Bitcoin Core 0.10 Gives Developers Simplified Access to Network Consensus

The latest version of Bitcoin Core was released yesterday, with key changes that address the declining number of nodes, how transaction fees are set for the Bitcoin Core wallet and simplifying the process for developers to get involved with bitcoin projects.
It’s perhaps the latter point that will have the biggest impact on how developers work with Bitcoin Core. The latest version of it includes a consensus library, which gives programmers easy access to the rules governing consensus on the bitcoin network, without having to run a full node.
“We’re splitting it out into a standalone library that does absolutely nothing but validates data,” said Peter Todd, a core contributor.
Consensus library
One developer who has been awaiting the consensus library’s release is Tamas Blummer of Bits of Proof. Blummer said the library means that developers like him can create more secure wallets because it will ensure that all transactions are fully validated by the network.
“If you are out of consensus with the majority – which can happen if you’re not using the same rules – it means you might think that a bitcoin is there, but in reality it is no longer there. You might accept a transaction that the majority [of the network] doesn’t accept,” Blummer said.

This post was published at Coin Desk on February 17, 2015.