What is Blockchain?

Blockchain is a decentralized, digital ledger that records transactions in a secure and transparent manner. It is a distributed database that allows multiple parties to access and verify the data without the need for a central authority.

What are nodes?

Nodes are the individual computers or devices that participate in the blockchain network. They are responsible for verifying and validating the transactions in the network. Each node maintains a copy of the blockchain and checks the validity of the transactions before adding them to the blockchain.

Types of Blockchain Nodes:

Light Nodes

Light nodes are also known as thin clients. They are the simplest type of nodes that only store a small part of the blockchain. They rely on other nodes in the network to verify and validate transactions.

Archival Full Nodes

Archival full nodes store the complete copy of the blockchain and maintain all the historical data. They are used by researchers and developers who need to access the complete history of the blockchain.

Pruned Full Nodes

Pruned full nodes are similar to archival full nodes, but they only store the recent data. They delete the old data to reduce the storage space required.

Mining Nodes

Mining nodes are responsible for adding new blocks to the blockchain. They perform complex mathematical calculations to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain.

Authority Nodes

Authority nodes are the nodes that have the authority to validate and add new blocks to the blockchain. They are used in permissioned blockchains where only authorized users can participate in the network.

Masternodes

Masternodes are a specialized type of node that provides additional services to the blockchain network. They can perform tasks such as instant transactions, decentralized voting, and budgeting.

Lightning Nodes

Lightning nodes are used in the Lightning Network, which is a layer two scaling solution for the Bitcoin blockchain. They enable instant transactions with lower fees and improve the scalability of the network.

In conclusion, nodes play a crucial role in the functioning of a blockchain network. Each node performs a specific function and contributes to the security and decentralization of the network.