| Implementations | LND | Core Lightning |
|---|---|---|
| Codebase | written in Go github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd |
written in C with plugins in various languages github.com/ElementsProject/lightning |
| Documentation | api.lightning.community docs.lightning.engineering |
lightning.readthedocs.io |
| Contact | lightning.engineering/slack.html t.me/lightninglab |
IRC libera.chat #c-lightning t.me/lightningd |
| Main advantages | bigger networkshare and team more services built on top detailed documentation bundled with services and GUI in lit binaries provided for various platforms |
specs driven modular development ensures flexibility very modest hardware need even as a routing node built with privacy as a priority in mind |
| Multiple channels between two peers | yes | yes since v0.11.0 |
| Keysend | optional | on by default |
| Payments | most efficient in finding the shortest path best success rate a cost function takes recent failures into consideration |
prefers low locktimes takes channel sizes into account since v0.10.2 (Pickhardt Payments) Slightly more expensive due to randomization for privacy the logic can be replaced with plugins |
| MPP (multi part payments) | optional | on by default |
| Swaps | Loop service (with daemon) Boltz.exchange (with daemon) PeerSwap |
Boltz.exchange through website + API PeerSwap |
| Autopilot | built in, but limited | CLBOSS plugin with advanced logic |
| Watchtower | built in not incentivised |
available as a plugin for Eye of Satoshi not incentivised |
| Dymanic fee settings | solved by external tools like charge-lnd and Balance of Satoshis | feeadjuster plugin, CLBOSS |
| Dual funded channels | manual, using PSBTs and/or Balance of Satoshis | experimental feature automated with liquidity ads |
| Paid incoming channels | Pool service including sidecar channels Voltage Flow amboss.space Magma |
boltz.exchange plugin liquidity ads amboss.space Magma |
| Privacy | full Tor support | Full Tor support MPP usage by default Route Randomization Shadow Route (virtual extension of hops) |
| WebUI | RTL Thunderhub Lightning Terminal |
RTL Spark Wallet / Sparko |
| Mobile Apps | Zeus Fully Noded (iOS only) Zap Android (iOS unmaintained) |
Zeus Fully Noded (iOS only) |
| Database format | bbolt by default (restarts needed to compact) experinemtal etcd full postgres support |
sqlite3 by default (compacts on-the-fly) full postgres support |
| Backups and recovery | seedwords + SCB (status channel backups) github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/blob/master/docs/recovery.md node-recovery.com |
hsmsecret hex (optional seedwords) + append-only (low wear) backup of the sqlite3 database with the backup plugin sqlite3 replication to a custom path or NFS mount lightning.readthedocs.io/BACKUP.html |
- Comparative Analysis of Lightning's Routing Clients
- Article: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9566199
- Summary Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/roasbeef/status/1453434255237795840