Signing Bitcoin Transactions with Bitcoind
and Bitcoin-Cli
As you've discovered, creating and signing Bitcoin transactions withBitcoindand Bitcoin-Cli
can be a bit tricky. In this article, we'll explore the differences between these two tools and provide step-by-step instructions on how to sign Bitcoin transactions using only these apis.
why is it not working?
Before diving into the solution, let's briefly discuss who signing transactions might fail with Signrawtransaction. The main reasons are:
Private key format : The private key used for signing transactions inBitcoin-Clineeds to be in a specific format, which is different from the format expected by the
createrawtransactionAPI.
Key Format :BitcoindExpects Your Private Keys In A PEM Format, While the
CREATERAWRANSACTIONAPI Requires them in a PGP Format.
Signing Transactions WithBitcoin-Cli
To Sign Bitcoin Transactions Using OnlyBitcoin-Cli, You'll need to:
- Create a New Wallet: UseBitcoin-Cli
to create a new wallet.
- Import your private key: Convert your private key from PEM format to PGP format using the-w
option, for exam:
Bash
Bitcoin-cli -w /path/to/your/key.pem
`
- Create a Transaction: Use
CREATERAWTRANSACTION
to create a new transaction with the newly created wallet.
- Sign the Transaction: Use
Signrawtransaction
to sign the transaction.
Here's an Example Code Snippet Demonstrating How To Sign A Transaction Using Only Bitcoin-Cli
:
`Bash
![Ethereum: How to sign bitcoin transaction with 'bitcoind' and non-bitcoind-wallet private key?](https://mistway.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/0f2de5b6.png)
Create a New Wallet
Bitcoin-cli -w /path/to/your/key.pem createadress
Bitcoin -w -w /path/to/your/key.pem -C Privatekey.pgp
Transaction = Bitcoin -CLI -W /path/to/your/key.pem createrawtransaction 0x1234567890ABCDEF
Transactionsig = Bitcoin-cli -w /path/to/your/key.pem Signrawransaction "Your_transaction_hash_here"
`
Signing Transactions With Bitcoind
To Sign Bitcoin Transactions Using Only Bitcoind
, You'll Need To:
- Create a New Wallet: Use
Bitcoind
to create a new wallet.
- Import your private key: Convert your private key from PEM format to PGP format using the
-w
option, for exam:
`Bash
Bitcoind -Q -W /path/to/your/key.pem ImportPrivatekey
`
- Create a Transaction: Use
CREATERAWTRANSACTION
to create a new transaction with the newly created wallet.
- Sign the Transaction: Use
SignTransaction
to sign the transaction.
Here's an Example Code Snippet Demonstrating How To Sign A Transaction Using Only Bitcoind
:
`Bash
Bitcoind -Q -W /path/to/your/key.pem ImportPrivatekey
Transaction = Bitcoind -Q createrawtransaction 0x1234567890ABCDEF
Transactionsig = Bitcoind -Q SignTransaction "Your_Transaction_hash_here"
`
Conclusion
Signing Bitcoin Transactions with Bitcoind
and Bitcoin-Cli` can be achieved using only these apis, but requires a specific private key format and key format. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should now have the necessary knowledge to create and sign Bitcoin transactions using either tool.
Remember to always use your own private keys and follow best practices for handling them.