Introduction

In this workshop, I'll walk you through how to install and run your own Bitcoin node on a headless Debian Linux server.

A headless server is a computer that sits quietly somewhere on your local network without a display, keyboard or mouse.

Along with the Bitcoin node, we’ll go on to install a Lightning node. Lightning is a second-layer protocol that sits on top of the Bitcoin base layer. It facilitates fast transfers of bitcoin at very low cost.

Then we'll install an Electrum Server. An Electrum Server allows you to connect compatible Bitcoin wallets, such as Sparrow, Electrum Wallet and BlueWallet, privately and securely to your own Bitcoin node.

We'll also install a web-based dashboard on the server. From a web browser on another computer on your local network, you'll be able to monitor the status of your Bitcoin node, Lightning node and Electrum Server. You'll also be able to send and receive bitcoin using your Lightning node.

We'll remotely log into the server from another computer on the local network using the SSH protocol. This will allow us to install and configure software, perform maintenance, and run diagnostics. We'll do this from the Terminal application on macOS or Linux, or from PowerShell on Windows, using the command-line interface.