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Oddnodes. The creatures that live on the blockchain.
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This is the primary node type that forms the backbone of a blockchain network. Archival full nodes are servers that host the entire blockchain, with every single transaction recorded in their databases. The main task of these nodes is to validate blocks and maintain consensus.

Masternodes cannot add blocks to a blockchain. They only serve to validate and record transactions. Running a masternode can earn users a share of the network’s rewards. Doing so requires first locking away a certain amount of money in the form of the network’s native token. DASH is an example of a network that uses masternodes.

Lightning nodes don’t quite fit the mold of any of the nodes discussed so far. The main idea of a lightning node is to establish a connection between users outside of the blockchain, enabling what are referred to as “off-chain transactions.”

A pruned full node is one that saves hard disk space for its users by “pruning” older blocks in the blockchain. This type of node will first have to download the entire blockchain from the beginning. After that, it will begin deleting blocks beginning with the oldest and continue until the node only holds the most recent transactions up to a set size limit. If a node operator were to set the size limit to 250 MB, then a pruned full node would hold the most recent 250 MB worth of transactions.

In crypto mining, miners are either full or light nodes that try to prove they’ve completed the work required to create a new block. This is where the term “proof-of-work” comes from. To accomplish this task, miners have to either be an archival full node themselves, or get data from other nodes to learn the current status of the blockchain and how to work on finding the next block. (Those who seek to run mining nodes might want to take into account crypto mining electricity costs.)

Lightweight nodes or “light nodes” do not hold full copies of the blockchain. Light nodes only download blockheaders, saving users significant download time and storage space. Nodes of this nature depend on full nodes to function and are used for simplified payment verification.

Authority nodes are used by consensus algorithms for networks that aren’t fully decentralized, including Delegated Proof of Stake and Proof of Authority. In these networks, either the development team will decide how many authority nodes are needed and who will run them, or the community could vote for the decision. The task of these nodes is the same as full nodes in other networks.