Light Node
A Light Node is a type of cryptocurrency wallet that enables users to send and receive digital currency without having to download the full blockchain. It is also referred to as a “thin node”, because it requires much less data than a full node or regular wallet. A light node has limited capabilities compared to its counterpart but can still perform all basic functions such as sending and receiving payments, viewing balances and transaction histories, etc. The main benefit of using this type of wallet is that it does not require large amounts of storage space or bandwidth which makes them ideal for people with lower end computers or mobile devices. Additionally, light nodes are generally more secure due to their reduced attack surface area since fewer pieces of information are exposed on the network.
In order to use a light node, users must first connect it with one or more trusted peers (i.e., other participants in the network). These peers then provide block headers from which the client can construct its own view of the blockchain state and allow transactions within their network segment only if they meet certain criteria set by each peer’s consensus ruleset (which may be different from those used by other peers). Once connected, transactions initiated through the light node will be relayed across all connected peers until they reach miners who execute them on-chain after verifying them according to protocol requirements. In some cases, there may be multiple miners involved in validating blocks depending on how many nodes have been connected together in order for transactions to propagate efficiently throughout the entire system.
Once set up correctly and maintained properly through proper security practices, light nodes offer an efficient solution for those wishing to securely send and receive cryptocurrency without having access nor needing resources required by full nodes like significant hard drive space or high bandwidth connection speeds
