fullnode

A full node is a network participant that fully validates all blocks and transactions according to the protocol’s rules, and stores a complete or near-complete copy of the blockchain. In addition to validating consensus, a full node relays transactions and blocks to other nodes, helping to maintain the network’s decentralization and reliability. Full nodes are typically operated by individuals, organizations, or services that prefer direct verification of funds and history, and that may offer local access to blockchain data via an API or wallet software.

In practice, running a full node involves downloading the entire blockchain, verifying every new block and transaction, and maintaining the current state (such as the UTXO set or account balances). While many networks encourage full nodes, some deployments distinguish between a full node that stores the full history and a prune or archive variant: prune nodes reduce stored data after validation, while archive nodes retain the entire history for historical queries. Miners or validator nodes can also be full nodes, but a full node’s primary role is validation and propagation rather than block production.

Operating a full node requires resources: storage capacity, bandwidth, and processing power scale with the size of the blockchain and network activity. Software updates are important to stay aligned with consensus rules. Full nodes enhance privacy and censorship resistance by enabling users to verify data locally without relying on third parties, though they may entail higher hardware and maintenance costs compared to lighter clients.