Bitcoin: How can I export the Lightning Network graph?

Exporting Lightning Network Graph: A Complete Guide

Lightning Network (LN) is an open-source, decentralized payment system based on Bitcoin that enables fast, cheap, and secure transactions between users. While its internal workings are not directly accessible to the public for security reasons, there are ways to gain insight into the network topology and node configurations. In this article, we will explore how to export the Lightning Network graph, allowing you to visualize and analyze the network structure.

What is a Lightning Network Graph?

A Lightning Network graph represents the nodes, channels, and connections within the LN ecosystem. It provides a visual representation of the network topology, showing how different nodes interact with each other. By analyzing this graph, researchers can identify patterns, understand node relationships, and gain insight into the behavior of the network.

Why Export the Graph?

Exporting the Lightning Network graph is essential for several applications:

• Research: Understanding the network structure helps researchers identify potential security vulnerabilities, optimize network performance, and develop new strategies.

• Testing and Validation

  : By viewing the graph, developers can test their LN-based solutions, identify issues, and make adjustments as needed.

• Network Analysis: Exporting the graph enables the creation of custom analysis tools, providing a comprehensive understanding of the network dynamics.

Tools to Export the Lightning Network Graph

There are several tools available to export the Lightning Network graph:

• Lightning Network Explorer (LNE): A web-based tool provided by the Lightning Network Foundation that provides an interactive visual representation of the LN ecosystem.

• Thunder Network Explorer: An open-source tool developed by the Thunder Network team that allows users to import and visualize Lightning Network data.

• Bitcoin-Lightning Network Graph – A Python script to import and visualize Lightning Network graph data using the Bitcoin Core API.

How ​​​ to Export Lightning Network Graph

The process for exporting your Lightning Network graph varies depending on the tool you choose. Here are some general steps:

• Choose a Tool – Select the tool that best suits your needs, considering factors such as ease of use, customization options, and community support.

• Connect to Lightning Network – Establish a connection to the LN network using the API or interface of your chosen tool.

• Get Required Data – Retrieves the required data from the LN network, including node information, channel capacity, and connections.

• Export Graph – Use the tool’s built-in export functionality or the script to generate your Lightning Network graph.

Example: Using Thunder Network Explorer

To get started with Thunder Network Explorer, follow these steps:

• Install Thunder Network Explorer on your local machine by cloning the repository or downloading a binary distribution.

• Launch Thunder Network Explorer and connect to the LN network using the Bitcoin Core API (for example, bitcoin-cli -server 127.0. 0.1:8337).

• Retrieve node information, channel capacity, and connections from the LN network.

• Export the graph to a JSON file by clicking the “Export” button or using the command line interface.

Example Use Case

Let’s say you’re interested in studying Lightning Network capacity usage patterns on a specific subset of nodes (for example, those with high transaction volume). You can use Thunder Network Explorer to:

• Connect to the network.

• Retrieve information about nodes, including their transaction volumes and capacity.

• Analyze channel capacity utilization by calculating the ratio of active channels to total capacity for each node.

4.