Encyclopedia

This Archive aims to provide the glossary terms and docs you need to understand Bitcoin and start building Bitcoin-based applications.

A

Address

A 20-byte hash formatted using base58check to produce either a P2PKH or P2SH Bitcoin address....

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Ancestor mining

Selecting transactions for mining not just based on their fees but also based on the...

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Archival node

A computer that connects to the Bitcoin network.Not to be confused with: Lightweight node, SPV...

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B

Bare multisig

A pubkey script that provides n number of pubkeys and requires the corresponding signature script...

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Base58check

The method used in Bitcoin for converting 160-bit hashes into P2PKH and P2SH addresses. ...

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Best block chain

A chain of blocks with each block referencing the block that preceded it. The most-difficult-to-recreate...

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Best header chain

A chain of block headers with each header linking to the header that preceded it;...

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Bitcoin URI

A URI which allows receivers to encode payment details so spenders don’t have to manually...

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Bitcoins

Denominations of Bitcoin value, usually measured in fractions of a bitcoin but sometimes measured in...

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Block

One or more transactions prefaced by a block header and protected by proof of work....

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Block 0

The first block in the Bitcoin block chain.Not to be confused with: Generation transaction (the...

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Block chain

A chain of blocks with each block referencing the block that preceded it. The most-difficult-to-recreate...

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Block header

An 80-byte header belonging to a single block which is hashed repeatedly to create proof...

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Block height

The number of blocks preceding a particular block on a block chain. For example, the...

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Block reward

The amount that miners may claim as a reward for creating a block. Equal to...

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Blocks-first sync

Synchronizing the block chain by downloading each block from a peer and then validating it.Not...

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Bloom filter

A filter used primarily by SPV clients to request only matching transactions and merkle blocks...

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C

Certificate chain

A chain of certificates connecting a individual’s leaf certificate to the certificate authority’s root certificate.

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Chain code

In HD wallets, 256 bits of entropy added to the public and private keys to...

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Change address

An output in a transaction which returns satoshis to the spender, thus preventing too much...

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Change output

An output in a transaction which returns satoshis to the spender, thus preventing too much...

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Child key

In HD wallets, a key derived from a parent key. The key can be...

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Child pays for parent

Selecting transactions for mining not just based on their fees but also based on the...

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Child private key

In HD wallets, a key derived from a parent key. The key can be...

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Child public key

In HD wallets, a key derived from a parent key. The key can be...

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Coinbase

A special field used as the sole input for coinbase transactions. The coinbase allows claiming...

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Coinbase block height

The current block’s height encoded into the first bytes of the coinbase field.

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Coinbase transaction

The first transaction in a block. Always created by a miner, it includes a...

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CompactSize

A type of variable-length integer commonly used in the Bitcoin P2P protocol and Bitcoin serialized...

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Compressed public key

An ECDSA public key that is 33 bytes long rather than the 65 bytes of...

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Confirmation score

A score indicating the number of blocks on the best block chain that would need...

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Confirmations

A score indicating the number of blocks on the best block chain that would need...

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Confirmed transaction

A score indicating the number of blocks on the best block chain that would need...

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Consensus

When several nodes (usually most nodes on the network) all have the same blocks in...

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Consensus rules

The block validation rules that full nodes follow to stay in consensus with other nodes.Not...

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CPFP

Selecting transactions for mining not just based on their fees but also based on the...

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D

Data carrier transaction

A transaction type relayed and mined by default in Bitcoin Core 0.9.0 and later that...

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Data-pushing opcode

Operation codes from the Bitcoin Script language which push data or perform functions within a...

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Denomination

Denominations of Bitcoin value, usually measured in fractions of a bitcoin but sometimes measured in...

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Difficulty

How difficult it is to find a block relative to the difficulty of finding the...

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DNS seed

A DNS server which returns IP addresses of full nodes on the Bitcoin network to...

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Double spend

A transaction that uses the same input as an already broadcast transaction. The attempt of...

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E

Escrow contract

A transaction in which a spender and receiver place funds in a 2-of-2 (or other...

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Extended key

In the context of HD wallets, a public key or private key extended with the...

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Documentation