What are Bitcoin nodes?

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The technology of distributed ledger is progressively finding new use cases globally. Hence, more and more Web3 businesses and users are showing increasing interest in RPC nodes and surveying the market for proper blockchain node providers. The world’s most accepted cryptocurrency, BTC, is headlining the list of popular choices among developers and users. In this article, we explore Bitcoin nodes and choose the provider perfectly adapted to your requirements. 

What are Bitcoin nodes?

Nodes perform vital tasks for the blockchain:

  • Verify transaction correctness.
  • Pack them into blocks.
  • Allow you to do anything you need with the blockchain.

Bitcoin nodes form a system of computational devices connected to the BTC network and are used in the following ways: 

  • They come in handy for developers to bridge their dApps to blockchain and run various applications, including wallets, crypto exchanges, blockchain explorers, DeFi services, marketplaces, and so on;
  • Miners use mining nodes to create new blocks by solving complex cryptographic puzzles in exchange for rewards;
  • Bitcoin nodes serve to store and transfer BTC-related data upon verifying its correctness using a Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm.

It’s worth noting that miners are a standalone node type, performing one important task of suggesting new blocks, unlike other kinds of Bitcoin nodes.  

How to choose a Blockchain node provider 

Spinning up a self-hosted node is one way to connect to various blockchains and, until recently, the only gateway for dApp developers to start building on blockchains. Nowadays, there is a diversity of infrastructure providers helping to streamline the tedious process. 

Blockchain node providers offer API toolings to launch and run dApps without hosting a node, which takes up many resources. While choosing a Bitcoin node provider suited to your needs, it’s essential to consider several aspects characteristic of the best services in the market:

Variety of supported networks: Web3 developers would like access to many blockchains within one platform, both mainstream and newly emerging networks. The more chains and features the provider has, the more room for businesses to experiment and expand. 

Types of provided nodes: When choosing a reliable blockchain provider, consider the available nodes. Is there access to archive nodes? Are both magnets and testnets included?  

Credibility: Lasting pauses in node maintenance may influence dApps’ stable functioning and result in losses in money and trust. Thus, the next question is, Is there round-the-clock access to nodes and responsive support?

Performance: The last but most vital quality to consider is scalability opportunities. The provider should offer nodes capable of processing masses of data at the highest speed and uptime so there is an opportunity for enhancement and necessary conditions for a better user experience. 

Connect to Bitcoin nodes with GetBlock. 

GetBlock is one of the most resorted node infrastructure providers. The service offers a newbie-friendly solution for individual users and resource-efficient tools for startups and enterprises willing to build their presence in Web3. 

To start with GetBlock, users are welcome to create a free account and get immediate access to 40,000 free requests daily to trial the service, with paid options starting at as low as $29. Choose to pay per used requests or grab monthly packages with unlimited access.   

GetBlock users also get to choose between shared and dedicated nodes. Shared Bitcoin nodes open access to 60 requests per second with 99%+ uptime at affordable prices. In this case, you will be sharing the node with other users while being able to create endpoints ready to integrate into your app in a few clicks.  

Shared nodes are perfect for launching on a testnet level, whereas dedicated nodes are a go-to for dApps with increased traffic. Enjoy unlimited access to a private BTC node, pick preferred APIs, and request needed configurations within this option.

Apart from that, GetBlock has access to more than 50 blockchains, such as Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, popular layer two chains, and many others. 24/7 support is there to help with any questions and find the best suitable option for every client. 

Wrapping up

As Web3 development is growing in popularity, there is an increasing amount of blockchain node providers ready to facilitate the onboarding of everything decentralized. Do your research before choosing a reliable service guided by the list of characteristics given in this article, or try Bitcoin nodes by GetBlock right now, with 40,000 requests free of charge at your immediate disposal.

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