builds: add README with build flags

AbelLykens commented at 8:22 am on September 5, 2025: none

Please describe the feature you’d like to see added.

For the torrents for Bitcoin Core, as well as the downloads on the site, it would be useful to have a (small) readme with some information what the different binaries/targzs are.

Apparently there are unsigned, signed, debug and codesigning versions.

What do they mean?

magnet:?xt=urn:btih:DSUYRPFMOPSLI7EZFH7VZ4QKT4GUU57A&dn=bitcoin-core-29.1&tr.1=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80&tr.2=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80&tr.3=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.opentrackr.org%3A1337%2Fannounce&tr.4=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.coppersurfer.tk%3A6969%2Fannounce&tr.5=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.leechers-paradise.org%3A6969%2Fannounce&tr.6=udp%3A%2F%2Fexplodie.org%3A6969%2Fannounce&tr.7=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.torrent.eu.org%3A451%2Fannounce&tr.8=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.bitcoin.sprovoost.nl%3A6969

Describe the solution you’d like

Please add a readme

Describe any alternatives you’ve considered

I have found some guides, but I am not sure what flags were used for these.

AbelLykens added the label Feature on Sep 5, 2025

fanquake removed the label Feature on Sep 5, 2025

fanquake added the label Docs on Sep 5, 2025

jalateras referenced this in commit 517f4f3340 on Sep 10, 2025

jalateras referenced this in commit 5e5993c2ac on Sep 15, 2025

jalateras referenced this in commit 9672216182 on Sep 16, 2025

PauloAAlmeida commented at 10:46 pm on February 8, 2026: none

I noticed PR #33355 addressing this was closed. I’m interested in picking this up to ensure we have clear, concise documentation for these build types.

I’ve reviewed the feedback on the previous PR and, instead of a purely descriptive text, I plan to focus on the practical utility of each artifact (e.g., when to use debug builds for troubleshooting or how to handle codesigning archives during verification). This will be a manually written, technical guide aligned with the project’s standards.

A quick question before I start: should this documentation remain as a README in the build/release folder or be integrated as a dedicated file into the existing /doc directory?

AbelLykens commented at 9:52 am on February 9, 2026: none

I’d suggest keep docs close to the download location. A reference/link to /docs is fine too, ofc.

PauloAAlmeida commented at 7:46 pm on February 9, 2026: none

I’d suggest keep docs close to the download location. A reference/link to /docs is fine too, ofc.

Thanks for the direction. I’ll add a doc/release-artifacts.md covering the practical purpose of each artifact type (release, debug, unsigned, codesigning, source, verification files), with a focus on when and why someone would use each one. Will reference the issue in the PR.

fanquake commented at 10:35 am on February 10, 2026: member

~0. This seems like its in the wrong repo, and any documentation should be added to https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org/, or to the website directly.

PauloAAlmeida commented at 12:03 pm on February 10, 2026: none

Fair point. I’ll close the current PR on bitcoin/bitcoin and open one against bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org instead.

fanquake commented at 12:12 pm on February 10, 2026: member

Moved this over to https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org/issues/1220.

fanquake closed this on Feb 10, 2026

builds: add README with build flags #33316

Please describe the feature you’d like to see added.

Describe the solution you’d like

Describe any alternatives you’ve considered