- Cøbra, a longtime maintainer of Bitcoin.org, warns that Knots could overtake Core as Bitcoin’s reference node software.
- Major changes to the OP_RETURN function in Bitcoin Core are scheduled for October 2025, increasing allowable data storage.
- The update has sparked strong opposition from supporters of the Knots implementation, who prefer filtering most unrelated data by default.
- The number of Knots nodes grew tenfold this year, as disputes escalate within the community over how Bitcoin’s network should handle data not related to BTC movement.
- Cøbra suggests that if more users shift to Knots, it could become the new benchmark for Bitcoin node software.
Cøbra, a prominent figure in the Bitcoin community and long-time operator of Bitcoin.org, recently stated that Knots, a competing software for operating Bitcoin nodes, might replace Bitcoin Core as the reference software used across the network. This statement comes amid ongoing debate about a scheduled software change that affects how Bitcoin nodes store arbitrary data.
Most senior Bitcoin Core developers plan to modify the OP_RETURN scripting tool by October 2025. OP_RETURN allows users to store data on the blockchain that is not directly tied to Bitcoin transactions. In version 30 of Bitcoin Core, the software will accept and relay much larger amounts of unrelated data than in previous versions.
Supporters of Knots, a fork of Bitcoin Core, object to this direction. They argue that the proposed changes would waste valuable block space by accepting a higher volume of extraneous data on the blockchain. Knots nodes are set up to filter out most such data by default.
The issue of which software serves as the “reference client” is central to the dispute. The reference client sets the standard for other implementations in terms of accuracy and security. According to network data, there are currently 4,133 internet-connected Knots nodes, a tenfold increase this year, compared to 19,487 Bitcoin Core nodes.
Cøbra has voiced concerns about Core’s effectiveness in communicating with users. “If Core keeps losing users at some point Knots just becomes the default full node choice. Nothing set in stone that says Core forever is the reference,” said Cøbra. He added that Knots is still competitive and not a fork of the blockchain itself, emphasizing that consensus for changes is currently decided among Core contributors, not the wider community.
Tensions between supporters of Core and Knots have increased. According to public exchanges, disagreements escalated following discussions about hypothetical denial-of-service attacks on Knots nodes. The community continues to debate how much arbitrary data Bitcoin’s network should allow.
Network activity shows Knots attempting to gain ground, but Core remains the dominant reference client. The outcome may depend on user adoption rates and ongoing discussions among network participants.
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