Even though not profitable on the mainnet, CPU mining is still valuable on the test network or even a private network to experiment with mining and contract deployment.
Geth can be started with mine switch in order to start mining: geth –mine –minerthreads
CPU mining can also be started using the Web3 Geth console.
From CPUs and GPUs to Industrial ASICs (Part 2)
Geth console can be started by issuing the following command: $ geth attach After this, the miner can be started by issuing the following command, which will return True if successful, or False otherwise.
Take a look at the following command: miner.start(4) True Number 4 here represents the number of threads that will run for mining.
It can be any number depending on the number of CPUs you have.
The preceding command will start the miner with four threads.
Take a look at the following command: miner.stop() True The preceding command will stop the miner.
on how to start CPU mining here. Geth can be started with mine switch in order to start mining: geth –mine –minerthreads
Why This Matters for Blockchain Technology
Understanding CPU mining is not just an academic exercise — it has real-world implications for how blockchain systems are designed, deployed, and secured. Whether you are a developer building decentralized applications, a business leader evaluating blockchain adoption, or a curious learner exploring the technology, this knowledge provides a critical foundation.
Key Points to Remember
- CPU mining Even though not profitable on the mainnet, CPU mining is still valuable on the test network or even a private network to experiment with mining and contract deployment.
- Geth can be started with mine switch in order to start mining: geth –mine –minerthreads
CPU mining can also be started using the Web3 Geth console. - Geth console can be started by issuing the following command: $ geth attach After this, the miner can be started by issuing the following command, which will return True if successful, or False otherwise.
- Take a look at the following command: miner.start(4) True Number 4 here represents the number of threads that will run for mining.
Conclusion
CPU mining represents one of the many innovative layers that make blockchain technology so powerful and transformative. As distributed systems continue to evolve, a solid understanding of these core concepts becomes increasingly valuable — not just for developers, but for anyone building, investing in, or working alongside blockchain-powered systems.
Whether you are just starting your blockchain journey or deepening existing expertise, mastering these fundamentals gives you the tools to think clearly about decentralized systems and make smarter decisions in this rapidly evolving space.