Raspnode was a project created to help people get Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum nodes, wallets, and related cryptocurrency software on their Raspberry Pi 2 or 3 micro computers. It is currently no longer being maintained but will remain online in case people find the tutorials useful.
WHY RUN A CRYPTO NODE ON A RASPBERRY PI 2?
- Replace your desktop Bitcoin/Litecoin/Ethereum wallet and free up your computer
- Use as cold storage or for offline transaction signing for greater security
- Support the Bitcoin/Litecoin/Ethereum network
- Use as a developer node for testnet, mainnet, or a private chain
- Incorporate cryptocurrencies for machine-to-machine payments for your embedded IoT experiments
- Build an inexpensive payment terminal that doesn't rely on third parties
BITCOIN
What is Bitcoin? from WeUseCoins.com:
Bitcoin is a revolutionary new kind of currency that allows anyone with a computer to send money to anyone in the world, anytime, in seconds and virtually free. Think of Bitcoin as a money protocol (or more generally as a value protocol). Rather than being issued and controlled by a central government or based on the subject valuations of natural resources, Bitcoin is a digital currency that is built on cryptography, transparent open source code, and a decentralized network. Bitcoin is “money for the Internet and mobile age” and has been gaining in use and popularity since it was released to the world in 2009.
You can find out more about Bitcoin at bitcoin.org.
LITECOIN
What is Litecoin? from the Litecoin Association:
Litecoin is the silver to Bitcoin's gold. Released in late 2011, Litecoin is one of the earliest of what are called altcoins. Altcoins are alternative cryptocurrencies that take Bitcoin as their base and make changes to the underlying technology. There are hundreds of altcoins but most do not have a strong network or community behind them. Litecoin is the largest altcoin by marketcap.
You can find out more about Litecoin at litecoin.com.
ETHEREUM
Ethereum: the World Computer:
Ethereum is a next generation cryptocurrency. It is a peer-to-peer platform for building smart contracts and decentralized applications. Smart contracts are contracts created with code that runs on blockchain technology. Smart contracts can be used to do anything from simple escrow contracts to property ownership, financial derivatives, prediction markets, digital autonomous organizations, and much more. They can be used as the backend for decentralized applications that run on a blockchain rather than traditional centralized server architecture.
You can find out more about Ethereum at ethereum.org.
RASPBERRY PI
What is a Raspberry Pi? from the Raspberry Pi Foundation:
The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, small, power efficient computer. On February 2, 2015, the Raspberry Pi Foundation released the Raspberry Pi 2 which is powerful enough, given some modifications and additions, to run a Bitcoin (or Litecoin) full node for only pennies a day. The hardware can be found for $100 or less and can be built with the DIY steps provided. The Raspberry Pi is a great micro computer for building embedded IoT (Internet of Things) devices.
You can find out more about Raspberry Pi at raspberrypi.org.