Description
The current README.md for Bitcoin Core is highly informative but follows an older, text-only format that makes it difficult for new contributors to quickly find essential setup and testing information. Given the project's scale, a structural overhaul will improve accessibility without compromising the technical depth required for a security-critical project.
Improvements
- Navigation Index: Add a streamlined "Table of Contents" at the top to jump to Building, Testing, or Translation sections.
- Visual Status Badges: Integrate standard CI/CD and security badges (e.g., Build Status, MIT License, Coverage) to provide immediate feedback on the master branch health.
- Command Highlighting: Use standardized Markdown code blocks for frequently used commands (like
ctestandtest_runner.py) to make them stand out. - Security-First Callout: Create a dedicated, bolded "Security Warning" section. Since mistakes can lead to financial loss, this needs to be the most prominent part of the README.
- Refactor "Development Process": Break down the relationship between the monotree and the GUI repository into a more scannable list.
Tasks
- Add a Quick Links section for
doc/build-*.mdandCONTRIBUTING.md. - Implement a Feature Summary (e.g., Full Node Validation, Wallet, GUI).
- Clean up the Testing section to clearly separate Unit Tests from Functional (Python) Tests.
- Add a Disclaimer section regarding the stability of the master branch versus tags.
Why this is needed
1. Developer Efficiency: Reduces the time new contributors spend hunting for build instructions buried in the text. 2. Clarity: Clearly delineates between automated CI testing and the manual QA process, which is the current development bottleneck. 3. Professionalism: Aligns the repository with modern open-source documentation standards used by other major blockchain projects.
