Deploying BCH v23.0.0 Development Network Using Docker

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) continues to gain traction in the blockchain ecosystem, especially with innovations like the SmartBCH sidechain. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough for deploying a BCH development network (regtest) using Docker, focusing on the latest v23.0.0 release.

Why Deploy a BCH Development Network?

Testing: Safely experiment with BCH features without risking real funds.
Learning: Understand BCH’s architecture and RPC interfaces.
Development: Build and test decentralized applications (dApps) on a local network.

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Step 1: Generate the BCH Docker Image

1.1 Pull the Base Image

docker pull buildpack-deps:jessie-curl

1.2 Create the Dockerfile

FROM buildpack-deps:jessie-curl
RUN wget -O bchn.tar.gz https://github.com/bitcoin-cash-node/bitcoin-cash-node/releases/download/v23.0.0/bitcoin-cash-node-23.0.0-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz \
 && tar -xzvf bchn.tar.gz \
 && cd bitcoin-cash-node-23.0.0/bin \
 && mv bitcoin-cli bitcoin-tx bitcoind /usr/local/bin \
 && cd / \
 && rm -Rfv bitcoin*
EXPOSE 18443 18444
WORKDIR /root/.bitcoin
ENTRYPOINT ["bitcoind"]

Key Notes:

Ports 18443 (RPC) and 18444 (P2P) are exposed for regtest.
The image includes bitcoind, bitcoin-cli, and bitcoin-tx.

1.3 Build and Verify the Image

docker build . -t bch/bitcoin-cash-node:v23.0.0
docker images | grep bch

Step 2: Launch the BCH Container

2.1 Prepare the Data Directory

mkdir -p /opt/docker/bch-regtest/data

2.2 Start the Container

docker run -itd --restart=unless-stopped \
  -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime \
  -v /opt/docker/bch-regtest/data:/root/.bitcoin/regtest \
  -p 18443:18443 -p 18444:18444 \
  --name bchn-regtest \
  bch/bitcoin-cash-node:v23.0.0 \
  -regtest -server=1 \
  -rpcuser=admin -rpcpassword=123456 \
  -txindex=1 -paytxfee=0.00005 \
  -rpcport=18443 -rpcallowip=0.0.0.0/0 \
  -port=18444 -rpcbind=0.0.0.0:18443

Parameter Breakdown:

-regtest: Enables the local development network.
-txindex=1: Indexes all transactions for full query support.
-rpcuser/-rpcpassword: Secures RPC access.

Step 3: Verify Deployment

3.1 Check Container Status

docker ps | grep bchn-regtest

3.2 Monitor Logs

docker logs bchn-regtest

Look for lines like:

UpdateTip: new best=0f9188f13... height=0
msghand thread start

Step 4: Interact with BCH via RPC

4.1 Create a New Address

curl --user admin:123456 --data-binary '{
  "jsonrpc": "1.0",
  "method": "getnewaddress",
  "params": ["test-wallet"]
}' http://127.0.0.1:18443

4.2 Mine Blocks

curl --user admin:123456 --data-binary '{
  "jsonrpc": "1.0",
  "method": "generatetoaddress",
  "params": [6, "qz9qwcwqd3jrt669dvjg32pyd5kmh2x8zyvflejunj"]
}' http://127.0.0.1:18443

4.3 Check Balance

curl --user admin:123456 --data-binary '{
  "jsonrpc": "1.0",
  "method": "listaddressgroupings",
  "params": []
}' http://127.0.0.1:18443

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FAQs

Q1: Why use `-regtest` instead of `-testnet`?

A1: Regtest allows instant block generation for testing, while testnet requires mining and has network delays.

Q2: How do I reset the regtest environment?

A2: Delete the data directory (/opt/docker/bch-regtest/data) and restart the container.

Q3: What’s the default block reward in regtest mode?

A3: Unlike mainnet, regtest has no fixed reward schedule. Use generatetoaddress to create coins.

Q4: Can I connect multiple nodes to this regtest network?

A4: Yes! Launch additional containers with the same parameters and connect them via addnode RPC.

Key Takeaways

Docker simplifies BCH node deployment with isolated environments.
Version v23.0.0 introduces updated RPC methods—always check the release notes.
Use -txindex=1 for full transaction query capabilities.

Pro Tip: For production environments, replace -regtest with -testnet or omit it for mainnet (with caution!).


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