A zero-config, self-hosted Bitcoin node stack. Full node, Electrum server, mempool explorer, Tor hidden service, and dashboard — all in one docker compose up.
Running a node is how you vote on the network. That shouldn't require dedicated hardware or sysadmin skills.
Most ways to run a Bitcoin node sit at one of two extremes. Projects like Umbrel, RaspiBlitz, MyNode, and Start9 are full operating systems that bundle a Bitcoin node alongside an app store and dozens of other services. They can run in a VM if you don't want to dedicate hardware, but they still carry the weight of an entire platform. On the other end, you wire everything up yourself.
bnode sits in the middle. It's a single Docker Compose file that runs a Bitcoin node, an Electrum server, a mempool explorer, Tor, and a dashboard, and nothing else. It works anywhere Docker runs. Clone and start.
sh <(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nachoaIvarez/bnode/master/install.sh)Or manually:
git clone https://github.com/nachoaIvarez/bnode && cd bnode
docker compose up -dDashboard: http://localhost:3110 Mempool explorer: http://localhost:3109
| Service | Image | Port | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| bitcoind | Bitcoin Core | 8333 (P2P) | Full validating node with txindex |
| electrs | electrs v0.10.7 | 50001 | Electrum protocol server |
| mempool | mempool.space | 3109 | Block explorer and fee estimator |
| tor | Tor | — | SOCKS proxy + P2P hidden service |
| dashboard | Alpine + httpd | 3110 | Node status at a glance |
| mariadb | MariaDB 10.5 | — | Backend for mempool |
Most wallets speak the Electrum protocol, not bitcoind's RPC; electrs bridges that. A self-hosted mempool keeps address and transaction lookups off public sites, your ISP, and your local network. Both depend on -txindex=1. RPC gives full control of the node, so it stays on the internal Docker network. Tor provides a hidden service when you need remote access.
By default the node accepts connections over both clearnet and Tor, with port 8333 open so other nodes can reach you. Set TOR_ONLY=true to route everything through Tor instead.
Everything works out of the box. To customize, copy the example and edit:
cp .env.example .envSee .env.example for all options including ports, Tor settings, and alternative node images. The default node is Bitcoin Core v29, the last release before the OP_RETURN policy changes in v30.
Passwords left empty are safely auto-generated on first run and stored in data/bitcoin/secrets/.env. Delete that file to regenerate (MariaDB data is wiped automatically to match).
See docs/ for architecture, advanced configuration, security model, troubleshooting, and more.