• Hash256
  • Hash160
  • Reverse Bytes
  • Hexadecimal
  • Satoshis

Transaction Data

A bitcoin transaction is just a bunch of data that describes the movement of bitcoins.

It takes in inputs, and creates new outputs.

Structure

01000000017967a5185e907a25225574544c31f7b059c1a191d65b53dcc1554d339c4f9efc010000006a47304402206a2eb16b7b92051d0fa38c133e67684ed064effada1d7f925c842da401d4f22702201f196b10e6e4b4a9fff948e5c5d71ec5da53e90529c8dbd122bff2b1d21dc8a90121039b7bcd0824b9a9164f7ba098408e63e5b7e3cf90835cceb19868f54f8961a825ffffffff014baf2100000000001976a914db4d1141d0048b1ed15839d0b7a4c488cd368b0e88ac00000000

Transaction: c1b4e695098210a31fe02abffe9005cffc051bbe86ff33e173155bcbdc5821e3

Fields

Field Data Size Description
Version 01000000 4 bytes Which version of transaction data structure we’re using.
Input Count 01 Variable Indicates the upcoming number of inputs.
Input(s)
Field Data Size Description
TXID 796…efc 32 bytes Refer to an existing transaction.
VOUT 01000000 4 bytes Select one of its outputs.
ScriptSig Size 6a Variable Indicates the upcoming size of the unlocking code.
ScriptSig 473…825 A script that unlocks the input.
Sequence ffffffff 4 bytes
Output Count 01 Variable Indicates the upcoming number of outputs.
Output(s)
Field Data Size Description
Value 4baf210000000000 8 bytes The value of the output in satoshis.
ScriptPubKey Size 19 Variable Indicates the upcoming size of the locking code.
ScriptPubKey 76a9…88ac A script that locks the output.
Locktime 00000000 4 bytes Set a minimum block height or Unix time that this transaction can be included in.

Diagram

A transaction is basically a series of inputs and a series of outputs.

In further detail; the transaction data tells you how to unlock existing packages of bitcoins (from previous transactions), and how to lock them up again in to new packages.

Notes

A raw transaction is sometimes called a “serialized transaction”, because it’s just a bunch of individual pieces of data zipped up in to one string of data.

By Greg Walker,

Last Updated: 21 Jul 2020
  • 21 Jul 2020: renamed /guide/ to /technical/
Back to Top

Hey there, it's Greg.

I'll let you know about cool website updates, or if something seriously interesting happens in bitcoin.


Don't worry, it doesn't happen very often.