Home > Blockchain brains > What is blockchain node and how it works?
Published on 6/22/2022 by Aurpaytech
Blockchain consists of a set of blocks
Several facts to remember:
- A blockchain block is not a node.
- A node consists of a group of blocks together.
- A node contains a copy of the transaction history on the blockchain.
Basic types of nodes on blockchain
1. Full node:
- Stores entire transaction history of blockchain data
- Functionalities include block validation, states verification
- Fulfill data request
2. Light node:
- It only stores the header chain
- Able to do data validation according to the state roots in the block headers
- Suitable for low-capacity devices
3. Archive node:
Similar to the full node but build an archive of historical states
- Not for average users but suitable for block explorers, wallet vendors, and chain analytics
There are other types as well,
In general, a node can do the following:
Step 1:
A miner tries to broadcast a new block to the blockchain.
Step 2:
Nodes check whether a block is valid or not. According to the transaction history, nodes have the right to accept or reject the league.
Step 3:
Nodes broadcast this transaction history to other nodes to synchronize the entire blockchain.
By the way, a miner must run a full node for block validation since the new block needs to cross-compare the transaction history.
Minimum requirements for Bitcoin and Ethereum nodes:
