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Installation

This guide covers downloading and installing Bitcoin Knots on various platforms.

Current Release​

Version: 29.3.knots20260508 Release Date: May 8, 2026 Based on: Bitcoin Core 29.3

Two builds: with and without RDTS

v29.3.knots20260508 is the first release to ship the BIP-110/RDTS soft fork. This build enforces RDTS on its deployment schedule and asks for explicit confirmation (GUI prompt, or consensusrules=rdts in bitcoin.conf). A parallel build without RDTS enforcement, v29.3.knots20260507, is available for users who prefer a client that cannot enforce it. See BIP-110 / RDTS Integration before choosing.

Download​

Official releases are available at:

bitcoinknots.org/files/29.x/29.3.knots20260508/

Available Packages​

PlatformFileNotes
Linux (x86_64)bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gzMost common
Linux (ARM64)bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-aarch64-linux-gnu.tar.gzRaspberry Pi 4+
macOS (Intel)bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-x86_64-apple-darwin.tar.gzIntel Macs
macOS (Apple Silicon)bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-arm64-apple-darwin.tar.gzM1/M2/M3/M4 Macs
Windowsbitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-win64-setup.exeInstaller

Verify Downloads​

Always verify both the checksum AND the GPG signature of your download. This ensures the files haven't been tampered with and actually come from Luke Dashjr.

Step 1: Download Verification Files​

# Download the checksum and signature files
wget https://bitcoinknots.org/files/29.x/29.3.knots20260508/SHA256SUMS
wget https://bitcoinknots.org/files/29.x/29.3.knots20260508/SHA256SUMS.asc

Step 2: Verify GPG Signature​

Import the release signing keys from the official Bitcoin Knots Guix signature repository:

# Import all builder keys from the official repository
git clone https://github.com/bitcoinknots/guix.sigs
gpg --import guix.sigs/builder-keys/*.gpg

# Refresh from a keyserver to pick up updated expiry dates
gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --refresh-keys

Luke Dashjr's key fingerprints (from the official builder-keys):

Personal:    93CB 4961 F69A 6508 2D44  1080 2CBA 8253 0896 55C3
Codesigning: 1A3E 761F 19D2 CC77 85C5  502E A291 A2C4 5D0C 504A

Cross-check these fingerprints against multiple independent sources:

Verify the signature:

gpg --verify SHA256SUMS.asc SHA256SUMS

Expected output:

gpg: Signature made [date]
gpg:                using EDDSA key ...
gpg: Good signature from "Luke Dashjr <luke@dashjr.org>"
Check the key fingerprint

Don't just look for "Good signature" — verify the key fingerprint matches. A malicious key could also produce a "good" signature.

Step 3: Verify Checksum​

# Verify your download matches the checksum
sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS 2>/dev/null | grep bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz

Expected output:

bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz: OK

Web of Trust​

For additional verification, Luke's key is signed by several well-known Bitcoin developers. You can view the key's signatures:

gpg --list-sigs 0x1A3E761F19D2CC7785C5502EA291A2C45D0C504A

Quick Verification Script​

#!/bin/bash
# verify-knots.sh - Verify Bitcoin Knots download

VERSION="29.3.knots20260508"
FILE="bitcoin-${VERSION}-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz"
LUKE_KEY="1A3E761F19D2CC7785C5502EA291A2C45D0C504A"

# Download verification files
wget -q "https://bitcoinknots.org/files/29.x/${VERSION}/SHA256SUMS"
wget -q "https://bitcoinknots.org/files/29.x/${VERSION}/SHA256SUMS.asc"

# Import key if needed
gpg --list-keys "$LUKE_KEY" &>/dev/null || \
  gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys "$LUKE_KEY"

# Verify signature
echo "Verifying GPG signature..."
if gpg --verify SHA256SUMS.asc SHA256SUMS 2>&1 | grep -q "Good signature"; then
  echo "✓ GPG signature valid"
else
  echo "✗ GPG signature INVALID - DO NOT USE"
  exit 1
fi

# Verify checksum
echo "Verifying checksum..."
if sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS 2>/dev/null | grep -q "${FILE}: OK"; then
  echo "✓ Checksum valid"
else
  echo "✗ Checksum INVALID - DO NOT USE"
  exit 1
fi

echo "✓ Verification complete - safe to install"
Never Skip Verification

Bitcoin software controls your money. A compromised binary could steal your funds. Always verify both the GPG signature AND checksum before installing.

Linux Installation​

Extract and Install​

# Extract the archive
tar -xzf bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz

# Move binaries to system path (optional)
sudo install -m 0755 -o root -g root -t /usr/local/bin bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508/bin/*

Or Run from Directory​

cd bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508/bin
./bitcoind --version

Expected output:

Bitcoin Knots version v29.3.knots20260508

macOS Installation​

Using the Archive​

# Extract
tar -xzf bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-arm64-apple-darwin.tar.gz

# Move to Applications (optional)
mv bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508 /Applications/Bitcoin-Knots

First Run​

macOS will require you to approve the application:

  1. Open System Preferences → Security & Privacy
  2. Click "Open Anyway" for Bitcoin Knots binaries

Windows Installation​

  1. Run the installer: bitcoin-29.3.knots20260508-win64-setup.exe
  2. Follow the installation wizard
  3. Choose installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\Bitcoin)

Building from Source​

For advanced users who want to compile from source:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bitcoinknots/bitcoin.git
cd bitcoin
git checkout v29.3.knots20260508

# Install dependencies (Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo apt-get install build-essential cmake pkgconf \
  python3 libevent-dev libboost-dev libsqlite3-dev

# Build with CMake (v29+)
cmake -B build
cmake --build build -j$(nproc)
sudo cmake --install build
Build System Change

Bitcoin Knots v29+ uses CMake instead of Autotools. Minimum CMake version: 3.22.

Data Directory​

Bitcoin Knots uses the same data directory as Bitcoin Core:

PlatformLocation
Linux~/.bitcoin/
macOS~/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/
Windows%APPDATA%\Bitcoin\
Upgrading from Bitcoin Core

Bitcoin Knots can use your existing Bitcoin Core data directory. Simply point it to the same location — no migration needed.

Compatibility​

Supported Operating Systems:

  • Linux kernel-based systems
  • macOS 13+ (Ventura and later)
  • Windows 10+

Running on unsupported systems is not recommended.

Recent Version History​

VersionDateNotes
v29.3.knots20260508May 8, 2026BIP-110/RDTS (confirmation required), dbcache auto-scaling, sweepprivkeys segwit/taproot + GUI dialog
v29.3.knots20260507May 8, 2026Same as above, without RDTS support
v29.3.knots20260210Feb 10, 2026Wallet bug fixes, P2P use-after-free fixes
v29.2.knots20251110Nov 10, 2025CVE-2025-46598 fix, datacarriersize default increased
v29.1.knots20250903Sep 3, 2025Ephemeral anchors, CMake migration, NAT-PMP default
v28.1.knots20250305Mar 5, 2025Previous stable
v27.1.knots20240801Aug 1, 2024Long-term support

Next Steps​