While working with Bitcoin Scripts, we hit the boundaries of what's possible with bitcoin-cli. Fortunately, there are other ways to access the Bitcoin network: programming APIs. Though some APIs will allow you to access all of Bitcoin's functionality, we're going to start off with the simpler APIs that largely duplicate bitcoin-cli by accessing bitcoind through RPC, with a focus on a basic C library. Consider it a new way to do what you already know and a gateway to the larger world of working with APIs.
After working through this chapter, a developer will be able to:
- Decide Between Different Methods of Talking to Bitcoind
- Create Bitcoin Transactions by Talking Directly to Bitcoind
- Create Programs Based on Bitcoind Notifications
Supporting objectives include the ability to:
- Understand How RPC and Curl Interact
- Understand How to Use APIs
- Create a Foundation for Accessing Bitcoind