BCHD Returns: Bitcoin Cash’s Feature-Rich Node is Back

BCHD has an interesting history in the Bitcoin Cash ecosystem. Originally launched in 2018, it quickly became known for its developer-friendly features and modern architecture. When Chris Pacia, the original developer, moved on to other projects, BCHD was left without active maintenance. Like many open source projects, maintaining consensus with network upgrades requires consistent development effort, and in 2023, BCHD fell out of consensus with the network, temporarily sidelining what had been a key piece of BCH infrastructure.
Today, under new maintenance by OPReturn, BCHD is back in consensus and ready to serve the ecosystem once again. As one of the original developers who worked alongside Chris, and now helping OPReturn maintain the project, I’m excited to see BCHD return to its role as the most feature-complete node implementation for Bitcoin Cash.
What Makes BCHD Unique⌗
While there are several node implementations in the BCH ecosystem, BCHD stands apart through its comprehensive feature set and modern architecture. It’s the only implementation that combines:
- A full node with built-in indexing capabilities
- Complete token support (both SLP and CashTokens)
- A modern gRPC API that developers actually want to use
- Privacy features through neutrino support
- Built-in address indexing without additional servers
- A robust wallet implementation with bchwallet
The fact that BCHD handles all of this in a single implementation is unique in the Bitcoin Cash ecosystem. Getting back to consensus with the latest CashTokens upgrade was a crucial first step in making these features available to developers once again.
Recent Progress and Development⌗
The journey to bring BCHD back to consensus has been significant. Under OPReturn’s leadership, we’ve made substantial progress:
- Successfully implemented CashTokens support
- Added ABLA (Adaptive Blocksize Limit Algorithm) support
- This crucial upgrade allows BCH to automatically adjust block sizes based on network demand
- Eliminates the need for manual block size increases
- Supports scaling from 32MB up to 2x per year based on actual usage
- Fixed critical DNS seeder functionality
- Restored bchwallet to full operation
The numbers tell a compelling story of this revival. Since the last version of BCHD:
- 66,632 lines of code added
- 14,077 lines removed
- 213 files modified
- 7,106 new test cases added
This level of development activity demonstrates the commitment to not just restoring BCHD’s functionality, but improving it. The extensive test coverage is particularly important as it helps ensure we maintain consensus with future network upgrades like ABLA, which represents a significant change in how BCH handles block sizes.
The Critical Role of Meep⌗
One of BCHD’s key components is Meep, our command-line Bitcoin Cash script debugger. With the increasing complexity of BCH smart contracts, especially after the CashTokens upgrade, Meep has become an essential tool for developers. It allows them to:
- Debug complex Bitcoin Cash scripts
- Test smart contracts before deployment
- Verify transaction execution paths
- Understand how new BCH features work in practice
Meep relies on BCHD’s script virtual machine, which means keeping BCHD in consensus is crucial for maintaining this important development tool.
Looking Ahead: BCHD’s Roadmap⌗
The path forward for BCHD is clear and focused. Our primary objectives are:
Maintaining Network Consensus
- Implementing the 2025 upgrade features
- Supporting CHIP-2021-05 VM Limits
- Adding CHIP-2024-07 BigInt support
- Ensuring thorough testing of all consensus changes
Performance Improvements
- Developing a full UTXO index to speed up UTXO queries
- Optimizing query performance for blockchain applications
- Improving overall node efficiency
This focused roadmap reflects our commitment to both stability and practical improvements. While BCHD already offers the most comprehensive feature set of any BCH node, we understand that maintaining consensus and improving performance are crucial for rebuilding trust in the implementation.
Getting Involved⌗
BCHD is an open-source project that welcomes contributions from developers of all skill levels. Whether you’re a Go developer looking to work on blockchain technology, or a BCH enthusiast wanting to improve the ecosystem, there are many ways to get involved.
Core Components⌗
- bchd - The main full node implementation
- bchwallet - Wallet implementation
- meep - Bitcoin Cash script debugger
- neutrino - Privacy-preserving light client
- bchutil - Bitcoin Cash utility functions
- dnsseeder - Network crawler and DNS seeder
Public BCHD Instances⌗
For developers wanting to try BCHD’s capabilities without running their own node, we maintain public gRPC endpoints that are freely available:
- Mainnet: bchd.greyh.at:8335
- Testnet4: bchd-testnet.greyh.at:18335
These endpoints provide access to BCHD’s gRPC API, perfect for testing your applications or getting familiar with BCHD’s capabilities before setting up your own node. The gRPC API allows you to query blockchain data, monitor transactions, and interact with the network programmatically.
Community⌗
- Website: bchd.cash
- BCHD Operators Chat: Telegram
- Stay updated by watching the BCHD repository on GitHub
Supporting BCHD Development⌗
The return of BCHD to consensus represents more than just technical achievement - it’s about maintaining diversity in the BCH ecosystem. Having multiple node implementations helps create a more robust network, and BCHD’s unique features make it an invaluable tool for developers building on Bitcoin Cash.
There is currently an active Flipstarter campaign to fund OPReturn’s continued development of BCHD. This funding will help ensure:
- Continued maintenance and consensus with network upgrades
- Development of the UTXO index
- Implementation of planned improvements
- Ongoing support for the broader BCHD ecosystem
By supporting BCHD through the Flipstarter, you’re directly helping ensure that BCH developers have access to the tools they need to build the next generation of Bitcoin Cash applications.
Conclusion⌗
BCHD’s journey reflects the broader Bitcoin Cash ecosystem - resilient and constantly evolving. Chris Pacia’s excellent original implementation set an incredibly high standard, with clean code, thoughtful architecture, and developer-friendly features that were years ahead of their time. While BCHD temporarily fell out of consensus after Chris moved on to other projects, the strength of his original work made it possible for OPReturn to bring it back to life.
What makes BCHD special isn’t just its comprehensive feature set - it’s the focus on developer experience that Chris championed from day one. From the modern gRPC API to the Meep debugging tool, BCHD was built by developers, for developers. As one of the original contributors who worked alongside Chris, and now helping with its revival, I’m excited to see new applications being built with BCHD once again.
The road ahead is clear: maintain consensus, improve performance, and continue building upon the solid foundation Chris created. Whether you’re building a wallet, an exchange, or the next big BCH application, BCHD is ready to serve as your foundation.
If you’re interested in the future of Bitcoin Cash development, I encourage you to try BCHD, contribute to the project, and become part of this vibrant community. Together, we can continue building the future of peer-to-peer electronic cash.