Nigiri provides a command line interface that manages a selection of docker-compose batteries included to have a ready-to-use Bitcoin regtest development environment. Out of the box, you get:

• Bitcoin Node: A Bitcoin Core node running in regtest mode
• Electrum: Backend and frontend explorer for quick blockchain inspection
• Chopsticks: A JSON HTTP proxy that adds handy endpoints like /faucet and automatic block generation

You can extend your setup with:

• Ark: A Bitcoin layer two implementation for scalable off-chain transactions
• Elements/Liquid sidechain with --liquid flag
• Lightning Network nodes with --ln flag (Core Lightning, LND, and Taproot Assets)

• Download and install nigiri command line interface

$ curl https://getnigiri.vulpem.com | bash

This will also install several configurable files, such as bitcoin.conf and elements.conf, that can be edited. These can be found browsing the following directory:

POSIX (Linux/BSD): ~/.nigiri

macOS: $HOME/Library/Application\ Support/Nigiri

Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Nigiri

Plan 9: $home/nigiri

• Lauch Docker daemon (Mac OSX)

$ open -a Docker

You may want to Manage Docker as a non-root user

• Close and reopen your terminal, then start Bitcoin and Ark

$ nigiri start --ark

That's it.

Go to http://localhost:5000 for quickly inspect the Bitcoin blockchain.

Want more? Add Elements/Liquid, Lightning nodes, or Ark:

$ nigiri start --ark --liquid  # Add Elements/Liquid sidechain
$ nigiri start --ark --ln      # Add Lightning Network nodes
$ nigiri start --liquid --ln   # Add both Liquid and Lightning
$ nigiri start --ark --liquid --ln  # Add all features

Note for users of macOS Monterey an onward

Error response from daemon: Ports are not available: listen tcp 0.0.0.0:5000: bind: address already in use
exit status 1

At the moment bitcoind, elements and electrs are started on regtest network.

$ nigiri start

• Use the --liquid flag to let you do experiments with the Liquid sidechain. A liquid daemon and a block explorer are also started when passing this flag.

• Use the --ln flag to start a Core Lightning node, a LND node and a Tap daemon.

$ nigiri stop

Use the --delete flag to not just stop Docker containers but also to remove them and delete the config file and any new data written in volumes.

# Bitcoin
$ nigiri faucet <bitcoin_address>
## Fund the Core Lightning node
$ nigiri faucet cln 0.01

## Fund the LND node
$ nigiri faucet lnd 0.01

# Elements
$ nigiri faucet --liquid <liquid_address>

$ nigiri faucet --liquid <liquid_address> <amt> <liquid_asset>

$ nigiri mint <liquid_address> 1000 VulpemToken VLP

# Bitcoin
$ nigiri push <hex>

# Elements
$ nigiri push --liquid <hex>

# Bitcoind
$ nigiri logs bitcoin
# Electrs
$ nigiri logs electrs
# Chopsticks
$ nigiri logs chopsticks

# Elementsd
$ nigiri logs liquid
# Electrs Liquid
$ nigiri logs electrs-liquid
# Chopsticks Liquid
$ nigiri logs chopsticks-liquid

# Core Lightning
$ nigiri logs cln
# LND
$ nigiri logs lnd

$ nigiri rpc getnewaddress "" "bech32"
bcrt1qsl4j5je4gu3ecjle8lckl3u8yywh8rff6xxk2r

$ nigiri rpc --liquid getnewaddress "" "bech32"
el1qqwwx9gyrcrjrhgnrnjq9dq9t4hykmr6ela46ej63dnkdkcg8veadrvg5p0xg0zd6j3aug74cv9m4cf4jslwdqnha2w2nsg9x3

# Core Lightning
$ nigiri cln listpeers
# LND
$ nigiri lnd listpeers
# Tap (Taro)
$ nigiri tap assets list

$ nigiri cln connect `nigiri lnd getinfo | jq -r .identity_pubkey`@lnd:9735

$ nigiri lnd openchannel --node_key=`nigiri cln getinfo | jq -r .id` --local_amt=100000
$ nigiri cln fundchannel `nigiri lnd getinfo | jq -r .identity_pubkey` 100000

$ nigiri lnd payinvoice `nigiri cln invoice 21000 $(date +%s) "test" | jq -r .bolt11`
$ nigiri cln pay `nigiri lnd addinvoice 21 | jq -r .payment_request`

# Check versions
$ nigiri ark --version    # or -v
$ nigiri arkd --version   # or -v

# Initialize the Ark client (only needed once)
$ nigiri ark init --network regtest --password secret --server-url localhost:7070 --explorer http://chopsticks:3000

# Use the Ark client
$ nigiri ark config                # Show wallet configuration
$ nigiri ark receive              # Show receiving addresses
$ nigiri ark balance              # Show wallet balance

# Use the Ark daemon client
$ nigiri arkd wallet status       # Show wallet status
$ nigiri arkd wallet create --password secret  # Create a new wallet
$ nigiri arkd wallet unlock --password secret  # Unlock the wallet

$ nigiri update

Nigiri uses the default directory ~/.nigiri to store configuration files and docker-compose files. To set a custom directory use the --datadir flag.

Run the help command to see the full list of available flags.

• Docker (compose)
• Go

• Bitcoin daemon
• Liquid daemon
• Electrum server
• Esplora
• Nigiri Chopsticks

• Clone the repo:

$ git clone https://github.com/vulpemventures/nigiri.git

• Enter project directory and install dependencies:

$ make install

• Build binary

$ make build

Done! You should be able to find the binary in the local ./build folder. Give it permission to execute and move/rename into your PATH.

• Clean

Remeber to always clean Nigiri before running install to upgrade to a new version.

$ make clean

Chopsticks service exposes on port 3000 (and on 3001 if started with --liquid flag) all Esplora's available endpoints and extends them with the following:

• POST /faucet which expects a body { "address": <receiving_address> }
• POST /tx has been extended to automatically mine a block when is called.

• POST /mint which expects a body {"address": "ert1q90dz89u8eudeswzynl3p2jke564ejc2cnfcwuq", "quantity": 1000, "name":"VULPEM", "ticker":"VLP"}
• POST /registry to get extra info about one or more assets like name and ticker which expects a body with an array of assets {"assets": ["2dcf5a8834645654911964ec3602426fd3b9b4017554d3f9c19403e7fc1411d3"]}

If you really do love Sathoshi's favourite dish like us at Vulpem Ventures, check the real recipe out and enjoy your own, delicious, hand made nigiri sushi.