Which BitNode should I try next?

After destroying their first BitNode, many players wonder which BitNode they should tackle next. This guide hopefully helps answer that question. As a player, you are not forced to tackle the BitNodes in any particular order. You are free to choose whichever ones you want. The "best" order can vary between players, depending on what you like to do any what kind of player you are.

tl;dr

• BN1, BN2, and BN5 are great starters.
• BN4 and BN6/BN7 are also good to do early if their mechanics appeal to you.
• BN10 has interesting mechanics if you can generate lots of money.
• BN9, BN13, BN14, and BN15 are tough but have interesting new mechanics.
• BN3 has a very tough mechanic to automate but gives unparalleled power.
• BN8 and BN11 are tough but offer little benefit to new players.
• BN12 is easy to start but quickly ramps up in difficulty.

Good early BitNodes

BN1 is the introductory BitNode with no difficulty modifiers to slow you down. Its Source-File is extremely powerful as it raises all multipliers by a significant amount. There are no other BitNodes which significantly simplify this one or make it particularly easier, so BN1.2 and BN1.3 are natural first choices.

BN2 introduces the Gang mechanic. This mechanic provides both a good source of income and a large supply of Augmentations from a single faction. Using the mechanic in other BitNodes requires a sufficiently low karma which requires a significant time investment or Sleeves.

BN5 grants Intelligence, a stat that persists between BitNodes. The Source-File bonuses are very helpful for hacking and also give Formulas.exe. Because of all the benefits this BitNode provides, it's definitely worth getting early.

Depends on your priorities

BN4 gives access to the Singularity API. This mechanic allows the automation of many actions directly affecting the player. If this appeals to you then you should prioritize this BitNode. Due to the RAM cost, it's strongly recommended to complete BN4.3 before using the Singularity API in other BitNodes.

BN6 introduces the Bladeburner mechanic and its corresponding Bladeburner API. Bladeburner is an alternative method to beat BitNodes which doesn't rely on money or hacking skill. Sleeves help complete BN6 more quickly since they can share some Bladeburner tasks with the player but aren't a requirement.

BN7 also unlocks Bladeburner like BN6, but it's a bit harder than BN6 while giving more Bladeburner-specific rewards, such as an augmentation that lets you perform Bladeburner and non-Bladeburner actions at the same time.

BN10 unlocks two new mechanics: Sleeves and Grafting. Sleeves act as additional players and can perform tasks like studying, training, committing crime and working for factions independently of the player. Grafting installs augmentations without a soft reset. Both are very useful to have but require large amounts of money to use to their fullest extent. Each Source-File grants an additional sleeve and up to five additional sleeves may be purchased from a faction only in this BitNode.

Tough but has new mechanics

BN3 makes available the Corporation mechanic. This mechanic can provide effectively limitless wealth and Faction Reputation, but is very complex and documentation-dependent. Using the mechanic in other BitNodes requires $150 billion so another source of starting wealth is still needed. Overall, this BitNode is considered an advanced one even if there are no particular BitNodes that should go before it.

BN9 introduces the Hacknet Server mechanic to replace the Hacknet Nodes mechanic. Hacknet Servers generate hashes instead of money directly and these hashes can be traded for various benefits. Players who find RAM tight at the beginning of a BitNode will find BN9.2's bonus to start with 128GiB in their home machine useful.

BN13 introduces Stanek's Gift, a powerful augmentation that can provide bonuses to skills, hacknet production and costs, working and crime gains, and hacking power and speed. These bonuses are versatile but not enough to offset the challenge of the BitNode itself.

BN14 is a relatively new BitNode focused on IPvGO. Automating the mechanic is challenging, but it provides a wide variety of bonuses.

BN15 expands on the darknet mechanic unlocked via the DarkscapeNavigator.exe program. It encourages solving a number of practical problems (e.g. passing data around between scripts, handling servers disappearing) as well as solving many small programming puzzles to get servers' passwords. The deeper levels of the darknet have significantly more complex puzzles. It provides a variety of useful bonuses.

Save these for later

BN8 focuses on the stock market to the point that there's no other way to make money. Completing at least BN10.1 is highly recommended in order to have Grafting. This ensures that you don't need to install Augmentations and lose market gains realized so far. Having a good hacking script can also help in order to manipulate the market.

BN11 doesn't have any new mechanics associated with it beyond a mild bonus to work income. The Source-File makes buying large numbers of Augmentations cheaper but isn't worth going out of your way for. Overall, this BitNode is very difficult for not much in return.

BN12 is BN1, just a little bit harder each time you complete it and continuing forever. This requires a variety of strategies using different mechanics as the penalties grow. The reason this isn't an early recommendation is that the Source-File is relatively weak for the increasing amount of effort required.