Hardcoded seeds, DNS seeds and Darknet nodes

The discussion highlights the advantages of employing DNS-based seeding for Bitcoin nodes over alternatives such as direct P2P connections. The primary benefits outlined include the use of a global caching infrastructure and the universal accessibility provided by nearly all operating systems. These features not only reduce operational costs but also enhance privacy. By leveraging an ISP's recursive resolver, the DNS seed operator is unable to ascertain specific details about the IPs running Bitcoin nodes or their quantity, thereby offering users a degree of anonymity.

However, the conversation also acknowledges the complexities introduced by depending on external DNS dependencies or implementing an ad-hoc DNS resolver. Such complexities arise from the need to ensure compatibility across various platforms and to maintain the system's configured DNS server. Direct querying to the seed without utilizing the OS's resolver compromises the caching and privacy advantages. Moreover, shifting away from A/AAA records might result in the loss of reliable caching, further diminishing these benefits.

Given these considerations, the narrative suggests that if these advantages are to be forfeited, adopting a P2P-style seeding approach may present a simpler alternative. This method is already in use when operating over Tor, indicating its feasibility and potential effectiveness in maintaining the essential functions of Bitcoin node discovery while circumventing the identified challenges of DNS-based seeding.