Antminer X9
Monero ASIC Miner
1000KH
HASHRATE
2.47W/KH
EFFICIENCY
2470W
POWER
£858.41
EST. MONTHLY
206
DAYS
EST. ROI
This guide explains Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC in plain English. It shows what the command does, what its result means and what it cannot prove.
TL;DR
- What it is: Bitcoin Core 0.16.0 signrawtransaction signed inputs of a serialised transaction. It accepted transaction hex, optional previous-output records, optional private keys and a signature-hash mode.
- Why it matters: signrawtransaction can return useful partial work without a complete transaction. Safe use isolates keys, authenticates previous outputs and requires complete script validation plus a second decoded-intent review.
- Current position: Require a second reviewer and explicit rollback or expiry, and pause payments, signing or network-dependent services until post-change evidence is complete.
Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC in simple English
Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC: Decode the incoming hex and compare every input, output, amount, script, locktime and sequence with the approved payment intent before signing.
Simple example
A miner is checking Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC. A valid serialisation can still redirect change, overpay fees or consume an unauthorised UTXO. If the optional privkeys array is given, only those base58-encoded secrets are used.
Key terms in plain English
- Bitcoin Core:
- Widely used software that validates Bitcoin and can provide wallet, network and operator tools.
- RPC:
- A command that software sends to a node to request information or a local action.
- UTXO:
- An unspent transaction output: a piece of bitcoin that can be used as an input to a later transaction.
- Node:
- A computer running Bitcoin software that checks data and communicates with other peers.
Unsigned intent
Decode the incoming hex and compare every input, output, amount, script, locktime and sequence with the approved payment intent before signing. Transaction hex is opaque to a human. A valid serialisation can still redirect change, overpay fees or consume an unauthorised UTXO.
Previous outputs
prevtxs describes dependencies not yet available from the node view and includes txid, vout, scriptPubKey, required amount and redeemScript for P2SH or P2WSH where applicable. Validate each record against a trusted source. A wrong amount or script can produce failed or unsafe signature decisions.
Private-key scope
If the optional privkeys array is given, only those base58-encoded secrets are used. Treat the array as full custody data and keep it out of routine RPC hosts, command history and logs. Prefer an offline signer or wallet policy that never exports private keys.
Signature-hash policy
The historical interface offered ALL, NONE, SINGLE and each form combined with ANYONECANPAY. These modes commit to different transaction components. Default ALL is the ordinary conservative choice. Any alternative needs protocol-specific review because later changes may remain valid under the signature.
Complete and errors
The returned hex may contain some valid signatures while complete is false. Inspect every error object, including referenced txid, vout, scriptSig, sequence and message. Never broadcast or label a transaction approved merely because non-empty hex was returned.
Multisignature workflow
Partial signatures can be combined across controlled signers, but each participant must decode the same final intent. Track the unsigned transaction identifier, signer policy and immutable outputs. After combining, run full script verification and repeat the human-readable review before broadcast.
How specialists test it
Operators test the command on a non-production node first. They check a normal reply, an invalid request, a timeout and a restart. This shows what the response means and prevents one local result from being mistaken for a network-wide outcome.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main point of Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC?
Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC: Decode the incoming hex and compare every input, output, amount, script, locktime and sequence with the approved payment intent before signing.
For Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC, what should a beginner know about unsigned intent?
Decode the incoming hex and compare every input, output, amount, script, locktime and sequence with the approved payment intent before signing.
For Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC, what should a beginner know about previous outputs?
prevtxs describes dependencies not yet available from the node view and includes txid, vout, scriptPubKey, required amount and redeemScript for P2SH or P2WSH where applicable.
For Bitcoin Core signrawtransaction RPC, what should a beginner know about private-key scope?
If the optional privkeys array is given, only those base58-encoded secrets are used.
Conclusion
signrawtransaction can return useful partial work without a complete transaction. Safe use isolates keys, authenticates previous outputs and requires complete script validation plus a second decoded-intent review.
Primary sources
Check the current specification status and the documentation for the exact implementation you operate before moving production funds or changing a mining node.
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