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---
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title: Interacting with Monero | Monero Documentation
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---
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# Interacting with Monero
You can interact with Monero via desktop GUI, commandline interface, and programming API.
On top of that, Monero nodes interact with each other in a peer-to-peer network.
## Installation directory overview
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Once unpacked you will see several executable files. You will also find a nice PDF guide for the GUI wallet.
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Monero project nicely decouples network node logic from wallet logic.
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Wallet logic is offered through three independent user interfaces - the GUI, the CLI, and the HTTP API.
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```
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# cd monero-gui-v0.13.0.3
# ---- guide to Monero GUI ----
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monero-GUI-guide.pdf
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# ---- executable files -----------
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monerod
monero-wallet-cli
monero-wallet-gui
monero-wallet-rpc
monero-gen-trusted-multisig
monero-blockchain-export
monero-blockchain-import
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monero-blockchain-mark-spent-outputs
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monero-blockchain-usage
monero-blockchain-ancestry
monero-blockchain-depth
start-gui.sh
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# ---- directories ----------------
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libs
plugins
qml
```
## Executables - what is what
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| Executable | Description
| -------------------------- |:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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| `monerod` | The full node daemon. Does not require a wallet. < br /> [Documentation](/interacting/monerod/overview).
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| `monero-wallet-gui` | Wallet logic and __graphical__ user interface. < br /> Requires `monerod` running.
| `monero-wallet-cli` | Wallet logic and __commandline__ user interface. < br /> Requires `monerod` running.
| `monero-wallet-rpc` | Wallet logic and __HTTP API__ (JSON-RPC protocol). < br /> Requires `monerod` running.
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| `monero-blockchain-export` | Tool to export blockchain to `blockchain.raw` file.
| `monero-blockchain-import` | Tool to import [blockchain.raw ](https://downloads.getmonero.org/blockchain.raw ) - ideally your own trusted copy.
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| `monero-gen-trusted-multisig` | Tool to generate a set of multisig wallets. < br /> See chapter on [multisignatures ](/multisignature ).
| `monero-blockchain-mark-spent-outputs` | Advanced tool to mitigate potential privacy issues related to Monero forks. You normally shouldn't be concerned with that.< br /> See the [commit ](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/commit/df6fad4c627b99a5c3e2b91b69a0a1cc77c4be14#diff-0410fba131d9a7024ed4dcf9fb4a4e07 ) and [pull request ](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/3322 ).
| `monero-blockchain-usage` | Advanced tool to mitigate potential privacy issues related to Monero forks. You normally shouldn't be concerned with that.< br /> See the [commit ](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/commit/0590f62ab64cf023d397b995072035986931a6b4 ) and the [pull request ](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/3322 ).
| `monero-blockchain-ancestry` | Advanced research tool to learn ancestors of a transaction, block or chain. Irrelevant for normal users. See this [pull request ](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/4147/files ).
| `monero-blockchain-depth` | Advanced research tool to learn depth of a transaction, block or chain. Irrelevant for normal users. See this [commit ](https://github.com/monero-project/monero/commit/289880d82d3cb206a2cf4ae67d2deacdab43d4f4#diff-34abcc1a0c100efb273bf36fb95ebfa0 ).
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## Interacting
There are quite a few ways you can interact with Monero software.
Perhaps the most surprising for newcomers is that `monerod` daemon accepts interactive keyboard commands while it is running.
Also, please note that HTTP API is split across `monerod` and `monero-wallet-rpc` . You need to run and call both daemons to explore the full API.
This follows the node-logic vs wallet-logic split mentioned earlier.
All wallet implementations depend on the `monerod` running.
| Executable | p2p network | node commands via keyboard | node HTTP API | wallet commands via keyboard | wallet HTTP API | wallet via GUI
| -------------------------- | ------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------- | ---------------------------- | --------------- | --------------
| `monerod` | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | |
| `monero-wallet-cli` | | | | ✔ | |
| `monero-wallet-rpc` | | | | | ✔ |
| `monero-wallet-gui` | | | | | | ✔
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## Data directory
This is where the blockchain, log files, and p2p network memory are stored.
By default data directory is at:
* `$HOME/.bitmonero/` on Linux
* `$HOME/Library/Application\ Support/` on macOS
* `C:\ProgramData\bitmonero\` on Windows
Please mind:
* data directory is hidden as per OS convention
* the `bitmonero` directory name is historical artefact from before Monero forked away from Bitmonero, about 2000 years Before Christ
Data directory contains:
* `lmdb/` - the blockchain database directory
* `p2pstate.bin` - saved memory of discovered and rated peers
* `bitmonero.log` - log file
It can also contain subdirectories for stagenet and testnet, mirroring the same structure:
* `stagenet/` - data directory for Stagenet
* `testnet/` - data directory for Testnet
