Bitcoin Knots is similar to Bitcoin Core in that it validates the full blockchain, but it includes additional settings, patches, or experimental features not found in the main repository. Think of it like a custom edition of a popular operating system—familiar foundations with extra bells and whistles.

The Knots project aims to provide more configuration options and sometimes faster feature integration, though it may carry slightly higher risks due to less conservative release policies. Users who prefer a stable, widely-tested node might stick with Bitcoin Core, while power users or experimenters might try out Bitcoin Knots’ expanded toolkit.