Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP)
Written by Andre Franco
Introduction
Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIP) are design documents providing information to the bitcoin community, or for describing a new feature for bitcoin or its processes or environment. Using BIP is the best format to propose a enhancement on bitcoin protocol to be discuss in community. There are three types of BIPs: Standard BIP, Informational BIP and Process BIP, all of which are recorded in a versioned repository on GitHub
Standard BIP - Describes any change that affects most or all bitcoin implementations, such as a change to the network protocol, a change in block or transaction validity rules, or any change or addition that affects the interoperability of applications using bitcoin.
Informational BIP - Describes a bitcoin design issue, or provides general guidelines or information to the bitcoin community, but does not propose a new feature. Informational BIPs do not necessarily represent a bitcoin community consensus or recommendation.
Process BIP - Describes a bitcoin process, or proposes a change to (or an event in) a process. Process BIPs are like standard BIPs but apply to areas other than the bitcoin protocol itself. They might propose an implementation, but not to bitcoin’s codebase; they often require community consensus; and unlike informational BIPs, they are more than recommendations. Examples include procedures, guidelines, changes to the decision-making process, and changes to the tools or environment used in bitcoin development.
Suggested Reading
What is a BIP? Why do you need to know about it? by Sudhir Katwani
BIP Process by Luke Dashjr
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