libbitcoin
Comprehensive C++ Bitcoin library suite. Older alternative implementation; more academic style.
Repo: github.com/libbitcoin/.
Components
- libbitcoin-system — primitives (tx, script, blocks, keys).
- libbitcoin-server — full server.
- libbitcoin-explorer (bx) — CLI tool.
- libbitcoin-network — networking.
- libbitcoin-blockchain — chain validation.
- libbitcoin-database — storage.
- libbitcoin-protocol — wire protocol.
bx CLI
Useful tool for ad-hoc Bitcoin operations:
bx seed # generate random seed
bx mnemonic-new <hex> # mnemonic from entropy
bx hd-new <seed> # master xprv
bx hd-to-address <xpub> # address from xpub
Use cases
- C++ apps preferring libbitcoin's API style.
- Educational — clean, readable C++ code.
bxfor command-line Bitcoin operations.
Compared
| Aspect | libbitcoin | bitcoind | rust-bitcoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | C++ | C++ | Rust |
| Maturity | 10+ years | reference | 7+ years |
| Adoption | Niche | Universal | Wide |
| Active maintenance | Sparse | Active | Active |
Status
- Maintained but less actively than 2014-2017.
- Bitcoin Core is the primary reference.