bitcoin-address-generator

Technical Documentation

Overview

This document provides detailed technical information about the Bitcoin Address Generator implementation.

Cryptographic Process

1. Private Key Generation

The private key is a randomly generated 256-bit number, represented as a 64-character hexadecimal string. The generation process ensures:

• Sufficient entropy using cryptographically secure random number generation
• Proper hexadecimal encoding
• Validation of key format

2. ECDSA Implementation

We use the secp256k1 elliptic curve, the same used by Bitcoin. The process involves:

• Converting private key to bytes
• Applying ECDSA using the curve
• Generating the public key pair
• Proper encoding of the results

3. Public Key to Address Conversion

The conversion follows Bitcoin’s standard process:

1. Apply SHA-256 to the public key
2. Apply RIPEMD-160 to the result
3. Add version byte (0x00 for mainnet)
4. Calculate double SHA-256 checksum
5. Append first 4 bytes of checksum
6. Encode result in Base58Check

Code Structure

bitcoin_address_generator/
├── core/
│   ├── keys.py      # Key generation and manipulation
│   └── address.py   # Address creation and validation
├── crypto/
│   ├── ecdsa.py     # ECDSA operations
│   └── hashing.py   # Hash functions
└── cli/
    └── main.py      # Command-line interface

Security Considerations

1. Private Key Generation
   • Use cryptographically secure random number generation
   • Never reuse private keys
   • Protect private keys from exposure
2. Key Storage
   • Never store private keys in plain text
   • Use proper encryption for storage
   • Consider using hardware security modules
3. Network Security
   • Verify all calculations offline
   • Never transmit private keys
   • Use secure channels for public key distribution

References

1. Bitcoin Technical Background
2. SEC2: Recommended Elliptic Curve Domain Parameters
3. Base58Check Encoding

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