<p>It indicates that hardened derivation should be used for that step.</p>
<p>BIP 32 <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0032.mediawiki#extended-keys" rel="nofollow noreferrer">specifies</a> a &quot;hardened&quot; derivation method. This method is different from the &quot;unhardened&quot; method in that it requires the parent private key in order to derive the child private key.</p>
<p>For example, the path index <code>44'</code> indicates that the 44th hardened key should be derived.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-18T04:34:55.297Z
thx,  but, parent 'BIP32 Extended Private Key' or 'BIP32 Root Key'?
Gabriel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-18T21:19:52.887Z
There is no special distinction between parent and root.
Ava Chow
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-18T00:26:37.947Z
2021-07-18T00:26:37.947Z
Ava Chow
<p>If I generate addresses with <code>m/44'/0'/0'/0', m/44'/0'/0'/1'</code>, what is the difference compared with <code>m/44'/0'/0'/0, m/44'/0'/0'/1</code>?</p>

<bip32-hd-wallets><hardened-derivation>
What does an apostrophe at the end of a derivation path mean?
Gabriel
# What does an apostrophe at the end of a derivation path mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-17)

If I generate addresses with `m/44'/0'/0'/0', m/44'/0'/0'/1'`, what is the difference compared with `m/44'/0'/0'/0, m/44'/0'/0'/1`?

**Tags:** bip32-hd-wallets, hardened-derivation


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-07-18. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

It indicates that hardened derivation should be used for that step.

BIP 32 [specifies](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0032.mediawiki#extended-keys) a "hardened" derivation method. This method is different from the "unhardened" method in that it requires the parent private key in order to derive the child private key.

For example, the path index `44'` indicates that the 44th hardened key should be derived.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thx,  but, parent 'BIP32 Extended Private Key' or 'BIP32 Root Key'?  
> **username_1**: There is no special distinction between parent and root.  

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