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An updated YouTube version of this series can be found here
The aim of this instructional tutorial is to set up, run and maintain a full bitcoin and lightning network node on Ubuntu 18.04 starting from a fresh installation. The following software will be installed:
- bitcoin core
- btc-rpc-explorer
- electrum wallet
- electrum-personal-server
- c-lightning
- spark-wallet
Each software will include the following instructions:
- How to [install] the software
- How to [configure and run] the software
- How to [run on startup]
- How to [update and maintain] the software to the latest version
The required level of knowledge is basic. I'll take you through, step by step, and teach you what is going on along the way. There will be very limited linux commands that you will not understand, no automated scripts, codes or dockers. Where it gets complex, I will elaborate. The guide will take you through how to do things manually so you understand what is happening under the hood.
As a result, the guide is fairly extensive. Read it carefully, read it slowly and take your time. The idea is to understand the concepts and learn. This isn't a 'setup a node in 5 easy steps' guide. The reason I'm a big advocate of learning to do it yourself manually is to minimise the need for a third party to intervene. When there's an issue, you're not reliant on someone else to fix it for you. You have the basic knowledge and confidence to troubleshoot it yourself. This is key to maintaining sovereignty. I'm also hoping that by going through this guide you'll be able to read other guides you find on the internet and understand them better. As you go through the content, try to understand the Bitcoiner mindset that comes along with it.
I have found software developers are not particularly great at writing up detailed step-by-step instructions for newcomers. I suspect this is because they have limited time on their hands and their skills are best used to write code, fix bugs and develop new features for their projects. This guide aims to help bridge that gap. Having set up a node myself from scratch, I am taking you through my learnings and routing you away from mistakes I have made. I fear software developers might be spending a fair chunk of time on troubleshooting incorrect installations and configurations by their users, rather than actual issues with their software.
One of the great things about learning from a tutorial such as this is that it allows more users to enter the space and report bugs and issues. The more eyes running over software, the better. I have found software developers on GitHub to be incredibly open to feedback when glitches and bugs are found, however small. This review and feedback cycle is how we develop better software and continuously improve. It is my belief that we get it right particularly when developing open source, trustless and permissionless software that will be the backbone of our future global financial system.
And it all starts with you and your node. Next >>> Hardware