user133898: What data is public in Lightning Network (such as number of nodes, channel balances, etc)? What are some ways to retrieve them (API, running node), and what would be pros and cons for each option?

user138867: Here is 1ml https://1ml.com/ a well known search engine and statistics monitor for lightning nodes.
https://moneni.com/nodematch
Lightning node match website for routing data.
https://lnnodeinsight.com/
lightning node insight which gives you channel opening simulations and stuff like that.
As far as what data is public, this is 100% up to each node operator. If a lightning node operator doesn't want to be connected to nodes who use public broadcasting they do not have to however, there is lots of benefit to doing so in terms of growing channel balance.
Edit: Theres also terminal lightning which gives some statistics about node health https://terminal.lightning.engineering/#/
https://github.com/alexbosworth/balanceofsatoshis alex bosworth tool for working with your node balances
https://lightningnetwork.plus/ and a website where you can request incoming capacity in groups

133898: <p>What data is public in Lightning Network (such as number of nodes, channel balances, etc)? What are some ways to retrieve them (API, running node), and what would be pros and cons for each option?</p>
 138867: <p>Here is 1ml <a href="https://1ml.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://1ml.com/</a> a well known search engine and statistics monitor for lightning nodes.
<a href="https://moneni.com/nodematch" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://moneni.com/nodematch</a>
Lightning node match website for routing data.
<a href="https://lnnodeinsight.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://lnnodeinsight.com/</a>
lightning node insight which gives you channel opening simulations and stuff like that.</p>
<p>As far as what data is public, this is 100% up to each node operator. If a lightning node operator doesn't want to be connected to nodes who use public broadcasting they do not have to however, there is lots of benefit to doing so in terms of growing channel balance.</p>
<p>Edit: Theres also terminal lightning which gives some statistics about node health <a href="https://terminal.lightning.engineering/#/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://terminal.lightning.engineering/#/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://github.com/alexbosworth/balanceofsatoshis" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/alexbosworth/balanceofsatoshis</a> alex bosworth tool for working with your node balances
<a href="https://lightningnetwork.plus/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://lightningnetwork.plus/</a> and a website where you can request incoming capacity in groups</p>
