01
Protocol · BTCBitcoin
A peer-to-peer monetary network with a native, digitally scarce asset and no central issuer.
PROTOSOURCE-LED TOPIC GUIDE
How Bitcoin works: protocol, nodes and consensus
Understand transactions, UTXOs, proof of work, full nodes, consensus rules and the Bitcoin Core software that enforces them.
53connected coordinates
46source records
01What this field explains
Bitcoin is a system of independently verified rules, not a database controlled by one operator. Start with transactions and the UTXO model, then follow blocks, proof of work and chain selection to the role of fully validating nodes. The linked specifications and source code show where the rules actually live.
02Start with these coordinates
A curated path from first principles to the details that matter.
02
Protocol · PoWProof of Work
A costly-to-produce, easy-to-verify signal that orders Bitcoin’s block history.
03
Network · NODEFull Node
Software that independently verifies Bitcoin’s blocks and transactions against its consensus rules.
04
Protocol · UTXOUTXO
A discrete chunk of bitcoin created by a transaction and not yet spent.
05
Protocol · SHA²SHA-256
The hash function at the core of Bitcoin mining and many protocol commitments.
06
Protocol · COREBitcoin Core
The most widely used open-source implementation of a fully validating Bitcoin node and wallet.
03Explore the connected entries
Definitions, mechanisms, people and source records connected to this field.
BTCBitcoinProtocol · 2 §TIMETimechainProtocol · 2 §PoWProof of WorkProtocol · 2 §HASHMiningNetwork · 2 §NODEFull NodeNetwork · 2 §2016Difficulty AdjustmentProtocol · 2 §TXTransactionProtocol · 2 §UTXOUTXOProtocol · 2 §MEMMempoolNetwork · 2 §BLKBlockProtocol · 1 §HDRBlock headerProtocol · 1 §HASHCryptographic hashProtocol · 1 §SHA²SHA-256Protocol · 1 §MRKLMerkle treeProtocol · 1 §ADDRBitcoin addressProtocol · 1 §CONFConfirmationNetwork · 1 §CBTXCoinbase transactionProtocol · 1 §SCRIPTBitcoin ScriptProtocol · 1 §FORK↓Soft forkProtocol · 1 §FORK↑Hard forkProtocol · 1 §BIPBitcoin Improvement ProposalProtocol · 1 §RULESConsensus rulesProtocol · 1 §REORGChain reorganizationNetwork · 1 §STALEStale blockNetwork · 1 §ASICASIC minerNetwork · 1 §POOLMining poolNetwork · 1 §H/sHashrateNetwork · 1 §NONCENonceProtocol · 1 §TIMETimelockProtocol · 1 §COREBitcoin CoreProtocol · 1 §TESTTestnetProtocol · 1 §BGPByzantine Generals ProblemProtocol · 1 §NCNakamoto consensusProtocol · 1 §PROPBlock propagationNetwork · 1 §CMPCTCompact block relayNetwork · 1 §IBDInitial block downloadNetwork · 1 §PRUNEPruned nodeNetwork · 1 §SIGNETSignetNetwork · 1 §vBVirtual byte (vbyte)Protocol · 1 §WUBlock weightProtocol · 1 §WITWitness dataProtocol · 1 §OPBitcoin Script opcodeProtocol · 1 §CLTVCHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFYProtocol · 1 §CSVCHECKSEQUENCEVERIFYProtocol · 1 §PKGPackage relayNetwork · 1 §COVBitcoin covenantsProtocol · 1 §CTVOP_CHECKTEMPLATEVERIFYProtocol · 1 §NOSTRNostrNetwork · 1 §SOLOSolo miningNetwork · 1 §PPSPay Per ShareNetwork · 1 §PPLNSPay Per Last N SharesNetwork · 1 §AUXPOWMerged miningNetwork · 1 §FINALProbabilistic settlement finalityNetwork · 1 §
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