Blockchain Nanodegree Notes 20181030

Term 1 S3 Lesson 2: Bitcoin Core Testnet

Data Warnings and Bitcoin.config Setup

bitcoin core download: https://bitcoin.org/en/download

Bitcoin Core - Getting Started

https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-0.16.3/

Bitcoin Full Node Wallet: A bitcoin wallet taht fully validates transactions and blocks

• Downloading options: pruning, sync to testnet or regnet
• change data directory: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Data_directory

Bitcoin Core v0.17

• Getting Started with the Debug Console
• Basic Debug Console Commands
• Creating Separate Wallets
• Transferring Coins

Debug Console

• Open Bitcoin software
• Go to HELP
• Select Debug Window
• Click Console
• type help

Create Separate Wallets

• createWallet <walletName>

Wallet Debug console commands

• getWalletInfo: Gives the wallet information of the currently loaded wallet.
• loadWallet: Loads the contents of an existing wallet.

Testnet Wallet Transactions

BlockCypher Block Explorer

Lesson 3 Bitcoin Debug Console

Blockchain Commands

getblockchaininfo: Returns various state information about blockchain processing.

getblockcount: Returns the number of blocks in the blockchain.

verifychain: Verifies blockchain database.

Bitcoin Improvement Proposals

Hash Commands

• getblockhash: Returns hash of a block at the block number provided
• getnetworkhashps: Returns an estimated network hashes per second based on a specified number of recent blocks.
• getbestblockhash:

Key Terms:

• hash value: a digital fingerprint for information
• best block: most recent block that you’ve synced to with your local copy of the blockchain

Block Commands

getblock: Returns details of block information.

getblockheader: Returns information about the block header.

generate: Immediately mines the specified number of blocks to an address in the wallet.

Key Terms

Block: A container that holds a list of transactions to be added to the blockchain.

Wallet Commands

getwalletinfo: Returns an object containing various information about a wallet’s state.

listwallets: Returns a list of currently loaded wallets.

walletpassphrasechange: Change the wallet passphrase.

Mempool Commands

getmempoolinfo: Returns details on the active state of the transaction memory pool.

getrawmempool: Returns all transaction details in the memory pool.

getmempoolentry: Returns mempool data for a given transaction.

Key Terms

Mempool: Waiting place for all unconfirmed transactions before they are added to the blockchain.

Signature Commands

signrawtransaction: Sign inputs for a raw transaction. signmessage: Sign message with the private key of an address

Key Terms

Signature: Establishes proof of ownership for each transaction on the blockchain.

Network Commands

getnetworkinfo: Returns information about the state of the peer-to-peer network.

getpeerinfo: Returns data about each connection network node.

getconnectioncount: Returns the number of connections to other nodes.

Mining Commands

getmininginfo: Returns an object that contains mining-related information.

getblocktemplate: Returns data needed to construct a block.

prioritisetransaction: Accepts the transaction into mined blocks at a higher or lower priority.

Coming Up: Blockchain Data

In the next lesson, you’ll use Bitcoin Core to explore the limitations and best practices when embedding data in blockchain transactions.

This lesson has a few important goals…

Recognize the data structure of blocks and transactions.

Understand the purpose of Bitcoin Script opcodes that are commonly used in the input and output parts of a transaction process.

Explore the limitations and best practices of embedding data in blockchain transactions.

All this will lay a foundation for you in the next lesson where you will use this knowledge to build a simple blockchain from scratch.

Congratulations on making it through the lesson, we’re excited to see you in the next lesson Blockchain Data.