Bitcoin Improvement Proposals
Browse cluster: Cosmos blockchain and smart contract languages →This repository is Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs), a collection of design documents and specifications for Bitcoin enhancements. It serves as a publication medium and archive for proposals covering consensus changes, peer services, applications, and APIs, each evaluated on formal criteria by BIP editors rather than gatekeeping decision-making. The repository contains implementation details and test vectors written in Python and C++, including cryptographic reference implementations like secp256k1lab (an intentionally insecure educational implementation of elliptic curve operations), validation code for silent payments and script templates, and extensive test cases for proposed consensus rule changes such as difficulty adjustment mitigations and transaction validation constraints. The project is maintained by individual Bitcoin developers and editors who review and publish proposals that meet editorial standards, with acceptance and adoption ultimately determined by the Bitcoin user community.