chia-blockchain

Chia is a cryptocurrency designed to use storage space rather than raw computing power as the basis for its network security. Instead of the energy-intensive mining process used by Bitcoin, Chia relies on what it calls proof of space and time. Participants, called farmers, allocate unused hard drive space to store cryptographic data called plots. When the network needs to validate a block, it checks whether a farmer holds a matching piece of stored data, rewarding those who do with newly created Chia coins.

This repository is the full Python implementation of the Chia blockchain, which includes the components needed to run different roles on the network: a full node (which validates and stores the entire transaction history), a farmer (which participates in consensus), a harvester (which manages the plot files on disk), a wallet (which handles coins and transactions), and a timelord (a specialized role running cryptographic proofs that most users do not need to set up themselves).

The software comes with both a graphical interface and a command-line interface. Most users install the farmer, full node, and wallet components. The timelord and seeder components are described as being for more advanced users. Python 3.10 or newer is required to run it.

Chia also has its own programming language called Chialisp, described as a Lisp-style functional language intended for writing programs that handle money. The consensus model supports pooling, so smaller farmers can combine their storage to earn more consistent rewards.

Installation instructions and an introductory guide live in the official Chia documentation rather than in this README, which links out to docs.chia.net for the details. Community channels include Discord, Reddit, YouTube, and Twitter.