All About Nodes

Haven Protocol is a decentralised peer-to-peer network. The “peers” are computers or nodes which run the Haven program and actively participate in the network by relaying information to each other. Nodes operate under a shared set of rules about how information is formatted and distributed across the network. This enables them to form a consensus about the activity that’s happening on the Haven Network. Each node must have a full and up to date copy of the blockchain before other nodes will start interacting with it. This is how the blockchain is created.

There are two types of nodes on the Haven network:

Local Node
When the node is on the same machine as your wallet, this is known as a local node. This is most secure option because you have greater control over the data that you are broadcasting to the network. This reduces the risk that cyber attacks pose to your XHV. However, it requires you to have a full copy of the Haven blockchain downloaded so it can be prohibitive for new users or when trying to access the network when you’re on the move. If you use a local node that is not active all the time, you will have to wait until your node has downloaded all of the data before you can use it. A local node is more secure because it reduces the risk of someone intercepting your data.

Remote Node
When you connect to a node that is being hosted on another machine, this is known as a remote node. There are two types of remote nodes, private and public. Public nodes are the most common and are used by wallets to quickly connect to the Haven network. This is critical for accessing the Haven network However, remote nodes can carry an increased security risk as it allows node operators to potentially link transactions to an IP address.

Nodes are a fundamental component of Haven Protocol and without them there would be no network. Node operators, who run remote nodes, enable services like wallets and miners to access the blockchain and are a valued part of our community. We encourage everyone to explore running their own node or contribute to those that do.