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62 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
62 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
{% autocrossref %}
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The Developer Guide aims to provide the information you need to start
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building Bitcoin-based applications. To make the best use of this guide,
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you may want to install the current version of Bitcoin Core, either from
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[source][core git] or from a [pre-compiled executable][core executable].
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Once installed, you'll have access to three programs: `bitcoind`,
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`bitcoin-qt`, and `bitcoin-cli`. When run with no arguments, all three
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programs default to Bitcoin's main network ([mainnet][mainnet]{:#term-mainnet}{:.term}) which will require
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you purchase satoshis in order to generate transactions.
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However, for development, it's safer and cheaper to use Bitcoin's test
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network ([testnet][testnet]{:#term-testnet}{:.term}) where the satoshis spent have no real-world value.
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Testnet also relaxes some restrictions (such as standard transaction
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checks) so you can test functions which might currently be disabled by
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default on mainnet.
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To use testnet, use the argument `-testnet`<!--noref--> with each program or add
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`testnet=1`<!--noref--> to your `bitcoin.conf` file. To get
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free satoshis for testing, use [Piotr Piasecki's testnet faucet][].
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Testnet is a public resource provided for free by members of the
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community, so please don't abuse it.
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You can speed up development further using the [regression test mode][]
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which creates a new testnet local to your computer. This regtest mode
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will let you generate blocks almost instantly with a RPC command so you
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can generate your own satoshis and add transactions to the block chain
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immediately.
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* `bitcoin-qt` provides a combination full Bitcoin peer and wallet
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frontend. From the Help menu, you can access a console where you can
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enter the RPC commands used throughout this document.
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* `bitcoind` is more useful for programming: it provides a full peer
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which you can interact with through RPCs to port 8332 (or 18332
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for testnet).
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* `bitcoin-cli` allows you to send RPC commands to `bitcoind` from the
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command line. For example, `bitcoin-cli help`
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All three programs get settings from `bitcoin.conf` in the `Bitcoin`
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application directiory:
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* Windows: `%APPDATA%\Bitcoin\`
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* OSX: `$HOME/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/`
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* Linux: `$HOME/.bitcoin/`
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Questions about Bitcoin development are best sent to the Bitcoin [Forum][forum
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tech support] and [IRC channels][]. Errors or suggestions related to
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documentation on Bitcoin.org can be [submitted as an issue][docs issue]
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or posted to the [bitcoin-documentation mailing list][].
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In the following guide,
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some strings have been shortened or wrapped: "[...]" indicates extra data was removed, and lines ending in a single backslash "\\" are continued below.
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If you hover your mouse over a paragraph, cross-reference links will be
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shown in blue. If you hover over a cross-reference link, a brief
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definition of the term will be displayed in a tooltip.
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{% endautocrossref %}
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