BDK-CLI BASICS: Single-Signature Testnet Transaction (Tutorial)

How to use bdk-cli basics

Tutorial Goals

My goal for this tutorial is to introduce you to bdk-cli, a powerful command-line program used for Bitcoin wallet testing. You will be exposed to many of the basic techincal skills that go into creating and managing Bitcoin wallets.
If you’ve read most of the “Mastering Bitcoin” book, this tutorial could serve as a stepping stone into your Bitcoin wallet development journey.
This short tutorial will expose you to the bdk library and the practical knowledge needed for Bitcoin wallet development.
You can create a custom modular wallet by using the Language Bindings for Kotlin/Java, Swift, Python which enable the use of BDK’s Rust library as an API. You can later use these similar steps to create your own Bitcoin mobile, desktop or even WebApp. ***

A few things before you begin:

Run this command to clear cache. This command is not needed if it’s your first time of using the bdk-cli. This command clears the cache files located in the bdk-cli folder. rm -rf ~/.bdk-cli/

Three things to look out for in each step of the tutorial:
- 1) Commands for the Terminal or Shell start with the $ symbol
- 2) Preview of the command output. Note, not all commands will output code.
- 3) Preview Video of the tutorial for reference of what things should look like in action.

Outline of Tutorial and Installation notes:

Brief Outline of Tutorial

Step 1: Creating a mnemonic word list + XPRV (Extended Private Key)
Step 2: Generate testnet Receive Address
Step 3: Send funds to newly generated address
Step 4: Sync Wallet
Step 5: Check Balance of Wallet
Step 6: Create a Transaction (PSBT)
Step 7: Sign the Transaction (PSBT)
Step 8: Broadcast Transaction

To follow this tutorial you will need:

Linux or macOS device.
If on Windows instructions will slightly differ.

Installation Pre-requisites

1. Install Rust and Cargo :```

$ curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

2. Installl `sqlite3`

#sqlite is a database

# Linux machine
$ apt install libsqlite3-dev

# macOS machine
$ brew sqlite

3. Install `jq`

# jq is a tool used for data parsing

# linux machine
$ apt install jq

# macOS machine
$ brew install jq

Note: If you need remove the cache wallet data at any time use this is the command.

`bdk-cli` installation:

$  cargo install --features "electrum,compiler"  --version 0.6.0 bdk-cli

Step 0: Check Version of bdk-cli

$ bdk-cli -V

# command output preview

bdk-cli 0.5.0

$bdk-cli --help

# command output preview

USAGE:
    bdk-cli [OPTIONS] <SUBCOMMAND>

FLAGS:
    -h, --help       
            Prints help information

    -V, --version    
            Prints version information


OPTIONS:
    -d, --datadir <DATADIR>    
            Sets the wallet data directory. Default value : "~/.bdk-bitcoin

    -n, --network <NETWORK>    
            Sets the network [default: testnet]  [possible values: bitcoin, testnet, signet, regtest]


SUBCOMMANDS:
    compile    Compile a miniscript policy to an output descriptor
    help       Prints this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
    key        Subcommands for Key operations
    repl       Options to configure a SOCKS5 proxy for a blockchain client connection
    wallet     Wallet subcommands that can be issued without a blockchain backend

Step 1: Seed Generate

1a: Mnemonic word-list + XPRV (Exteneded Private Key) :key:

$ bdk-cli key generate | tee key.json

{
  "fingerprint": "42b15d2f",
  "mnemonic": "party salon worth satoshi envelope suggest garlic dry add pitch throw clap keen narrow antique oyster ketchup purchase gasp visual work venue fog crater",
  "xprv": "tprv8ZgxMBicQKsPdwpamtjqMFpYRTafnE1bN2SphLEybCtRKakk6S1TgQCsZgiBwJuJNWe3jYdgVCTsKf9weMxj6tW4zNNKWptykszJpS2L8wE"
}

1b: Save XPRV (Extended Private Key) into environment variable

$ export XPRV_00=$(cat key.json | jq -r .xprv)

1c: Verify environment variable XPRV_00 is active

$ env | grep XPRV

1d: Create Descriptor and Save into environment variable

$ export my_descriptor="wpkh($XPRV_00/84h/1h/0h/0/*)"

1e: Verify environment variable my_descriptor is active

$ env | grep my_descriptor

Step 2: Generate Receive-Address

$ bdk-cli wallet --wallet wallet_name --descriptor $my_descriptor get_new_address

 The output below confirms the command was successful.

{
  "address": "tb1qrh4sq5va0unqtxyfv8al9lz3sna3988cj59uya"
}

Note: If you get the error below just delete the folder cache.

$ rm -rf ~/./bdk_cli/

### ERROR PREVIEW 

[2022-12-16T04:12:26Z ERROR bdk_cli] Descriptor checksum mismatch. Are you using a different descriptor for an already defined wallet name? (if you are not specifying the wallet name it is automatically named based on the descriptor)

This erases the cache files located in the bdk-cli binary folder. Note: This happens when you name the wallet the same name as previous created wallet.

Step 3: Send testnet bitcoin to the newly created receive-address

These Testnet faucets allow you to send funds to your newly created address.

Step 4: Sync the wallet

$ bdk-cli wallet --wallet wallet_name --descriptor $my_descriptor sync

The output below confirms the command was successful.

{}

Step 5: Check the balance

$ bdk-cli wallet --wallet wallet_name --descriptor $my_descriptor get_balance

Note: The balance will only show after the transaction has been confirmed in a block at least once.

The output below confirms the command was successful:

{
  "satoshi": 100000
}

Step 6: Create Transaction (PSBT)

To create a PSBT (partially-signed-bitcoin-transaction) run the command

$ bdk-cli wallet --wallet wallet_name --descriptor $my_descriptor create_tx --to mkHS9ne12qx9pS9VojpwU5xtRd4T7X7ZUt:50000

 The output below confirms the command was successful.

{
  "details": {
    "confirmation_time": null,
    "fee": 113,
    "received": 0,
    "sent": 123000,
    "transaction": null,
    "txid": "029173d76253e3441f9dc26f91e6ef30dff486848e91a7941f0cacd0af25ee30"
  },
  "psbt": "cHNidP8BAFUBAAAAAak8uMR3UGkAGUKWsq8Mv45qg2fdD93JQRIsa2P0wFloAQAAAAD/////AQfgAQAAAAAAGXapFDRKD0jKFQ7CuQOBdmC5tosTpnAmiKwAAAAAAAEA3gIAAAAAAQFY9sVfEEbyjrHXSlxXDxL+71WOMnsPpVElwk+3E/J9vAAAAAAA/v///wIYZRIAAAAAABYAFBKYf7yF+ss6EFdw2rDZTfdLhep8eOABAAAAAAAWABQd6wBRnX8mBZiJYfvy/FGE+xKc+AJHMEQCIFSIkvEUI9yUgEw4JocRs1aiVsBlKKXrOQaQb3XFqR21AiBqiEVzCVVSRGjckyPDgAQBnOdSzBYR6Rw6KFcCP+E27wEhAwIlXdfM2WYnYa36Hp4MS6YkplBAgBsb1tYG9NiWFWTKzPYhAAEBH3jgAQAAAAAAFgAUHesAUZ1/JgWYiWH78vxRhPsSnPgiBgP80FpaWYQzGzCnNI9blXbei61YpAmtoezMRxpVvBJ6SxgTizKsVAAAgAEAAIAAAACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=="
}

6a: export PSBT to environment-variable

$ export PSBT="PASTE_PSBT_HERE"

Step 7: Sign Transaction (PSBT)

$ bdk-cli wallet --wallet wallet_name --descriptor $my_descriptor sign --psbt $PSBT

DON’T FORGET to COPY the PSBT for the next step

The output below confirms the command was successful.

{
  "is_finalized": true,
  "psbt": "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"
}

7a: export signed psbt to environment variable

$ export SIGNED_PSBT="Paste_PSBT_HERE"

Step 8: Broadcast Transaction

$ bdk-cli wallet --wallet wallet_name --descriptor $my_descriptor broadcast --psbt $SIGNED_ PSBT

The output below confirms the command was successful.

{
  "txid": "a0877b7ce91ea6d141ba63277673f5bdf0edfdd45f91a39ba1a1ace15f839b52"
}
 

Verify transcation in the memory pool on testnet Mempool-testnet!

Finishing touch, run sync one more time and see that the balance has decreased.

waterStone

BDK-CLI BASICS: Single-Signature Testnet Transaction (Tutorial)

How to use bdk-cli basics

Tutorial Goals

A few things before you begin:

Outline of Tutorial and Installation notes:

Brief Outline of Tutorial

To follow this tutorial you will need:

Installation Pre-requisites

1. Install Rust and Cargo :```

2. Installl `sqlite3`

3. Install `jq`

`bdk-cli` installation:

Step 0: Check Version of bdk-cli

Preview of bdk-cli help menu

Step 1: Seed Generate

1a: Mnemonic word-list + XPRV (Exteneded Private Key) :key:

1b: Save XPRV (Extended Private Key) into environment variable

1c: Verify environment variable XPRV_00 is active

1d: Create Descriptor and Save into environment variable

1e: Verify environment variable my_descriptor is active

Step 2: Generate Receive-Address

Step 3: Send testnet bitcoin to the newly created receive-address

Step 4: Sync the wallet

Step 5: Check the balance

Step 6: Create Transaction (PSBT)

6a: export PSBT to environment-variable

Step 7: Sign Transaction (PSBT)

7a: export signed psbt to environment variable

Step 8: Broadcast Transaction

Resources

Other Tutorials / Blog

Useful links

waterStone

BDK-CLI BASICS: Single-Signature Testnet Transaction (Tutorial)

How to use bdk-cli basics

Tutorial Goals

A few things before you begin:

Outline of Tutorial and Installation notes:

Brief Outline of Tutorial

To follow this tutorial you will need:

Installation Pre-requisites

1. Install Rust and Cargo :```

2. Installl sqlite3

3. Install jq

bdk-cli installation:

Step 0: Check Version of bdk-cli

Preview of bdk-cli help menu

Step 1: Seed Generate

1a: Mnemonic word-list + XPRV (Exteneded Private Key) :key:

1b: Save XPRV (Extended Private Key) into environment variable

1c: Verify environment variable XPRV_00 is active

1d: Create Descriptor and Save into environment variable

1e: Verify environment variable my_descriptor is active

Step 2: Generate Receive-Address

Step 3: Send testnet bitcoin to the newly created receive-address

Step 4: Sync the wallet

Step 5: Check the balance

Step 6: Create Transaction (PSBT)

6a: export PSBT to environment-variable

Step 7: Sign Transaction (PSBT)

7a: export signed psbt to environment variable

Step 8: Broadcast Transaction

Resources

Other Tutorials / Blog

Useful links

2. Installl `sqlite3`

3. Install `jq`

`bdk-cli` installation: