address/df73k2h/
  5. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/60owl3/did_you_know_that_bitcoin_core_opposed_its_own/
  6. ↑ https://bitcoinfoundation.org/forum/index.php?/topic/95-new-name-for-bitcoin-qt-bitcoind/&
  7. ↑ https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/a-primer-on-bitcoin-governance-or-why-developers-aren-t-in-charge-of-the-protocol-1473270427/
  8. ↑ https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/long-road-segwit-how-bitcoins-biggest-protocol-upgrade-became-reality/


Bitcoin Core documentation
User documentation
Developer documentation
History & theory
Retrieved from "https://en.bitcoin.it/w/index.php?title=Bitcoin_Core&oldid=66246"