Bitcoin Core is a free and open-source software implementation of the Bitcoin protocol. It is the most popular software used to connect a node to the network. Bitcoin Core is a full node, meaning that it downloads and validates the entire Bitcoin blockchain. This makes Bitcoin Core the most secure way to use Bitcoin, as it does not rely on any third party to verify transactions.
Bitcoin Core also includes a wallet, which allows users to send and receive the coin. This wallet is one of the most secure available, as it is fully integrated with the Bitcoin Core software.
Bitcoin Core is developed by a global community of contributors. It is released under the MIT license, which means that anyone can freely use, copy, and modify the software.
Benefits
Security: Bitcoin Core is a full node, which means that it downloads and validates the entire Bitcoin blockchain.
Privacy: Bitcoin Core does not collect any personal information from its users. This makes it a good choice for users who value their privacy.
Control: Bitcoin Core gives users full control over their bitcoin. This means that users are not reliant on any counterparty to store or manage their Bitcoin.
Drawbacks
Resource intensive: Bitcoin Core requires a significant amount of disk space and bandwidth to run. This can be a problem for users with limited resources.
Complex: Bitcoin Core can be complex to set up and use. This is especially true for users who are new to Bitcoin.
Energy Hog : The software using the Proof-of-Work (PoW) as the consensus mechanism. The drawback is that a lot of energy is use to validate transactions. This is being mitigated as miners focus upon options powered by renewable energy.
Original Development
Bitcoin Core was originally developed by Satoshi Nakamoto. It was simply called Bitcoin although the core was added to distinguish it from the network. While it is not the only software to run, it is by far the most popular. It is also where the development is done that eventually ends up in updates.