HodlHard.ioWhat is the Bitcoin Lightning Network?
The Bitcoin Lightning Network is a second-layer protocol that enables faster, cheaper, and more private transactions by using payment channels.
It saves time and money on transaction fees, reduces congestion on the Bitcoin network, and opens up new possibilities for micropayments and other use cases.
One of the coolest things about the Bitcoin Lightning Network is we can use it to make really small payments. Think tiny fractions of a US Dollar. We denominate this payments in "Satoshis" which is 1/100,000,000 of a bitcoin.
If you're interested in getting started with the Lightning Network, our guide has got you covered. By following our step-by-step instructions, you'll be up and running in no time.
Plus, we'll even give you some real bitcoin to play around with!
Nice work! Let’s get started by clicking the “Next Step” button below
Bitcoin Lightning on the go!
If you completed the “Learn Bitcoin Now” guide you’re already done here! Both Muun Wallet and Breez Wallet are Lightning Network enabled so you can skip to the next step. Everyone else: let's get set up!
To get access to your own funds without any intermediaries is one of the pillars of the philosophy powering Bitcoin and the next step to getting started.
A good mobile wallet is 100% free to download, available to anyone in the world and interoperable with all other wallets.
There are thousands of mobile wallets available for Bitcoin and Lightning, and for someone starting out, this can make things quite overwhelming. We’re going to narrow it down to two mobile wallets to get you started quickly and securely.
One cautionary note prior to moving on: make sure to only use the links provided by the developers when downloading a mobile wallet. Make sure to check and double check that the provider is the source! We provided links below but they also should be double checked.
Read the descriptions below, decide on a wallet, download it and then move on to the next step: Download an Alby Extension.
Both the Breez Wallet and Muun Wallet are great options!
The Muun Wallet
The muun wallet, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for Android, is specifically designed to be user-friendly and super secure. Their philosophy is to provide users with an intuitive user experience that anyone can use to get started.
Best of all, the Muun Wallet has Bitcoin Lightning Network support out of the box so it's a great tool to get started!
Here’s were you download the Muun wallet and a step-by-step video guide:
The Breez Wallet
The Breez Wallet, similar to the Muun Wallet, is designed to be a user-friendly experience to get people started in Bitcoin.
There are also lots of cool features available once you’re ready to move on to next steps.
If you’re having a hard time picking between the two, ask yourself this: Once your done with this getting started guide, do you see yourself becoming an advanced user? If so, the Breez Wallet is a great solution. If you want to take it slow and steady until you’re really comfortable with the technology, go with Muun.
Here’s were you download the Breez wallet and a step-by-step video guide:
Nice work! Now that you have an easy way to use Bitcoin Lightning on the go, let's get you set up on your computer! Click on the next step button and keep moving along!
Get Lightning on your Computer
Now that you're setup for Bitcoin Lightning on the go, it's time to get setup on your computer and take advantage of some of the fun ways to practice Lightning on our site!
With the Alby Browser extension, you can connect to our website and Zap us some sats to boost our news and resources.
Best of all, we're going to reward you with some satoshis to get you started!
Ready to get set up? Here's a video guide that will have you going in no time flat!
Nice work! Now that you're setup on your computer, you just need some Satoshis to get started! Click on the next step button and claim your free bitcoin!
Claim your bitcoin!
Now that you have all your tools in order, let's get you some bitcoin so you can practice!
In Step 3 you downloaded a mobile wallet. In Step 4, you set up Alby
Now it's time to claim your satoshis and have some fun with our site. You can claim up to 100 Satoshis. Check out our video below and find out how easy it is to claim your reward!
Paste your invoice here
Nice work! Now that you're all setup and have some bitcoin in your wallet to experiment with. Click Next Step for a bunch of cool sites you can visit to try out your new satoshis!
What's next?
We hope the guide helped get you up and running with the Bitcoin Lightning Network, but this is really just the beginning of the journey.
Check out this shortlist of the coolest Lightning powered sites and applications and have some fun!
If you don't see anything that stirs your interest here, your Alby browser extension has a huge list of Lightning apps. Just click on "Discover" from your wallet to find more.
Stacker News - Lightning powered Bitcoin news site
BitRefill- buy gift cards, pay your bills, recharge your phone with Bitcoin
Fountain.fm- the Lightning powered podcast app that pays you
THNDR Games- play great mobile games for Bitcoin rewards
Wavlake- a Lightning powered streaming music player
If these apps and guide have you hooked, check out our resources below to keep you going on your Bitcoin journey!
Want to find out more about any of these additional steps before moving on? Check out our resources page anytime by clicking here for more info.