Transaction Outputs and Inputs
The fundamental building block of a bitcoin transaction is a transaction output. Transaction outputs are indivisible chunks of bitcoin currency, recorded on the blockchain, and recognized as valid by the entire network. Bitcoin full nodes track all available and spendable outputs, known as unspent transaction outputs, or UTXO. The collection of all UTXO is known as the UTXO set and currently numbers in the millions of UTXO. The UTXO set grows as new UTXO is created and shrinks when UTXO is consumed. Every transaction represents a change (state transition) in the UTXO set.
When we say that a user’s wallet has "received" bitcoin, what we mean is that the wallet has detected an UTXO that can be spent with one of the keys controlled by that wallet. Thus, a user’s bitcoin "balance" is the sum of all UTXO that user’s wallet can spend and which may be scattered among hundreds of transactions and hundreds of blocks. The concept of a balance is created by the wallet application. The wallet calculates the user’s balance by scanning the blockchain and aggregating the value of any UTXO the wallet can spend with the keys it controls. Most wallets maintain a database or use a database service to store a quick reference set of all the UTXO they can spend with the keys they control.
A transaction output can have an arbitrary (integer) value denominated as a multiple of satoshis. Just as dollars can be divided down to two decimal places as cents, bitcoin can be divided down to eight decimal places as satoshis. Although an output can have any arbitrary value, once created it is indivisible. This is an important characteristic of outputs that needs to be emphasized: outputs are discrete and indivisible units of value, denominated in integer satoshis. An unspent output can only be consumed in its entirety by a transaction.
If an UTXO is larger than the desired value of a transaction, it must still be consumed in its entirety and change must be generated in the transaction. In other words, if you have an UTXO worth 20 bitcoin and want to pay only 1 bitcoin, your transaction must consume the entire 20-bitcoin UTXO and produce two outputs: one paying 1 bitcoin to your desired recipient and another paying 19 bitcoin in change back to your wallet. As a result of the indivisible nature of transaction outputs, most bitcoin transactions will have to generate change.
Imagine a shopper buying a $1.50 beverage, reaching into her wallet and trying to find a combination of coins and bank notes to cover the $1.50 cost. The shopper will choose exact change if available e.g. a dollar bill and two quarters (a quarter is $0.25), or a combination of smaller denominations (six quarters), or if necessary, a larger unit such as a $5 note. If she hands too much money, say $5, to the shop owner, she will expect $3.50 change, which she will return to her wallet and have available for future transactions.
Similarly, a bitcoin transaction must be created from a user’s UTXO in whatever denominations that user has available. Users cannot cut an UTXO in half any more than they can cut a dollar bill in half and use it as currency. The user’s wallet application will typically select from the user’s available UTXO to compose an amount greater than or equal to the desired transaction amount.
As with real life, the bitcoin application can use several strategies to satisfy the purchase amount: combining several smaller units, finding exact change, or using a single unit larger than the transaction value and making change. All of this complex assembly of spendable UTXO is done by the user’s wallet automatically and is invisible to users. It is only relevant if you are programmatically constructing raw transactions from UTXO.
A transaction consumes previously recorded unspent transaction outputs and creates new transaction outputs that can be consumed by a future transaction. This way, chunks of bitcoin value move forward from owner to owner in a chain of transactions consuming and creating UTXO.
The exception to the output and input chain is a special type of transaction called the coinbase transaction, which is the first transaction in each block. This transaction is placed there by the "winning" miner and creates brand-new bitcoin payable to that miner as a reward for mining. This special coinbase transaction does not consume UTXO; instead, it has a special type of input called the "coinbase." This is how bitcoin’s money supply is created during the mining process, as we will see in [mining].
Tip
What comes first? Inputs or outputs, the chicken or the egg? Strictly speaking, outputs come first because coinbase transactions, which generate new bitcoin, have no inputs and create outputs from nothing.
Transaction Outputs
Every bitcoin transaction creates outputs, which are recorded on the bitcoin ledger. Almost all of these outputs, with one exception (see [op_return]) create spendable chunks of bitcoin called UTXO, which are then recognized by the whole network and available for the owner to spend in a future transaction.
UTXO are tracked by every full-node bitcoin client in the UTXO set. New transactions consume (spend) one or more of these outputs from the UTXO set.
Transaction outputs consist of two parts:
An amount of bitcoin, denominated in satoshis, the smallest bitcoin unit
A cryptographic puzzle that determines the conditions required to spend the output
The cryptographic puzzle is also known as a locking script, a witness script, or a scriptPubKey.
The transaction scripting language, used in the locking script mentioned previously, is discussed in detail in Transaction Scripts and Script Language.
Now, let’s look at Alice’s transaction (shown previously in Transactions—Behind the Scenes) and see if we can identify the outputs. In the JSON encoding, the outputs are in an array (list) named vout:
"vout": [
{
"value": 0.01500000,
"scriptPubKey": "OP_DUP OP_HASH160 ab68025513c3dbd2f7b92a94e0581f5d50f654e7 OP_EQUALVERIFY
OP_CHECKSIG"
},
{
"value": 0.08450000,
"scriptPubKey": "OP_DUP OP_HASH160 7f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a8 OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG",
}
]
As you can see, the transaction contains two outputs. Each output is defined by a value and a cryptographic puzzle. In the encoding shown by Bitcoin Core, the value is shown in bitcoin, but in the transaction itself it is recorded as an integer denominated in satoshis. The second part of each output is the cryptographic puzzle that sets the conditions for spending. Bitcoin Core shows this as scriptPubKey and shows us a human-readable representation of the script.
The topic of locking and unlocking UTXO will be discussed later, in Script Construction (Lock + Unlock). The scripting language that is used for the script in scriptPubKey is discussed in Transaction Scripts and Script Language. But before we delve into those topics, we need to understand the overall structure of transaction inputs and outputs.
Transaction serialization—outputs
When transactions are transmitted over the network or exchanged between applications, they are serialized. Serialization is the process of converting the internal representation of a data structure into a format that can be transmitted one byte at a time, also known as a byte stream. Serialization is most commonly used for encoding data structures for transmission over a network or for storage in a file. The serialization format of a transaction output is shown in Transaction output serialization.
Table 1. Transaction output serialization
Size
Field
Description
8 bytes (little-endian)
Amount
Bitcoin value in satoshis (10-8 bitcoin)
1–9 bytes (VarInt)
Locking-Script Size
Locking-Script length in bytes, to follow
Variable
Locking-Script
A script defining the conditions needed to spend the output
Most bitcoin libraries and frameworks do not store transactions internally as byte-streams, as that would require complex parsing every time you needed to access a single field. For convenience and readability, bitcoin libraries store transactions internally in data structures (usually object-oriented structures).
The process of converting from the byte-stream representation of a transaction to a library’s internal representation data structure is called deserialization or transaction parsing. The process of converting back to a byte-stream for transmission over the network, for hashing, or for storage on disk is called serialization. Most bitcoin libraries have built-in functions for transaction serialization and deserialization.
See if you can manually decode Alice’s transaction from the serialized hexadecimal form, finding some of the elements we saw previously. The section containing the two outputs is highlighted in Alice’s transaction, serialized and presented in hexadecimal notation to help you:
Example 1. Alice’s transaction, serialized and presented in hexadecimal notation
0100000001186f9f998a5aa6f048e51dd8419a14d8a0f1a8a2836dd73
4d2804fe65fa35779000000008b483045022100884d142d86652a3f47
ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1deccbb6498c75c4ae24cb02204b9f039
ff08df09cbe9f6addac960298cad530a863ea8f53982c09db8f6e3813
01410484ecc0d46f1918b30928fa0e4ed99f16a0fb4fde0735e7ade84
16ab9fe423cc5412336376789d172787ec3457eee41c04f4938de5cc1
7b4a10fa336a8d752adfffffffff0260e31600000000001976a914ab6
8025513c3dbd2f7b92a94e0581f5d50f654e788acd0ef800000000000
1976a9147f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a888ac
00000000
Here are some hints:
There are two outputs in the highlighted section, each serialized as shown in Transaction output serialization.
The value of 0.015 bitcoin is 1,500,000 satoshis. That’s 16 e3 60 in hexadecimal.
In the serialized transaction, the value 16 e3 60 is encoded in little-endian (least-significant-byte-first) byte order, so it looks like 60 e3 16.
The scriptPubKey length is 25 bytes, which is 19 in hexadecimal.
Transaction Inputs
Transaction inputs identify (by reference) which UTXO will be consumed and provide proof of ownership through an unlocking script.
To build a transaction, a wallet selects from the UTXO it controls, UTXO with enough value to make the requested payment. Sometimes one UTXO is enough, other times more than one is needed. For each UTXO that will be consumed to make this payment, the wallet creates one input pointing to the UTXO and unlocks it with an unlocking script.
Let’s look at the components of an input in greater detail. The first part of an input is a pointer to an UTXO by reference to the transaction hash and an output index, which identifies the specific UTXO in that transaction. The second part is an unlocking script, which the wallet constructs in order to satisfy the spending conditions set in the UTXO. Most often, the unlocking script is a digital signature and public key proving ownership of the bitcoin. However, not all unlocking scripts contain signatures. The third part is a sequence number, which will be discussed later.
Consider our example in Transactions—Behind the Scenes. The transaction inputs are an array (list) called vin:
The transaction inputs in Alice’s transaction
"vin": [
{
"txid": "7957a35fe64f80d234d76d83a2a8f1a0d8149a41d81de548f0a65a8a999f6f18",
"vout": 0,
"scriptSig" : "3045022100884d142d86652a3f47ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1deccbb6498c75c4ae24cb02204b9f039ff08df09cbe9f6addac960298cad530a863ea8f53982c09db8f6e3813[ALL] 0484ecc0d46f1918b30928fa0e4ed99f16a0fb4fde0735e7ade8416ab9fe423cc5412336376789d172787ec3457eee41c04f4938de5cc17b4a10fa336a8d752adf",
"sequence": 4294967295
}
]
As you can see, there is only one input in the list (because one UTXO contained sufficient value to make this payment). The input contains four elements:
A transaction ID, referencing the transaction that contains the UTXO being spent
An output index (vout), identifying which UTXO from that transaction is referenced (first one is zero)
A scriptSig, which satisfies the conditions placed on the UTXO, unlocking it for spending
A sequence number (to be discussed later)
In Alice’s transaction, the input points to the transaction ID:
7957a35fe64f80d234d76d83a2a8f1a0d8149a41d81de548f0a65a8a999f6f18
and output index 0 (i.e., the first UTXO created by that transaction). The unlocking script is constructed by Alice’s wallet by first retrieving the referenced UTXO, examining its locking script, and then using it to build the necessary unlocking script to satisfy it.
Looking just at the input you may have noticed that we don’t know anything about this UTXO, other than a reference to the parent transaction containing it. We don’t know its value (amount in satoshi), and we don’t know the locking script that sets the conditions for spending it. To find this information, we must retrieve the referenced UTXO by retrieving the parent transaction that contains it. Notice that because the value of the input is not explicitly stated, we must also use the referenced UTXO in order to calculate the fees that will be paid in this transaction (see Transaction Fees).
It’s not just Alice’s wallet that needs to retrieve UTXO referenced in the inputs. Once this transaction is broadcast to the network, every validating node will also need to retrieve the UTXO referenced in the transaction inputs in order to validate the transaction.
Transactions on their own seem incomplete because they lack context. They reference UTXO in their inputs but without retrieving that UTXO we cannot know the value of the inputs or their locking conditions. When writing bitcoin software, anytime you decode a transaction with the intent of validating it or counting the fees or checking the unlocking script, your code will first have to retrieve the referenced UTXO from the blockchain in order to build the context implied but not present in the UTXO references of the inputs. For example, to calculate the amount paid in fees, you must know the sum of the values of inputs and outputs. But without retrieving the UTXO referenced in the inputs, you do not know their value. So a seemingly simple operation like counting fees in a single transaction in fact involves multiple steps and data from multiple transactions.
We can use the same sequence of commands with Bitcoin Core as we used when retrieving Alice’s transaction (getrawtransaction and decoderawtransaction). With that we can get the UTXO referenced in the input from Alice’s transaction and take a look:
UTXO from the previous transaction, referenced in the input from Alice’s transaction
"vout": [
{
"value": 0.10000000,
"scriptPubKey": "OP_DUP OP_HASH160 7f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a8 OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG"
}
]
We see that this UTXO has a value of 0.1 BTC and that it has a locking script (scriptPubKey) that contains "OP_DUP OP_HASH160…".
Tip
To fully understand Alice’s transaction we had to retrieve the previous transaction referenced as input. A function that retrieves previous transactions and unspent transaction outputs is very common and exists in almost every bitcoin library and API.
Transaction serialization—inputs
When transactions are serialized for transmission on the network, their inputs are encoded into a byte stream as shown in Transaction input serialization.
Table 2. Transaction input serialization
Size
Field
Description
32 bytes
Transaction Hash
Pointer to the transaction containing the UTXO to be spent
4 bytes
Output Index
The index number of the UTXO to be spent; first one is 0
1–9 bytes (VarInt)
Unlocking-Script Size
Unlocking-Script length in bytes, to follow
Variable
Unlocking-Script
A script that fulfills the conditions of the UTXO locking script
4 bytes
Sequence Number
Used for locktime or disabled (0xFFFFFFFF)
As with the outputs, let’s see if we can find the inputs from Alice’s transaction in the serialized format. First, the inputs decoded:
"vin": [
{
"txid": "7957a35fe64f80d234d76d83a2a8f1a0d8149a41d81de548f0a65a8a999f6f18",
"vout": 0,
"scriptSig" : "3045022100884d142d86652a3f47ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1deccbb6498c75c4ae24cb02204b9f039ff08df09cbe9f6addac960298cad530a863ea8f53982c09db8f6e3813[ALL] 0484ecc0d46f1918b30928fa0e4ed99f16a0fb4fde0735e7ade8416ab9fe423cc5412336376789d172787ec3457eee41c04f4938de5cc17b4a10fa336a8d752adf",
"sequence": 4294967295
}
],
Now, let’s see if we can identify these fields in the serialized hex encoding in Alice’s transaction, serialized and presented in hexadecimal notation:
Example 2. Alice’s transaction, serialized and presented in hexadecimal notation
0100000001186f9f998a5aa6f048e51dd8419a14d8a0f1a8a2836dd73
4d2804fe65fa35779000000008b483045022100884d142d86652a3f47
ba4746ec719bbfbd040a570b1deccbb6498c75c4ae24cb02204b9f039
ff08df09cbe9f6addac960298cad530a863ea8f53982c09db8f6e3813
01410484ecc0d46f1918b30928fa0e4ed99f16a0fb4fde0735e7ade84
16ab9fe423cc5412336376789d172787ec3457eee41c04f4938de5cc1
7b4a10fa336a8d752adfffffffff0260e31600000000001976a914ab6
8025513c3dbd2f7b92a94e0581f5d50f654e788acd0ef800000000000
1976a9147f9b1a7fb68d60c536c2fd8aeaa53a8f3cc025a888ac00000
000
Hints:
The transaction ID is serialized in reversed byte order, so it starts with (hex) 18 and ends with 79
The output index is a 4-byte group of zeros, easy to identify
The length of the scriptSig is 139 bytes, or 8b in hex
The sequence number is set to FFFFFFFF, again easy to identify
ScriptSig is a specific type of unlocking script that when serialized for transmission on the network, inputs are encoded into a byte stream as shown in ScriptSig input serialization. The serialization of the signature field is detailed in Serialization of signatures (DER). The signature field also includes a Signature Hash Type (SIGHASH), which is detailed in Signature Hash Types (SIGHASH).
Table 3. ScriptSig input serialization
Size
Field
Description
1–9 bytes (VarInt)
Signature Size
Signature length in bytes, to follow
Variable
Signature
A signature that is produced by the user’s wallet from his or her private key, which includes a SIGHASH
1–9 bytes (VarInt)
Public Key Size
Public key length in bytes, to follow
Variable
Public Key
The public key, unhashed
Transaction Fees
Most transactions include transaction fees, which compensate the bitcoin miners for securing the network. Fees also serve as a security mechanism themselves, by making it economically infeasible for attackers to flood the network with transactions. Mining and the fees and rewards collected by miners are discussed in more detail in [mining].
This section examines how transaction fees are included in a typical transaction. Most wallets calculate and include transaction fees automatically. However, if you are constructing transactions programmatically, or using a command-line interface, you must manually account for and include these fees.
Transaction fees serve as an incentive to include (mine) a transaction into the next block and also as a disincentive against abuse of the system by imposing a small cost on every transaction. Transaction fees are collected by the miner who mines the block that records the transaction on the blockchain.
Transaction fees are calculated based on the size of the transaction in kilobytes, not the value of the transaction in bitcoin. Overall, transaction fees are set based on market forces within the bitcoin network. Miners prioritize transactions based on many different criteria, including fees, and might even process transactions for free under certain circumstances. Transaction fees affect the processing priority, meaning that a transaction with sufficient fees is likely to be included in the next block mined, whereas a transaction with insufficient or no fees might be delayed, processed on a best-effort basis after a few blocks, or not processed at all. Transaction fees are not mandatory, and transactions without fees might be processed eventually; however, including transaction fees encourages priority processing.
Over time, the way transaction fees are calculated and the effect they have on transaction prioritization has evolved. At first, transaction fees were fixed and constant across the network. Gradually, the fee structure relaxed and may be influenced by market forces, based on network capacity and transaction volume. Since at least the beginning of 2016, capacity limits in bitcoin have created competition between transactions, resulting in higher fees and effectively making free transactions a thing of the past. Zero fee or very low fee transactions rarely get mined and sometimes will not even be propagated across the network.
In Bitcoin Core, fee relay policies are set by the minrelaytxfee option. The current default minrelaytxfee is 0.00001 bitcoin or a hundredth of a millibitcoin per kilobyte. Therefore, by default, transactions with a fee less than 0.00001 bitcoin are treated as free and are only relayed if there is space in the mempool; otherwise, they are dropped. Bitcoin nodes can override the default fee relay policy by adjusting the value of minrelaytxfee.
Any bitcoin service that creates transactions, including wallets, exchanges, retail applications, etc., must implement dynamic fees. Dynamic fees can be implemented through a third-party fee estimation service or with a built-in fee estimation algorithm. If you’re unsure, begin with a third-party service and as you gain experience design and implement your own algorithm if you wish to remove the third-party dependency.
Fee estimation algorithms calculate the appropriate fee, based on capacity and the fees offered by "competing" transactions. These algorithms range from simplistic (average or median fee in the last block) to sophisticated (statistical analysis). They estimate the necessary fee (in satoshis per byte) that will give a transaction a high probability of being selected and included within a certain number of blocks. Most services offer users the option of choosing high, medium, or low priority fees. High priority means users pay higher fees but the transaction is likely to be included in the next block. Medium and low priority means users pay lower transaction fees but the transactions may take much longer to confirm.
Many wallet applications use third-party services for fee calculations. One popular service is https://bitcoinfees.earn.com/, which provides an API and a visual chart showing the fee in satoshi/byte for different priorities.
Tip
Static fees are no longer viable on the bitcoin network. Wallets that set static fees will produce a poor user experience as transactions will often get "stuck" and remain unconfirmed. Users who don’t understand bitcoin transactions and fees are dismayed by "stuck" transactions because they think they’ve lost their money.
The chart in Fee estimation service bitcoinfees.earn.com shows the real-time estimate of fees in 10 satoshi/byte increments and the expected confirmation time (in minutes and number of blocks) for transactions with fees in each range. For each fee range (e.g., 61–70 satoshi/byte), two horizontal bars show the number of unconfirmed transactions (1405) and total number of transactions in the past 24 hours (102,975), with fees in that range. Based on the graph, the recommended high-priority fee at this time was 80 satoshi/byte, a fee likely to result in the transaction being mined in the very next block (zero block delay). For perspective, the median transaction size is 226 bytes, so the recommended fee for this transaction size would be 18,080 satoshis (0.00018080 BTC).
The fee estimation data can be retrieved via a simple HTTP REST API, at https://bitcoinfees.earn.com/api/v1/fees/recommended. For example, on the command line using the curl command:
Using the fee estimation API
$ curl https://bitcoinfees.earn.com/api/v1/fees/recommended
{"fastestFee":80,"halfHourFee":80,"hourFee":60}
The API returns a JSON object with the current fee estimate for fastest confirmation (fastestFee), confirmation within three blocks (halfHourFee) and six blocks (hourFee), in satoshi per byte.
Figure 2. Fee estimation service bitcoinfees.earn.com
Adding Fees to Transactions
The data structure of transactions does not have a field for fees. Instead, fees are implied as the difference between the sum of inputs and the sum of outputs. Any excess amount that remains after all outputs have been deducted from all inputs is the fee that is collected by the miners:
Transaction fees are implied, as the excess of inputs minus outputs:
Fees = Sum(Inputs) – Sum(Outputs)
This is a somewhat confusing element of transactions and an important point to understand, because if you are constructing your own transactions you must ensure you do not inadvertently include a very large fee by underspending the inputs. That means that you must account for all inputs, if necessary by creating change, or you will end up giving the miners a very big tip!
For example, if you consume a 20-bitcoin UTXO to make a 1-bitcoin payment, you must include a 19-bitcoin change output back to your wallet. Otherwise, the 19-bitcoin "leftover" will be counted as a transaction fee and will be collected by the miner who mines your transaction in a block. Although you will receive priority processing and make a miner very happy, this is probably not what you intended.
Warning
If you forget to add a change output in a manually constructed transaction, you will be paying the change as a transaction fee. Saying "Keep the change!" to the miner might not be what you really intended.
Let’s see how this works in practice, by looking at Alice’s coffee purchase again. Alice wants to spend 0.015 bitcoin to pay for coffee. To ensure this transaction is processed promptly, she will want to include a transaction fee, say 0.0005. That will mean that the total cost of the transaction will be 0.0155. Her wallet must therefore source a set of UTXO that adds up to 0.0155 bitcoin or more and, if necessary, create change. Let’s say her wallet has a 0.1-bitcoin UTXO available. It will therefore need to consume this UTXO, create one output to Bob’s Cafe for 0.015, and a second output with 0.0845 bitcoin in change back to her own wallet, leaving 0.0005 bitcoin unallocated, as an implicit fee for the transaction.
Now let’s look at a different scenario. Eugenia, our children’s charity director in the Philippines, has completed a fundraiser to purchase schoolbooks for the children. She received several thousand small donations from people all around the world, totaling 50 bitcoin, so her wallet is full of very small payments (UTXO). Now she wants to purchase hundreds of schoolbooks from a local publisher, paying in bitcoin.
As Eugenia’s wallet application tries to construct a single larger payment transaction, it must source from the available UTXO set, which is composed of many smaller amounts. That means that the resulting transaction will source from more than a hundred small-value UTXO as inputs and only one output, paying the book publisher. A transaction with that many inputs will be larger than one kilobyte, perhaps several kilobytes in size. As a result, it will require a much higher fee than the median-sized transaction.
Eugenia’s wallet application will calculate the appropriate fee by measuring the size of the transaction and multiplying that by the per-kilobyte fee. Many wallets will overpay fees for larger transactions to ensure the transaction is processed promptly. The higher fee is not because Eugenia is spending more money, but because her transaction is more complex and larger in size—the fee is independent of the transaction’s bitcoin value.
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