ts-sdk

Transaction Structure

Understanding how Bitcoin transactions work and their representation in the BSV TypeScript SDK.

Basic Transaction Components

A Bitcoin transaction consists of:

• Inputs: References to previous transaction outputs being spent
• Outputs: New transaction outputs being created
• Metadata: Version, lock time, and other transaction properties

Transaction in the SDK

import { Transaction } from '@bsv/sdk'

// Create a new transaction
const tx = new Transaction()

// Add inputs and outputs
tx.addInput({
  sourceTransaction: previousTx,
  sourceOutputIndex: 0,
  unlockingScript: unlockingScript
})

tx.addOutput({
  satoshis: 1000,
  lockingScript: lockingScript
})

Key Concepts

Inputs

• Reference previous transaction outputs (UTXOs)
• Include unlocking scripts to prove ownership
• Must be fully consumed (no partial spending)

Outputs

• Create new UTXOs with specific values
• Include locking scripts that define spending conditions
• Can be spent by future transactions

Transaction ID

• Unique identifier calculated from transaction data
• Used to reference the transaction in inputs

Working with Transactions

The SDK provides methods to:

• Serialize transactions to hex format
• Calculate transaction fees
• Verify transaction validity
• Sign transaction inputs

Next Steps

• Learn about BEEF Format for efficient transaction representation with validation data
• Learn about Script Templates for locking/unlocking scripts
• Understand Digital Signatures for transaction authorization
• Explore Transaction Encoding for serialization formats

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