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I have trouble finding the difference between a full node and a miner. It looks like these two names are used interchangeably which I think is not entirely correct. Miners do process blocks and full nodes verify if transactions which has been packed in the block by miners are all valid. Some can run a full node without running the mining software.
I know a lot of people who think that miners and full nodes are one and the same.
Thank you for your help.
A 'full node' is a participant on the network that has independently validated the complete copy of the blockchain, and thus has verified all transactions since the beginning. This requires about 350GB of drive space (currently).
A pruning node is one that has verified all prior transactions; however, it has deleted all blocks below a certain space requirement, but still has a copy of the UXTO set. It's less useful to the community, but is useful to the node's owner, and takes less resources on the computer (can be under 1GB of drive space).
A miner on the other hand creates blocks in the blockchain which the nodes keep. Basically, the miner adds transactions to a block, with the goal of creating a new block with a valid hash that will be accepted by the network. Miners spend about 10 minutes working on a problem, but nodes keep that result forever after in the database and verify it with others. Miners don't need to know about prior blocks (except for the prior one) with very few exceptions.
So, a miner is completely different than a full node. It's not comparing the same like things. Full vs Light is comparing two like things - fruit (apple and orange). Miner vs FullNode is comparing two totally different things (apple and fence).
NODE_NETWORK, peers will not request older blocks from them: What do pruning nodes contribute to the network?. BIP159 proposes NODE_NETWORK_LIMITED.
Ok after reading the comments I still didn't find a valid answer to the initial question. A (full) node contains the whole block chain. With this knowledge this node can check if new transactions actually are OK. Although not strictly necessary, a miner is a full node(so with complete knowledge of the block chain) which additionally creates new blocks compared to just nodes than only validate information. This hazel has been long time in my head and no sourse was available to clarify than until i read the comment of carsten_ger in the following link: https://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinBeginners/comments/2rpmyl/what_is_the_difference_between_running_a_node_and/ Hope that helps.
The nodes are the network, they store block chain data and provide consensus as to the accuracy of said data while incorporating security and literally facilitating the transaction. The blockchain resides on nodes all over the world to remain decentralized.
The miner verifies that transaction but more importantly creates the actual currency [BTC] which seems like a relevant point lol!
The difference between full-node and pool-/mining-node is the same as between bald and hairy man. Bald has zero hairs. Full-node has zero hashrate.
For me - there is no difference. Both bald and hairy are humans.
