Usable Blockchain Software

Understanding Foundational Blockchain Software

Blockchain technology relies on essential software to function effectively. In this article, we’ll explore the foundational components of blockchain software, focusing on their usability, stability, and the challenges of implementation. Rather than delving into technical coding details, we’ll examine how popular crypto projects structure their core software, highlighting key features and user experience considerations.

Core Functionalities of Blockchain Software

At its foundation, blockchain network software must provide these critical functionalities:

1. Transaction Processing: Securely create and verify transactions using private keys to ensure ownership and prevent fraud.
2. Blockchain Management: Maintain an immutable ledger by validating and linking blocks with cryptographic hashes.
3. Peer-to-Peer Networking: Synchronize nodes by relaying transactions and blocks to uphold decentralized consistency.
4. Consensus Mechanism: Use protocols like Proof of Work (PoW) or Proof of Stake (PoS) to validate transactions, add blocks, and create new tokens.
5. Wallet Management: Enable users to generate, store private keys, and manage funds securely.

These elements work together to ensure secure, decentralized, and autonomous blockchain operations. While technically complex, they form solvable challenges for developers.

This article emphasizes full-node software—the backbone of any blockchain network. Wallets, multi-currency clients, and decentralized applications (dApps) depend on these full nodes for their functionality.

Bitcoin: A Pioneer in Blockchain Software

Bitcoin revolutionized the blockchain landscape with its innovative software structure. Its primary client, Bitcoin Core, serves as the standard for full-node software in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Bitcoin Core

Bitcoin Core is the original Bitcoin client, directly descended from the version released by Satoshi Nakamoto. It is an open-source project that combines blockchain validation and wallet features, offering several user interface options:

• Desktop Application: A graphical interface for managing balances, transactions, and wallets.
• Command-Line Interface: A flexible tool for advanced users.
• API: Enables integration with other applications.

Key features of Bitcoin Core include transaction fee customization, coin control for enhanced privacy, QR code generation for payments, and watch-only wallets. It also offers network monitoring tools. However, updates—whether for user experience or network interactions—are sporadic.

Bitcoin Core is not only the backbone of Bitcoin but also the foundation for numerous Bitcoin forks (e.g., Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash), which often modify its configurations rather than its architecture.

Alternative Bitcoin Full-Node Implementations

• Armory: Advanced features like cold storage, backups, and encryption for power users.
• Bitcoin Knots: Builds on Bitcoin Core with added functionality but requires substantial system resources.
• Specter: A non-custodial desktop wallet emphasizing privacy and multi-signature setups, compatible with hardware wallets.

Ethereum: A Diverse Ecosystem of Clients

Ethereum’s network is far more complex than Bitcoin’s, reflecting its broader functionality as a platform for decentralized applications. Instead of a single official client, Ethereum promotes Client Diversity, with multiple independent development teams contributing to the ecosystem. Ethereum also uses two types of clients following its transition to Proof of Stake:

• Execution Clients: Handle transaction processing and smart contract execution.
• Consensus Clients: Manage blockchain consensus and staking operations.

Execution Clients

• Geth: A widely used Go-based Ethereum client.
• Besu: A Java implementation with strong enterprise support.
• Erigon: Optimized for archive nodes with faster and modular performance.
• Nethermind: A .NET-based client offering high configurability.
• Reth: A Rust-based implementation focused on efficiency.

Consensus Clients

• Prysm: A Go-based implementation.
• Lighthouse: Rust-based client by Sigma Prime.
• Nimbus: Lightweight client written in Nim.
• Teku: Java-based client with beacon node and validator functionality.
• Lodestar: Node.js client aimed at developers.

These clients lack end-user interfaces but offer APIs for integration. Solutions like DAppNode provide user-friendly bundles to simplify node management. While maintaining diverse clients introduces challenges like version mismatches, it ensures resilience by avoiding single points of failure.

TRON: Centralized Simplicity

TRON’s blockchain software adopts a centralized approach, relying on an official client implemented in Java. It supports essential blockchain functionalities, including HTTP and RPC APIs for network interaction. End-users can access TRON through a browser plugin or mobile applications.

BNB Chain: A Hybrid Model

Initially an Ethereum-based token, BNB Chain transitioned to its own blockchain with Tendermint Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) consensus. While it lacks a single “official” software, several Ethereum-based clients have been adapted:

• Geth: Forked for Binance Smart Chain.
• Reth: Rust-based fork designed for BNB compatibility.
• Erigon: Optimized for archive nodes.

Running a Binance full node requires significantly more resources than Ethereum, reflecting the network’s growing complexity.

Conclusion

Blockchain network software is inherently open-source, ensuring transparency and trust. However, open-source does not eliminate risks such as bugs or malicious intent. The full-node software described here represents only a fraction of blockchain development. While technical complexity varies, user preferences lean toward simplicity and usability—a principle that guides our work at Montes Auri.