Bitcoin Core Daemon

This setup document provides instructions on how to set up reusable bash scripts for easily running Bitcoin Core on different networks: regtest, signet, testnet, and mainnet.

Software Requirements

To get started:

1. Clone this repository or the latest bitcoin sourcecode:

   git clone <repo-url>

2. Check the doc folder for specific build requirements for your operating system (Linux, macOS, Windows).

Development Process

Validate Installation

To validate the Bitcoin Core installation, run:

bitcoind -daemon

This should output Bitcoin Core starting. To stop the daemon, run:

bitcoin-cli stop

Run Bitcoin Daemon (bitcoind)

1. Create a parent folder called bitcoin-scripts and a child folder inside called datadir:

   mkdir -p bitcoin-scripts/datadir

   Replace <PATH_TO_DATA_DIR> in the scripts below with the absolute path to the datadir folder.

2. Create the following scripts inside the bitcoin-scripts folder:

   Create Startup Script for Regtest

   btc-start-regtest-node.sh:

   # Start a Bitcoin Core node in regtest mode
   #!/bin/bash
   bitcoind -regtest -printtoconsole -server -rpcuser=user -rpcpassword=password -rpcport=18332 -txindex=1 -debug=net -datadir=<PATH_TO_DATA_DIR>

   Create Command Wrapper for Regtest

   btc-regtest-cmd.sh:

   # Run Bitcoin CLI commands in regtest mode
   #!/bin/bash
   bitcoin-cli -regtest --rpcuser=user --rpcpassword=password --rpcport=18332 $@

3. Make the scripts executable:

   chmod +x btc-start-regtest-node.sh
   chmod +x btc-regtest-cmd.sh

4. Start the Bitcoin node:

   ./btc-start-regtest-node.sh

5. Open another terminal to run some test cli commands:

   ./btc-regtest-cmd.sh generate 1     # Generate 1 block, should return the block hash.
   ./btc-regtest-cmd.sh getblockcount  # Get the current block count, should return a number

You can go through same steps by changing the network name on the bash file for your preferred network.

Additional Resources

• Bitcoin Core Documentation
• Learning Bitcoin from the Command Line
• Bitcoin Core RPC Documentation

Troubleshooting

• Port Conflicts: Ensure the rpcport (e.g., 18332) is not already in use.
• Permission Errors: Ensure the scripts are executable (chmod +x).
• Incorrect Paths: Double-check the datadir path in the scripts.