Bitcoin doesn’t run on trust in a single authority. It runs on thousands of independent computers checking the rules for themselves. Those computers are called Bitcoin nodes.

Read on for the details of how they work and whether it’s possible to run one yourself.

What exactly is a Bitcoin node?

A Bitcoin node is a computer that connects to the Bitcoin network to verify and relay transactions and blocks. It follows Bitcoin’s rules independently, checking that new data is valid before sharing it with others.

Nodes don’t create new bitcoins and they don’t decide prices. Their role is simpler; by verifying information for themselves rather than trusting a third party, nodes help keep the Bitcoin network decentralized and resistant to…