Component Overview

An overview of networks and node types in Hyperledger Besu

Network

In Hyperledger Besu, a network refers to a logical infrastructure to which a certain group of nodes collectively maintain a distributed ledger. This network can be public, private, or a test network, depending on the use case and configuration.

A network requires a set of validators (minimum 4), bootnodes, and RPC nodes.

Check the Hyperledger Besu Docs to read more about these concepts.

Node

A node can be seen as an instance of Hyperledger Besu that participates in the network. These nodes communicate with each other to agree on the current state of the ledger, validate transactions, and propagate blocks.

A node can be one of the following types:

• Full Nodes: Store the entire state of the blockchain, process all transactions, and keep a complete history of all blocks and state changes.

• Validator Nodes: Responsible for creating new blocks and validating transactions. Their identity is known, and they are given authority to participate in consensus based on the trust placed in them by network participants.

• Light Nodes: Download only block headers and a minimal amount of state information. They rely on full nodes for more detailed data, making them suitable for small devices or users who do not require full blockchain data.

• Bootnodes: Specialized nodes used primarily for node discovery. They act as an entry point for new nodes to join the network, helping them find other nodes and establish connections.

• Archive Nodes: A type of full node that retains all historical blockchain data, from the genesis block to the latest. Unlike full nodes (which may prune old state trie data), archive nodes do not, allowing them to provide data for any past state.

• RPC Nodes: Full nodes that serve as RPC endpoints, allowing external parties to interact with the blockchain through interfaces like JSON-RPC or GraphQL. They enable users and applications to submit transactions, deploy smart contracts, and query blockchain data.