GlossaryAdvanced
Pruned Node
A full node that discards old, already-verified historical data to save storage space.
A pruned node fully validates the blockchain as it processes it, but then discards older historical data it no longer needs to retain, keeping only more recent data and a compact record proving past validation occurred.
This significantly reduces the storage required to run a full, validating node, at the cost of not being able to directly answer queries about older historical states.
Examples
- Many individuals run pruned nodes at home specifically because of their far lower storage requirements.
- A pruned node still fully validates every block — it simply doesn't retain old data afterward.