Does Bitcoin have servers?
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Bitcoin runs on a decentralized network made up of thousands of computers around the globe. Learn more about the Bitcoin network.
Bitcoin runs on a peer-to-peer network built on top of the internet. Simply put, the computers that run the Bitcoin network assume similar roles and are the same. All the participating computers on the network serve the purpose of providing services to the Bitcoin ecosystem. Thus, Bitcoin does not have any servers because the network services are not centralized. Instead, the computers running the network are randomly distributed across the globe. On the other hand, if you are planning to start trading with bitcoin, you can trade through a safe and secure platform like Bitcode Method
Defining Bitcoin’s Architecture
The architecture of Bitcoin is open, decentralized and resilient. Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer virtual means of payment, with decentralization as its core design principle. Maintaining this network is only possible with a consensus-based mechanism.
Bitcoin network refers to the collection of individual nodes running the Bitcoin protocol. However, Bitcoin uses other protocols in addition to the Bitcoin P2P protocol. Stratum is an excellent example of a protocol used for mining and mobile wallets.
Gateway routing servers use the Bitcoin B2B protocol to access the network that provides these additional protocols. They then extend the network to nodes running other protocols.
Types of nodes and how they work
While the nodes on the Bitcoin network are the same, they can take on different roles based on the functions they support. A Bitcoin node serves various purposes, including routing, blockchain, mining, and operating wallet services. Although all nodes must assist in the routing function to participate in the network, they may take on one or more of the other functions.
All Bitcoin nodes are responsible for validating and propagating transactions and blocks. They also discover and maintain connections with the other nodes on the network. Full nodes that serve all four of the above functions also maintain and update the blockchain ledger. They can autonomously verify and authenticate transactions without external references.
Some nodes maintain only a subset of the blockchain and verify transactions through Simplified Payment Verification (SVP). Such nodes are called lightweight or SVP nodes. Unlike full nodes, SVP nodes do not have a complete copy of the blockchain.
Miners use nodes to create new blocks by running specialized hardware to solve cryptographic puzzles. Some mining nodes also double up as full nodes, with the ability to maintain a complete copy of the blockchain.
Aside from the primary node types of the Bitcoin P2P protocol, there are other nodes and servers that run other functions, such as specialized mining pool protocols and light client access protocols.
The discovery of nodes on the Bitcoin network
Every time a new node comes up, it must connect to other nodes on the Bitcoin network to participate. A new node must discover at least one existing node on the crypto network and connect to it. Unlike other networks, Bitcoin does not define geographic topology. So the geographic location of the new and existing nodes is irrelevant. The new node can discover and connect to a current node randomly.
A new nod can find new peers on the Bitcoin network using two main ways. The first is through NDS querying, using DNS seeds, where servers provide a list of IP addresses of existing Bitcoin nodes to facilitate discovery and connections. The second way is by directly giving the new node an IP address to at least one existing node to establish further relationships.
Overall, Bitcoin does not have servers. Instead, it runs on a decentralized or P2P network of nodes, randomly distributed around the world. Nevertheless, Bitcoin is still a newborn invention, with a relatively complex architecture and several unique aspects that we may not yet fully understand.
