<p>No, Electrum doesn't require Bitcoin-Qt to be installed on your computer. Electrum and BitcoinJ aren't <em>full</em> clients, though, so they do rely on Bitcoin-Qt at some level -- Electrum through the Stratum network and BitcoinJ through the Bitcoin network's SPV mode.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-14T16:50:30.713Z
It might be also good to add that Electrum doesn't require a local copy of the blockchain.
7anner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T01:22:58.237Z
@theymos Electrum uses Electrum Servers that store the blockchain and broadcast signed transactions
rdymac
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T03:18:27.080Z
@rdymac Yeah, and those servers run Bitcoin-Qt.
theymos
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T23:46:15.937Z
Sorry, I was answering to @7anner
rdymac
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-14T14:28:37.487Z
2013-06-14T14:28:37.487Z
theymos
<p>Bitcoin Armory is a client that sits on top of the official bitcoin client. Bitcoinj is a totally different client, separate from the official bitcoin client. Does Electrum also need the official bitcoin client, or is it separate?</p>

<client><electrum>
Does Electrum require the Satoshi client?
John
# Does Electrum require the Satoshi client?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-06-14)

Bitcoin Armory is a client that sits on top of the official bitcoin client. Bitcoinj is a totally different client, separate from the official bitcoin client. Does Electrum also need the official bitcoin client, or is it separate?

**Tags:** client, electrum


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-06-14. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

No, Electrum doesn't require Bitcoin-Qt to be installed on your computer. Electrum and BitcoinJ aren't *full* clients, though, so they do rely on Bitcoin-Qt at some level -- Electrum through the Stratum network and BitcoinJ through the Bitcoin network's SPV mode.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: It might be also good to add that Electrum doesn't require a local copy of the blockchain.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 Electrum uses Electrum Servers that store the blockchain and broadcast signed transactions  
> **username_1**: @username_3 Yeah, and those servers run Bitcoin-Qt.  
> **username_3**: Sorry, I was answering to @username_2  

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