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insight-docker

This repository contains a Docker Compose and Dockerfile for building a Docker-based Bitpay Insight API server and bitcoin-abc v0.20.4 full node. This Dockerfile is based on this gist walking through the setup of a BCH Insight server. At the moment, an Insight server is required by rest.bitcoin.com API server.

This branch targets BCH mainnet.

Background

Insight API was originally created by BitPay. It has since been deprecated and is no longer maintained by them. The technology was rebranded as Bitcore Node.

The original Insight API required a specially adapted full node. The BCH full node has been maintained by Bitcoin.com for the last several forks, but the community is actively trying to depricate this indexer.

Do not use plan to use this indexer in the future. Here are research notes to some open source indexer alternatives:

Installation

These directions are geared at Ubuntu 18.04 OS with at least 2GB of RAM, and a non-root user with sudo privledges.

Your mileage may vary.

  • It's always a good idea to add swap space to a new system. I recommend 8GB of swap typically.

  • Install Docker on the host system. Steps 1 and 2 in this tutorial shows how to install Docker on a Ubuntu system.

  • Install Docker Compose too. This tutorial shows how to do so on a Ubuntu system.

  • Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/christroutner/insight-docker && cd insight-docker

  • Checkout the appropriate branch with git checkout <branch>
  • Create directory to store the blockchain. For example:

mkdir ~/tmp

  • Update the docker-compose.yml file to point to the directory where you want the blockchain data stored.
  • Download and run the Docker image:

docker-compose up -d

  • Because the current implementation of Insight is a hack on top of a hack on top of hack, the only functional startup method is leaves a lot to be desired:

  • enter the contain with a bash shell: docker exec -it insight-mainnet bash

  • run the bash shell script directly (no nohup): ./start-app.sh

  • close the terminal window (don't stop the app or exit the container)

  • You can always stop the container with: docker-compose down

  • After the blockchain syncs, you can access the insight server at port 3002.

Note: It's important that the bitcoin.conf file get copied to the ~/blockchain-data directory. If it is not, bitcore will generate it's own (incorrect) copy. If things are behaving unexpectedly, inspect the ~/blockchain-data/bitcoin.conf file first.