Casa has open sourced the code behind their popular Bitcoin and Lightning node

Users can now fully assemble their own version of the Casa Bitcoin and Lightning node at home after the company made their code open source.

The popular $300 device that was launched at the end of 2018 has been an instant hit with crypto enthusiasts. Through its plug-and-play design and famed graphical user interface, the device gives users a way to claim back their self-sovereignty in an easy and stylish manner.

The node is aimed at the “lesser technical” audience who just want a device that they can easily plug in, set up, and be instantly ready to take pictures/screenshots to share their new-found self-sovereignty on social media.

The device comes with a pre-synced full Bitcoin node and a straightforward implementation of the Lightning protocol. There is also an “autopilot mode” which removes all requirements to toggle settings in relation to configuring the node and opening and closing Lightning Network channels.

Coin Rivet is still waiting…

The public demand for the “Lightning node in a box” has been so high that shipping for many nodes has been delayed since December. We at Coin Rivet have also been waiting for our own office node to arrive after placing an order in early December 2018.

Jameson Lopp (CTO of Casa) published a detailed blog post to announce the open sourcing of the Casa client, as well as a bounty program for users who disclose bugs responsibly.

Some commentators have pointed out that there isn’t anything special (hardware-wise) about the device. The device uses a modest Raspberry Pi 3 computer, a hard drive for storage, and completes the package with a few cables to connect it all together.

Build your own for $100

The code will be open sourced under the MIT License. Under this license, anyone is free to “use, extend, and improve” the code.

This means that now anyone can buy a $100 Raspberry Pi kit and build their own Casa Node. The process will of course take more time and effort, but any user should be able to build a comparable product for one-third of the cost.

The company did, however, mention that people looking to do this won’t receive any support from the Casa team in relation to setup or troubleshooting.

For those looking for a Casa alternative, Pierre Rochard has also developed the Node Launcher, which allows Windows or MacOS users to run their own Lightning node. It’s also easy to use, convenient, and fully open sourced.

For more information about setting up your own Casa Node, check out the four individual repositories for further details and instructions: Casa Node API, Casa Node Dashboard, Casa Node Manager, and Casa Node Updater.