Readiness · Self-assessment

Node readiness checklist

Answer honestly about your home setup and habits. This checklist helps you decide whether you are in a good place to plan a Bitcoin full node—not whether a node will run flawlessly or keep your wallet private.

JavaScript is off. You can still use this page: read each question below and note where you would choose the cautious option. If power, internet, storage, or time for the initial block download look weak, treat yourself as not yet ready to plan hardware purchases. When you are done, continue with the static guidance in the “Without interactive scoring” section at the bottom.

Choose the option that best matches your situation today. You can change answers anytime; results update as you go when scripting is available.

Stable power

Full nodes are easier to run on hardware that stays on. Unexpected shutdowns during sync can slow you down and risk filesystem issues.

Dedicated outlet or UPS; outages are rare Mostly stable; brief outages a few times a year Frequent outages or no reliable place to leave hardware on

Always-on internet

Peers expect your node to be reachable often. Interruptions extend initial sync and reduce usefulness to the network.

Wired connection, always on, no planned daily disconnects Wi‑Fi or fair-use ISP; occasional short drops Mobile hotspot, strict data cap, or routine offline periods

Download allowance and bandwidth

Initial block download can use hundreds of gigabytes once, plus ongoing traffic. Know your ISP limits before you start.

Uncapped or generous cap; comfortable with a large one-time download Metered but enough headroom if you schedule the heavy download Very low cap or slow link; large downloads are a real problem

Storage capacity

A default full chain needs substantial disk today, plus room for logs and growth. Pruning is possible but is a deliberate trade-off.

Roughly 1 TB or more free on SSD-class storage (or pruning plan already understood) About 500 GB–1 TB free; willing to research pruning or external disk Under ~500 GB with no plan for more space or pruning

Hardware choice

You do not need exotic gear—a modest mini PC, recent Raspberry Pi, or a spare laptop can work if thermals and RAM are realistic.

Device picked (or already owned) with enough RAM and cooling for 24/7 use Shortlisted options but not purchased or burn-in tested yet No hardware direction yet

Time for initial block download

First sync often takes days to weeks depending on hardware, peers, and bandwidth. The node should run continuously through that window.

Can leave the node running unattended for multiple days or weeks Can run most nights for one to two weeks Only short sessions; expect very slow progress

Comfort with basic updates

You will update the operating system and Bitcoin Core (or your node stack) over time. You do not need to be a developer, but avoiding updates creates risk.

Comfortable following official release notes and applying updates Will follow step-by-step guides; new to command-line tools Unlikely to install security updates without hands-on help

Backup plan for node data

Think about bitcoin.conf, wallet files if you use them on the node, and Lightning channel backups if you run a lightning client. Losing disk without backups can mean re-downloading the chain or worse for lightning funds.

Know what to back up, where copies live, and how you would restore Plan to back up before going mainnet; details not written down yet No backup plan for config or client data

Privacy expectations

Running a node is one layer of verification. Wallet privacy still depends on how you connect, what you leak to peers, and optional tools like Tor—none of which appear automatically.

I understand a node alone does not hide my wallet activity; willing to learn more Somewhat unclear; plan to read privacy guidance before connecting a wallet I expect running a node to automatically make wallet use private

This checklist is educational only. It does not certify safety, privacy, uptime, or correctness. Your ISP, hardware, and threat model may differ.

Without interactive scoring

If scripting is unavailable or you prefer pen and paper, work through the nine areas above. You are likely not yet ready to plan a node if any of these are true:

Power or internet cannot stay on through a multi-day initial sync.
Storage is far below what a full chain needs and you have not researched pruning.
You expect automatic wallet privacy from the node alone.
You have no plan to back up config or client data that matters to you.

If most areas look solid but one or two need work, you may be almost ready—address gaps before buying hardware. If all areas look realistic for your household, you may be ready to plan a node and can move on to setup research when that page is available.

Node readiness checklist

Your readiness snapshot

Suggested next steps

Without interactive scoring