How can I build custom bitcoin network and start with bitcoin codebase

Question

I am new to Bitcoin. My understanding about Bitcoin is gained by ready Bitcoin original paper and several blog posts on the Internet. However, my ambition is to understand the whole bitcoin codebase on Github and be able to modify it to support my experiments.

Right now, there are some steps that I think it's beneficial to start with:

1. Try to run and build up my own custom network (first transaction that initially create 50 bitcoins, create some wallets to spend bitcoins around, try to understand the blockchain on that custom network when it's small).
2. After that custom network built, I hope I would understand how transactions, blocks, validation, broadcasting, mining reward earning,... are handled.
3. With those things understood, I try to find, read and understand the corresponding codes in the code base.

Do you think those steps is a good way for me to start with Bitcoin? I'm currently stuck with step 1. I could only compile the codebase and run the bitcoind then get lost, know nothing to do afterward.

Answer 1

Try reading the book Mastering Bitcoins by O'Reilly Chimera, this should help in understanding the bitcoin network, process and the principles involved.

Here is a guide (from bitcointalk.org) on how to make a new altcoin by cloning the bitcoin code.

I would suggest understanding the process before trying to make your own custom network