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Expand Up @@ -4,49 +4,58 @@ Electrum Personal Server aims to make using Electrum bitcoin wallet more secure
and more private. It makes it easy to connect your Electrum wallet to your own
full node.

It is an implementation of the Electrum server protocol which fulfills the
specific need of using the Electrum wallet backed by a full node, but without
the heavyweight server backend, for a single user. It allows the user to
benefit from all of Bitcoin Core's resource-saving features like
[pruning](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/release-notes/release-notes-0.12.0.md#wallet-pruning),
[blocksonly](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1377345.0) and disabled
txindex. All of Electrum's feature-richness like hardware wallet integration,
[multisignature wallets](http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/multisig.html),
[offline signing](http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/coldstorage.html),
[seed recovery phrases](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Seed_phrase), coin control
and so on can still be used, but connected only to the user's own full node.

Full node wallets are important in bitcoin because they are an big part of what
makes the system be trustless. No longer do people have to trust a financial
institution like a bank or paypal, they can run software on their own
computers. If bitcoin is digital gold, then a full node wallet is your own
personal goldsmith who checks for you that received payments are genuine.
[Full nodes](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Full_node) wallets are important in
bitcoin because they are a big part of what makes the system trustless. No
longer do people have to trust a financial institution like a bank or Paypal,
they can run software on their own computers. If bitcoin is digital gold, then
a full node wallet is your own personal goldsmith who checks for you that
received payments are genuine.

Full node wallets are also important for privacy. Using Electrum under default
configuration requires it to send (hashes of) all your bitcoin addresses to some
server. That server can then easily spy on your transactions. Full node
wallets like Electrum Personal Server would download the entire blockchain and
scan it for the user's own addresses, and therefore don't reveal to anyone else
which bitcoin addresses they are interested in. Electrum Personal Server can
also [broadcast transactions through Tor](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Privacy#Countermeasures_to_traffic_analysis)
which improves privacy by resisting traffic analysis for broadcasted
transactions which can link the IP address of the user to the transaction. If
enabled this would happen transparently whenever the user simply clicks "Send"
on a transaction in Electrum wallet.

For a longer explaination of this project, see the
[mailing list email](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2018-February/015707.html)
and [bitcointalk thread](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2664747.msg27179198).
See also the Bitcoin Wiki [pages](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Clearing_Up_Misconceptions_About_Full_Nodes)
on [full nodes](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Full_node).
which bitcoin addresses they are interested in.

## Contents

- [Features](#features)
- [Detailed how-to guide](#how-to)
- [Quick start for Debian/Ubuntu](#quick-start-on-a-debianubuntu-machine-with-a-running-bitcoin-full-node)
- [Links to other setup guides](#links-to-other-setup-guides)
- [How to expose the server to the internet](#exposure-to-the-internet)
- [How is this different from other Electrum servers ?](#how-is-this-different-from-other-electrum-servers-)
- [Articles, Discussion and Talks](#articles-discussion-and-talks)
- [Contributing](#contributing)

### Features

* Fully-featured Electrum server for a single user. Combine full node security
and privacy with all of Electrum's feature-richness: (Hardware wallet
integration, [Multisignature wallets](http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/multisig.html),
[Offline signing](http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/coldstorage.html),
[Seed recovery phrases](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Seed_phrase), Coin control,
Fee-bumping)
* Maximally lightweight. Very low CPU, RAM and disk space requirements. Only a
full node required.
* Compatible with all Bitcoin Core resource-saving features:
* [Pruning](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/release-notes/release-notes-0.12.0.md#wallet-pruning)
* [Blocksonly](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1377345.0)
* Disabled txindex
* Scriptable transaction broadcasting. When the user click "Send" the server
can be configured to run a system call with the new transaction:
* Broadcast transactions through Tor, for [resisting traffic analysis](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Privacy#Tor_and_tor_broadcasting).
* By writing a shell script (eg. `send-tx-over-sms.sh`) the server can
broadcast transactions via SMS, radio or any other creative way.

## How To

* If you dont already have them, download and install Bitcoin Core version 0.17
or higher. Make sure you
[verify the digital signatures](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/50185/how-to-verify-bitcoin-core-release-signing-keys)
of any binaries before running them, or compile from source. The Bitcoin node
must have wallet enabled, and must have the RPC server switched on (`server=1`
must have wallet functionality enabled, and must have the RPC server switched on (`server=1`
in bitcoin.conf). On first run, it is recommended to create a wallet dedicated
to Electrum Personal Server using the command line argument
`bitcoin-cli createwallet electrumpersonalserver true`.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -104,14 +113,8 @@ on [full nodes](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Full_node).
server details are `localhost` if running on the same machine. Make sure the
port number matches what is written in `config.ini` (port 50002 by default).

Linked here are guides for installing Electrum Personal Server on a
[Raspberry Pi](https://github.com/Stadicus/RaspiBolt/blob/master/raspibolt_64_electrum.md),
[Windows](https://driftwoodpalace.github.io/Hodl-Guide/hodl-guide_63_eps-win.html)
and
[Mac OS](https://driftwoodpalace.github.io/Hodl-Guide/hodl-guide_64_eps-mac.html).

Pro Tip: run Electrum wallet with the command line arguments `--oneserver --server localhost:50002:s`.
This stops Electrum connecting to several other servers to obtain block
This stops Electrum connecting to other servers to obtain block
headers; and locks Electrum to connect only to your server, disabling the GUI
button to stop accidental connections. This helps avoid a user accidentally
ruining their privacy by connecting to public Electrum servers. Another way
Expand All @@ -120,7 +123,7 @@ to do this is to open Electrum's config file and edit the lines to

Pro Tip2: run tor on the same machine as Electrum Personal Server. Then by
default transactions will be broadcast through tor. If running tor, also set
`walletbroadcast=0` in your `bitcoin.conf`. This prevents the wallet from
`walletbroadcast=0` in your `bitcoin.conf`. This prevents the node from
rebroadcasting transactions without tor.

#### Quick start on a Debian/Ubuntu machine with a running Bitcoin full node
Expand All @@ -139,6 +142,17 @@ tar.gz.)
1. Run the server: `electrum-personal-server config.ini`
1. Start your Electrum wallet: `electrum --oneserver --server localhost:50002:s`.

### Links to other setup guides

* [How to setup Electrum Personal Server on a Raspberry Pi](https://github.com/Stadicus/RaspiBolt/blob/master/raspibolt_64_electrum.md)
* [Electrum Personal Server on Windows 10](https://driftwoodpalace.github.io/Hodl-Guide/hodl-guide_63_eps-win.html)
* [Running Electrum Personal Server on Mac OS](https://driftwoodpalace.github.io/Hodl-Guide/hodl-guide_64_eps-mac.html)
* [BTCPay Server integration with Electrum Personal Server](https://docs.btcpayserver.org/ElectrumPersonalServer/)
* [Using Electrum Personal Server with a Bitseed node](https://github.com/john-light/bitcoin/blob/master/eps.md)
* [Spanish language video tutorial / Instalación del servidor Electrum Personal Server](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3idwecYvcU)
* [Japanese language setup guide](https://freefromjp.wordpress.com/2019/07/13/electrum-personal-server-%E3%81%AE%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB/)


#### Exposure to the Internet

Right now, Electrum Personal Server is easiest to use when it, your full node
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -177,7 +191,7 @@ They are different approaches with different tradeoffs. Electrum Personal
Server is compatible with pruning, blocksonly and txindex=0, uses less CPU and
RAM, is suitable for being used intermittently rather than needing to be
always-on, and doesn't require an index of every bitcoin address ever used. The
tradeoff is when recovering an old wallet, you must to import your wallet first
tradeoff is when recovering an old wallet, you must import your wallet first
and you may need to rescan, so it loses the "instant on" feature of Electrum
wallet. Other Electrum server implementations will be able to sync your wallet
immediately even if you have historical transactions, and they can serve
Expand All @@ -191,44 +205,40 @@ Definitely check out implementations like [ElectrumX](https://github.com/kyuupic
and [Electrs](https://github.com/romanz/electrs) if you're interested in this
sort of thing.

#### Bitcoin without internet access

Electrum Personal Server can also be used as a building block for systems which
use bitcoin over mesh networks and satellites instead of connecting the
internet. See [here](https://twitter.com/notgrubles/status/1091011511961731073)
and [here](https://medium.com/hackernoon/completely-offline-bitcoin-transactions-4e58324637bd) for information and setup guide.

#### Further ideas for work

* Allowing connections from more than one Electrum instance at a time. See issue
[#50](https://github.com/chris-belcher/electrum-personal-server/issues/50). First
the server code should be seperated from the networking code.

the server code should be separated from the networking code.
* Fix mempool lock/CPU bottleneck issue. See issue [#96](https://github.com/chris-belcher/electrum-personal-server/issues/96).

* Research and develop an easier way of rescanning the wallet when blockchain
pruning is enabled. See issue [#85](https://github.com/chris-belcher/electrum-personal-server/issues/85).

* Developing some way for Electrum servers to authenticate clients, so that
Electrum Personal Server can accept connections from the entire internet but
without a fear of privacy loss.

* Dynamic adding of wallet master public keys. Perhaps by polling for changes
in the config file.

## Contact

I can be contacted on freenode IRC on the `#bitcoin` and `#electrum` channels, by email or on [twitter](https://twitter.com/chris_belcher_/).
I can be contacted on freenode IRC on the `#bitcoin` and `#electrum` channels,
by email or on [twitter](https://twitter.com/chris_belcher_/).

My PGP key fingerprint is: `0A8B 038F 5E10 CC27 89BF CFFF EF73 4EA6 77F3 1129`.

## Media Coverage and Talks

* https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/electrum-personal-server-will-give-users-full-node-security-they-need/

* [Discussion at Building on Bitcoin 2018](https://youtu.be/XORDEX-RrAI?t=4980) [transcript](http://diyhpl.us/wiki/transcripts/building-on-bitcoin/2018/current-and-future-state-of-wallets/)
## Articles, Discussion and Talks

* [BitcoinMagazine.com article](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/electrum-personal-server-will-give-users-full-node-security-they-need/)
* [Electrum Personal Server talk at London Bitcoin Developer Meetup](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKMXYdfm-is)
* Electrum Personal Server used as a building block for systems which use
bitcoin without internet access. See [here](https://twitter.com/notgrubles/status/1091011511961731073)
and [here](https://medium.com/hackernoon/completely-offline-bitcoin-transactions-4e58324637bd)
for information and setup guide.
* [Mailing list email](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2018-February/015707.html)
* [Bitcointalk thread](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2664747.msg27179198)
* [Nasdaq article](https://www.nasdaq.com/article/the-electrum-personal-server-will-give-users-the-full-node-security-they-need-cm920443)
* [Bitcoinnews.ru article (russian)](https://bitcoinnews.ru/novosti/electrum-personal-server-uluchshennaya-versiya-/)
* [bits.media article (russian)](https://bits.media/razrabotchiki-electrum-opublikovali-alfa-versiyu-electrum-personal-server/)

## Contributing

Expand Down

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