Bitcoin Core

Bitcoin Core is the reference full node for the Bitcoin network. It connects to the peer-to-peer network, downloads the entire blockchain, and fully validates every block and transaction against consensus rules on hardware you control, rather than trusting a third-party service.

The software bundles an optional wallet and a graphical interface, both built from the same tree as the node. Prebuilt binaries are published for users who do not want to compile from source, and a command-line daemon and RPC interface support automation and integration.

Because it handles money, changes are extensively reviewed and tested across Windows, Linux, and macOS before release. Stable versions are tagged from release branches, while the development branch is built and tested continuously but not guaranteed stable.