Bitcoin clients: full nodes, lightweight wallets, and web wallets

Full client (full node)

A full client stores the entire Bitcoin transaction history, manages the user’s wallet, and can initiate operations on the Bitcoin network directly. It is like running your own email server: it covers the whole protocol without relying on third-party services.

• Bitcoin Core (the “Satoshi client”) — download from open_in_new bitcoin.org . It includes wallets, a full blockchain for validation, and a peer-to-peer network node.

See also Bitcoin Core (bitcoind) .

Lightweight client

A lightweight client stores the user’s wallet but relies on third-party servers for transaction history and network access. It does not keep a full copy of all transactions, so it must trust those servers to verify them — similar to a desktop email client talking to a mail server.

Web client

Web clients run in the browser and keep the wallet on a third-party server — like a webmail service.

Mobile

Smartphone clients (e.g. Android) can be full, light, or web-based depending on the app.

Where to find clients

• open_in_new bitcoin.org