Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs) are design documents that provide information to the Bitcoin community or describe a new feature for Bitcoin. They are intended to be a standard way of communicating ideas, improvements, and changes to the Bitcoin protocol and its ecosystem.
Purpose of BIPs
BIPs serve several important purposes:
- Documentation:
- BIPs document changes and improvements to the Bitcoin protocol, serving as a reference for developers and users.
- Standardization:
- They provide a standardized format for proposing new features, making it easier for the community to review and discuss them.
- Community Engagement:
- BIPs encourage community involvement and feedback, allowing users and developers to contribute to the evolution of Bitcoin.
Types of BIPs
BIPs are categorized into three main types:
- Standards Track BIPs:
- These proposals involve changes to the Bitcoin protocol or its operation, such as new features or improvements to existing ones.
- Example: BIP 32, which introduces hierarchical deterministic wallets.
- Informational BIPs:
- These provide general guidelines or information to the Bitcoin community but do not propose changes to the protocol.
- Example: BIP 101, which discusses Bitcoin scalability solutions.
- Process BIPs:
- These describe processes or changes to the processes used within the Bitcoin community, such as governance or decision-making.
- Example: BIP 1, which outlines the BIP process itself.
How BIPs are Created
The process of creating a BIP involves several steps:
- Drafting:
- A proposal is drafted in a markdown format, detailing the motivation, specification, and rationale for the proposed change.
- Review:
- The draft is submitted for review by the community, often discussed on forums or mailing lists.
- Acceptance:
- If the proposal gains sufficient support and consensus, it may be accepted and assigned a BIP number.
- Implementation:
- The proposal is then implemented in the Bitcoin software, following the agreed specifications.