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: