Elements is an open source full node implementation to run the Liquid Network, a Bitcoin layer-2 solution enabling the fast, confidential settlement and issuance of digital assets, such as stablecoins, security tokens, and other financial instruments, on top of the Bitcoin timechain. This app has the potential to use up to 6GB of RAM. It's important to confirm that your device meets the necessary hardware requirements before installing and running the app.
License: MIT. Built with: C++, C, Python, Pawn, M4, Shell, Makefile, Sage, CMake, Assembly, Scheme, HTML, Objective-C++, Dockerfile, Cap'n Proto, Java, QMake. Website: https://elementsproject.org. Source: https://github.com/ElementsProject/elements.
See official install docs: https://elementsproject.org/en/doc/
Self-hosting gives you three things SaaS can’t: data ownership (the files live on disks you control), cost predictability (a one-time setup vs. recurring per-seat fees that grow with your household or team), and longevity (open-source means the app keeps working even if the maintainers move on, since you can pin a working version). The trade-off is that you take on the operational work of running a server, applying updates, and handling backups.
Most self-hosted apps run comfortably on modest hardware — a Raspberry Pi 4, a mini PC, a NAS with Docker support, or a small VPS is usually enough for personal or family use. CPU and RAM requirements scale with how many simultaneous users or how much data you push through Elements Core. Storage requirements depend on the kind of data you keep; check the README for guidance on data retention.