Lightweight Node (Cryptocurrency)

Lightweight nodes are the computers that perform the basic and limited functions of authenticating and validating the transactions on a blockchain network.

Each computer that joins a blockchain network is identified as a node.

The majority of such nodes join a blockchain network to perform the basic activities - like validating the authenticity of the ongoing transactions on the network. Such nodes do not download the full blockchain, but they download only the block headers which are sufficient to authenticate the transactions. Such nodes are called lightweight nodes. (See also: Master Nodes.)

Lightweight nodes are supported by full nodes, which download the entire blockchain and verify them against the core consensus rules of the blockchain network. While lightweight nodes may assume a faulty transaction to be valid due to their limited scope, the full nodes supersede them and confirm the correction. (See more: Full Nodes.)