The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Running a Full Node (2024)

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All blockchains are reliant on people to run computers that supply required services for the network. We call these people node runners and the computers they run are called nodes.

It might be tempting to think that running a node is technically complex and inaccessible for someone without a great deal of technical expertise. This is not true, running a node has been getting easier and easier as time goes on. Let’s start with some basics. Generally speaking, there are two types of nodes, light nodes and full nodes.

An example of a light node would be a computer that simply relays transactions to full nodes and does some data retrieval for client applications. A full node is a computer that is capable of performing any and all tasks and operations for a given blockchain. This typically means that the node has a full copy of the blockchain on the local hardware.

Depending on the scope and use case of a blockchain, a full node can be quite large and complex. Let’s dig into 3 things that people get wrong about running a full node.

The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Running a Full Node (1)
Keegan Francis

Written by Keegan Francis Arrow Right Contributing writer

Keegan Francis is a cryptocurrency knowledge expert and consultant. He recognized the opportunity in cryptocurrency early in his career and has been invested in it since 2014. Keegan has been living entirely off of cryptocurrencies since 2019.

  • The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Running a Full Node (2)

|Sep 20, 2023

The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Running a Full Node (3)

Misconception #1. Running a Bitcoin Full Node is Complex and Expensive

In the majority of cases, running a full node is expensive and requires a high degree of technical expertise. This is not the case for Bitcoin. Part of the value proposition of bitcoin is that anyone can run a full node. With each block only consuming as much as 1MB of hard disk space, the entire 14-year blockchain fits within 1TB.

Furthermore, a bitcoin full node doesn’t require an intense amount of computational power. The entire setup can be run on a RasbPi 4 8GB with 1TB SSD.

Bitcoiners have gotten the process of running a full node down to a $500 plug and play system with the above setup and an operating system called Umbrel.

There is an ethos behind keeping bitcoin lean and easy for anyone and everyone to run a node. It is so that bitcoin can be as decentralized as possible. If the barrier to entry is kept low, then a much wider group of people can run a bitcoin full node, making the whole network more robust.

Misconception #2. Running a Bitcoin Full Node is Equivalent to Mining Bitcoin

One of the most common misconceptions about running a bitcoin full node, is that it is also mining bitcoin. A full node does not need to mine bitcoin. Even if your little Raspberry Pi did mine bitcoin, the chances of it mining a block are astronomically small.

This leads people to ask, “what is the purpose of running a bitcoin full node?”

The answer is simple – you’re contributing to the decentralization of the bitcoin network. There is little monetary incentive in this, other than if you’re holding Bitcoin, you’re directly contributing to its overall integrity and thus strengthening its value proposition.

Misconception #3. Running an Ethereum Full Node is Easier Than Bitcoin

Ethereum is a much different beast than Bitcoin. A drastically larger volume of data moves through Ethereum due to Ethereum’s capabilities being much wider and diverse. Therefore, it makes sense that running an Ethereum full node would be more complicated. The hardware specifications that are recommended for an Ethereum full node are as follows

  • 16 GB+ of RAM
  • A fast CPU with 4+ cores
  • 2TB+ SSD drive
  • 25 MBit/s bandwidth

After you’ve followed some great guides online on how to run an Ethereum full node, you now need to make a crucial decision. Do you want your node to produce blocks or not? If you do, then you’ll need to stake 32ETH, (approx $50k worth of ETH, at the time of writing). This, on top of the cost of the hardware ($800 – $1000), makes running an Ethereum much more expensive than many other blockchains.

If you opt to not run a block-producing node, then you don’t have to worry about staking 32ETH on your node. Similar to bitcoin, you’re contributing to the overall security of the network by validating blocks and ensuring their correctness. Due to the higher barrier to entry for technical competency and hardware cost, this is a road that is less traveled than in the case of bitcoin.

Conflusion: Running a Node is Challenging But Important

Most blockchains work in similar ways to either Bitcoin or Ethereum. The concepts work similarly, from hardware setup to profitability. Regardless of which network you want to be running a node for, you will need to get yourself at least a RasPi 4 8GB. With the exception of Bitcoin and some other networks, you will need to acquire a minimum level of competence and knowhow on how to download, compile, and run programs from the command line.

Make no mistake, running a full node is not for the faint of heart. Some people make full time jobs out of it by promising to keep their node up and running 99.9% of the time. This is important for proof of stake networks that will penalize downtime through slashing. So start slow, learn the basics, don’t overpromise, and scale your operation one step at a time.

Eventually, you might be able to run a profitable full node that people will stake to. At this time, you’ll be earning a tidy profit for all of your hard work.

Article Tags

BitcoinBeginnerBlockchainInvestmentTechnology

The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Running a Full Node (4)

About the Author

KeeganFrancis

Keegan Francis is a cryptocurrency knowledge expert and consultant. He recognized the opportunity in cryptocurrency early in his career and has been invested in it since 2014. His passion led him to start theGo Full Crypto, a project that documents his journey of totally opting out of traditional financial services. Keegan has been living entirely off of cryptocurrencies since 2019.

Learn more aboutKeegan Francis

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The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Running a Full Node (2024)

FAQs

Why should I run a full node? ›

A full node is a program that fully validates transactions and blocks. Almost all full nodes also help the network by accepting transactions and blocks from other full nodes, validating those transactions and blocks, and then relaying them to further full nodes.

Is running a node profitable? ›

While no one will pay you for running a Lightning Node, you can charge routing fees for payments that go through your channels. This can become a good source of revenue, but it takes a lot of learning, effort and manual tweaking to make a node profitable.

What happens when you run a node? ›

Running a node allows you to verify the network's integrity without relying on a third party. It also lets you contribute to the network's infrastructure and help maintain its security, validate transactions, and ensure consensus.

What are the benefits of running a BTC node? ›

While you can interact with the Bitcoin network solely using a wallet, running your own node delivers privacy benefits and grants the ability to verify your transactions and Bitcoin's 21 million supply cap.

Do full nodes get paid? ›

While mining nodes can earn rewards in the form of Bitcoins by creating new blocks, full nodes are responsible for verifying and confirming transactions without receiving any financial reward. This separation of tasks contributes to the security and efficiency of the entire network.

Is running a full node the same as mining? ›

A Bitcoin miner or Bitcoin mining node is a type or subset of a full node. However, not all full nodes are mining nodes. A full node maintains a complete and updated copy of the blockchain and validates transactions and blocks. Mining nodes include these capabilities but also participate in the mining process.

What is the most profitable node to run crypto? ›

Top crypto nodes to run in 2024: Overview
NBlockchain nodeCrypto node reward token
1BitcoinBTC
2EthereumETH
3SolanaSOL
4PolkadotDOT
1 more row
Apr 17, 2024

Should I run my own node? ›

When you run your own node, you can create and broadcast transactions directly from the node, and thus avoid using services that might compromise private information. A node also removes the need to use a block explorer to verify the status of your transactions.

How many Bitcoin full nodes are there? ›

As of Februrary 2024, there are currently approximately 18,000 public nodes running on the Bitcoin network. This number is regularly updated and accounts for duplicate and non-listening nodes. As more people join the network, the more nodes and miners are needed to keep the network functioning and decentralized.

How many ETH to run a node? ›

Users need to stake 32 ETH to the smart contract to set up and run a node. Furthermore, node operators need vast technical expertise to run their nodes optimally. As a result, many investors choose to delegate ETH through liquid staking services, which offer far more freedom and flexibility.

Can you make money running crypto nodes? ›

Node operators can earn money through block rewards and transaction fees. Block rewards are given for successfully validating a new block of transactions and adding it to the blockchain.

What is the best computer for a Bitcoin node? ›

One of the most popular devices for Bitcoin nodes is the Raspberry Pi, a small computer, about the size of a human hand. A Raspberry Pi has enough processing power to operate a Bitcoin node and only costs about $50. Storage. You will need an external drive to have enough memory to store the entire blockchain.

What is the incentive to run a Bitcoin node? ›

Another motivation for running a full node is to make the Bitcoin network more robust. As more nodes exist to fully validate transactions, the network becomes more resistant to certain types of attacks.

Why is it important to run a node? ›

Running a node ensures that users are protected against censorship and manipulation, while contributing to the network's resilience. He encourages the audience to consider running nodes not just for the benefit of the network but also for their personal security and assurance.

Why should I run an Ethereum node? ›

You may not get the financial rewards that validators earn, but there are many other benefits of running a node for any Ethereum user to consider, including privacy, security, reduced reliance on third-party servers, censorship resistance and improved health and decentralization of the network.

Why do people run nodes? ›

Individuals can run their own Bitcoin node to enhance privacy, security, and contribute to the network's decentralization, with accessible setup methods for all technical levels.

What can I do with a Bitcoin full node? ›

With your own Full Node, you can independently verify transactions and ensure they comply with Bitcoin rules. You don't need to rely on third parties to confirm the legitimacy of your transactions.

What is the benefit of node? ›

Node. js allows programmers to develop server-side JavaScript and frontend JavaScript codes with simplicity. One of the major node. js advantages is that it eliminates the need for two resource teams, saving time, money, and energy for overall project development.

What is the difference between node and full node? ›

In blockchain and crypto, Validator nodes are what most people think of as a node. These are nodes that are part of that blockchain's validator set and are responsible for validating transactions in consensus with the other validator nodes in the validator set. Full nodes do not conduct consensus.

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