Node
A Bitcoin node is a computer running Bitcoin software that checks every block and transaction against the rules itself and shares them with other nodes.
A computer running Bitcoin software that checks every rule on its own and keeps a full copy of the chain. Anyone can run one. Ours answers every lookup on this site.
Why run a node?
So you trust no one about what the rules are. A node rejects any block that breaks them, however much hashrate made it, and tells your wallet your real balance without asking a company's server. It runs on an ordinary home computer.
Is a node the same as a miner?
No. Every miner runs a node, but most nodes don't mine. Nodes decide which blocks are valid; miners only propose them. This site's data comes from our own node.
Sources
Updated 10 Oct 2026
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