Coolify Docs

Appearance

Bitcoin Core ​

What is Bitcoin Core ​

A self-hosted Bitcoin Core full node.

Public Node vs. Private Use ​

By default, Coolify’s Bitcoin Core service is configured for private/internal use. This means it is intended for connecting wallets or apps from the same server or private network, and does not accept inbound P2P connections from the public internet. This is a security-conscious default to help reduce the attack surface, especially for new users.

How to Run a Public Node ​

If you want your Bitcoin node to be a fully public peer (accepting inbound connections from other nodes):

  1. Expose the P2P port in your Compose file:
    Add the following under your bitcoin-core service:

    text
    ports:
- "8333:8333"

  2. Open port 8333 in your server’s firewall:

  • On Ubuntu with UFW:
    bash
    sudo ufw allow 8333/tcp
  • On CentOS with firewalld:
    bash
    sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=8333/tcp --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload
  • For cloud servers, update your provider’s security group or firewall rules to allow inbound TCP on port 8333.

Considerations ​

  • Default Behavior:
    Without the ports section, your node will not accept inbound P2P connections, but can still make outbound connections and fully sync the blockchain.
  • Security:
    Not exposing 8333 by default helps protect users who may not understand the implications of running a public Bitcoin node.
  • Advanced Users:
    If you understand the risks and want to contribute more fully to the Bitcoin network, follow the steps above to run a public node.