Solo Mining with Python and Bitcoin Core

Just set up Bitcoin Core on my laptop and got it synced. Also whipped up a Python script to do solo mining through RPC.

Don't forget to use code tags next time. I'll check your code later, but seriously, learn the bbcode.

Why not just skip Python altogether? If you just wanna test your mining setup, try using testnet4. Your program looks fine theoretically, but there are better options out there like CKpool.

But doesn't that need an ASIC? Can it work with smaller devices, like Mars Lander or Gekkoscience R909?

You can even mine with a CPU. Check out cpuminer-opt for that.

Gonna give it a shot for fun! Do you know many people who actually solo mine? I don't know anyone and I'm curious.

You should really check point 3 in that guide... Solo mining is a long shot. Even with top-tier gear, your chances are super slim. I solo mine at Kano.is with 150 THs and still haven't hit a block in 3 years.

So you're saying it just won't work? I mean, I guess I can get the program to run, but no one's really gonna use it if solo mining doesn't pay off.

Can I ask what equipment you're using?

I’m mostly on Canaan Avalons: A1246 and A1047, plus a couple of older rigs. Found 10 blocks so far, but all from PPLNS on a pool.

Yeah, it's kinda like a lottery. Depending on your setup, it might be more profitable to play the lottery than to solo mine for years. The math is wild... with 150 TH/s, the odds are crazy low.

Does this program support SHA x86 extensions? Like, do modern CPUs have dedicated SHA-256 ASICs or is it just software emulation?

I saw it does support Intel Rocket Lake. They don't have full ASICs, but better than just regular CPU instructions. I get about 50 MH/s, which means almost no chance of finding a block for ages.

Great project idea! You might wanna try testnet instead of the mainnet to actually see if your code works.

I wrote a couple of guides on solo mining in testnet. Check them out for some practical examples.

Not sure about OP, but I've noticed they don’t respond to comments here but are creating new threads.

I ran an SHA-1 benchmark and my GPU is way faster than my CPU. Does anyone know of modern miners for SHA-256?

You could use hashcat for benchmarking. Sadly, no updated Bitcoin mining software that supports CPU or GPU.

Found this one that works with nVidia: check out ccminer. It's not perfect, but it runs.

ccminer isn't the fastest though, it's pretty slow compared to other benchmarks I've seen.