https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt
A step-by-step guide to building a Bitcoin & Lightning node, and other stuff on a personal computer
https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt
bitcoin bitcoin-wallet cryptocurrency cryptography diy electrum guide lightning lightning-network nostr p2p security self-hosted server web
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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A step-by-step guide to building a Bitcoin & Lightning node, and other stuff on a personal computer
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt
- Owner: minibolt-guide
- License: mit
- Created: 2022-10-10T21:53:24.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-22T20:50:46.000Z (about 2 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-29T15:07:32.631Z (about 1 month ago)
- Topics: bitcoin, bitcoin-wallet, cryptocurrency, cryptography, diy, electrum, guide, lightning, lightning-network, nostr, p2p, security, self-hosted, server, web
- Language: Markdown
- Homepage: https://minibolt.info
- Size: 96 MB
- Stars: 77
- Watchers: 6
- Forks: 37
- Open Issues: 3
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
---
description: >-
Build your own "DIY" Bitcoin & Lightning node, and other stuff on a personal
computer. No need to trust anyone else.
---
# MiniBolt
[](https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt/network/members) [](https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt/stargazers) [](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt/main/LICENSE) [](https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt/graphs/contributors) [](https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt/issues) [](https://github.com/minibolt-guide/minibolt/releases) [](https://github.com/orgs/minibolt-guide/followers)
## What is the MiniBolt?
With this guide, you can set up a Bitcoin, Lightning node, and other stuff on a personal computer, doing everything yourself. You will learn about Linux, Bitcoin, Lightning, and much more.
There are many reasons why you should run your own Bitcoin node:
👥 **Keep Bitcoin decentralized:** use your node to help enforce your Bitcoin consensus rules.
🗽 **Take back your sovereignty:** let your node validate your Bitcoin transactions. No need to ask someone else to tell you what's happening in the Bitcoin network.
🥷🏽 **Improve your privacy:** connect your wallets to your node so you no longer need to reveal your financial history to external servers.
⚡️ **Be part of Lightning:** run your Lightning node for everyday payments and help build a robust and decentralized Lightning network.
## MiniBolt overview
This guide explains setting up your Bitcoin node on a personal computer. However, it works on most hardware platforms because it only uses standard Debian-based Linux commands.
### Features
Your Bitcoin node will offer the following functionality:
🟠 **Bitcoin**: direct and trustless participation in the Bitcoin peer-to-peer network, full validation of blocks and transactions.
⚛️ **Electrum server**: connect your compatible wallets (including hardware wallets) to your node.
⛓️ **Blockchain Explorer**: web-based Explorer to privately look up transactions, blocks, and more.
⚡ **Lightning**: full client with stable long-term channels and web-based and mobile-based management interfaces.
🔋 **Always on**: services are constantly synced and available 24/7.
🌐 **Reachable from anywhere**: connect to all your services through the Tor network and Wireguard VPN.
### Target audience
* [x] We strive to give foolproof instructions. But the goal is also to do everything ourselves.
* [x] Shortcuts that involve trusting someone else are not allowed. This makes this guide quite technical, but we try to make it as straightforward as possible.
* [x] You'll gain a basic understanding of the how and why.
* [x] If you want to learn about Linux, Bitcoin, and Lightning, this guide is for you.
### Structure
We aim to keep the core of this guide well-maintained and up-to-date:
🖥️ SystemPrepare the hardware and set up the operating systemoperating-system.mdremote-access.mdsystemoperating-system.gif🟠 ₿itcoinSync your own Bitcoin full node, Electrum server, Blockchain Explorer, and connect a desktop wallet to the Electrum serverelectrum-server.mdblockchain-explorer.mdbitcoincore_logo.png⚡ LightningRun your Lightning client with web-based node management, connect a mobile app, and save safely your SCB backupchannel-backup.mdweb-app.mdlightninglightning-network-daemon-logo.png➕ Bonus guideThe bonus section contains more specific guides that build on top of the main section. More fun, lots of knowledge, but with lesser maintenance guarantees. Everything is optional.systembitcoinnostrsecuritynetworkingBroken linkbonus-logo.png
## How to build
* **YouTube list** building MiniBolt live with Albercoin of [Laboratorio Virtual Bitcoin](https://www.youtube.com/@LaboratorioVirtualBitcoin) (Spanish).
{% embed url="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7-Q40ihLbmP9vXZGdQgEozQnFISzT8ms" %}
## Community
👥 RRSS 👥
- Nostr community
-
Nostr channels:
-
Telegram Channels (News):
{% hint style="info" %}
Feel free to join the many other contributors if you see something that can be improved!
{% endhint %}
## Resources
🌐 Network mapnetworkmap_icon.pnghttps://bit.ly/minibolt-ramix_netmap🛣️ Roadmaproadmap_icon.pnghttps://github.com/orgs/minibolt-guide/projects/1📋Guides listlist.pnghttps://habla.news/u/[email protected]/1734856867447📅 Launchpad (Calendar)calendar.png📺 Streamsstreams.png
## Free services
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Nostr relay" %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Use [a Nostr client](bonus-guides/nostr/nostr-relay.md#nostr-clients) to connect
{% endhint %}
wss://relay.minibolt.info
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Electrum server" %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Use a signing app ([Sparrow Wallet](bitcoin/bitcoin/desktop-signing-app-sparrow.md) or [Electrum Wallet desktop](bonus/bitcoin/electrum-wallet-desktop.md)) to connect
{% endhint %}
Fulcrum - mainnet (🧅onion):
```url
tcp://vr4bgiwqlhuweftttc6bj7lm5ijjyafwsr43nmeiu3k4mcgtl4tpozyd.onion:50001
```
Fulcrum - testnet4 (🧅onion):
```url
tcp://bnfpvanrc2g7r5o5kaabbbyjv6ddh46jmasfatrvbbsvjb7cdik5n7ad.onion:40001
```
```url
ssl://bnfpvanrc2g7r5o5kaabbbyjv6ddh46jmasfatrvbbsvjb7cdik5n7ad.onion:40002
```
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Explorer" %}
BTC RPC Explorer - **mainnet** (🚾clearnet):
-> CLICK to access -> [https://explorer.minibolt.info](https://explorer.minibolt.info) <-
BTC RPC Explorer - **mainnet** (🧅onion - Use [Tor browser](https://www.torproject.org/download/)):
```url
http://rzcj4r2p6wterkto5prigsplq6iva5bqhcxr7y3d6w4hoc3uwizpp5qd.onion
```
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Lightning Watchtower (only LND)" %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Use `lncli` to connect to it:
{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```bash
lncli wtclient add 02ad47b4e41cfce258e2db8d7eb9a194570ca29beba2897970d1ecc7d1c9a2726b@zm32w2qs2lf6xljnvqnmv6o2xlufsf4g6vfjihyydg4yhxph4fnqcvyd.onion:9911
```
{% endcode %}
{% endhint %}
Lightning Watchtower server - **mainnet** (🧅onion):
{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```url
02ad47b4e41cfce258e2db8d7eb9a194570ca29beba2897970d1ecc7d1c9a2726b@zm32w2qs2lf6xljnvqnmv6o2xlufsf4g6vfjihyydg4yhxph4fnqcvyd.onion:9911
```
{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Keyserver" %}
* Hockeypuck OpenPGP Public Keyserver (🚾clearnet):
-> CLICK to access -> [https://keyserver.minibolt.info](https://keyserver.minibolt.info) <-
* Hockeypuck OpenPGP Public Keyserver (🧅onion - use [Tor browser](https://www.torproject.org/download/)):
```
http://fr2bbk7gitvpielymw7jmbkmm7glrzs2avxyxsh3rqbszkwavmqkklid.onion
```
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
## Rating
All guides are rated with labels to help you assess their difficulty and whether they are tested against the most recent version of the main guide.
* **Difficulty:** indicates how difficult the bonus guide is in terms of installation procedure or usage
{% hint style="success" %}
Difficulty: Easy
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="warning" %}
Difficulty: Medium
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="danger" %}
Difficulty: Hard
{% endhint %}
* **Cost:** indicates if the service used in the guide is free or paid
{% hint style="warning" %}
Cost: Paid service
{% endhint %}
## Port reference
PortProtocolUse🖥️ SYSTEM22TCPDefault SSH server port9050TCPDefault Tor SOCKS port9051TCPDefault Tor control port7656TCPDefault I2P SAM proxy port7070TCPDefault I2Pd web console port7071SSLI2Pd web console SSL port🟠 ₿ITCOIN8332TCPDefault Bitcoin Core Tor RPC port8333TCPDefault Bitcoin Core P2P port8334TCPDefault Bitcoin Core Tor port50001TCPFulcrum TCP port50002SSLFulcrum SSL port8000TCPFulcrum Admin port3002TCPDefault BTC RPC Explorer HTTP port4000SSLBTC RPC Explorer HTTPS port (encrypted)⚡ LIGHTNING9735TCPDefault LND P2P port10009TCPDefault LND gRPC port9911TCPDefault LND Watchtower server port3000TCPDefault ThunderHub HTTP port4002SSLThunderHub HTTPS port (encrypted)8080TCPLND REST port➕ BONUS GUIDES5432TCPDefault PostgreSQL relational DB port51820UDPDefault WireGuard VPN portRandomTCPRandom Cloudflared port<TODO1>TCPobfs4 bridge OR port<TODO2>TCPobfs4 port9001TCPOR port Guard/Middle relay9052TCPTor obfs4 bridge control port9053TCPTor Guard/Middle relay control port50021TCPElectrs TCP port50022SSLElectrs SSL port48333TCPDefault Bitcoin Core P2P Testnet4 port48334TCPDefault Bitcoin Core P2P Testnet4 secondary port48332TCPDefault Bitcoin Core RPC Testnet4 port40001TCPFulcrum Testnet4 port40002SSLFulcrum Testnet4 SSL port40021TCPElectrs Testnet4 port40022SSLElectrs server Testnet4 SSL port24444TCPDefault NBXplorer port23000TCPDefault BTCPay Server port8880TCPDefault Nostr relay port