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[2620:6e:a000:1::99]) by gmr-mx.google.com with ESMTPS id d2e1a72fcca58-7a7db290f58si139888b3a.8.2025.10.31.11.36.06 for (version=TLS1_3 cipher=TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 bits=256/256); Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:36:06 -0700 (PDT) Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of lf-lists@mattcorallo.com designates 2620:6e:a000:1::99 as permitted sender) client-ip=2620:6e:a000:1::99; X-DKIM-Note: Keys used to sign are likely public at X-DKIM-Note: https://as397444.net/dkim/mattcorallo.com and X-DKIM-Note: https://as397444.net/dkim/clients.mail.as397444.net X-DKIM-Note: For more info, see https://as397444.net/dkim/ Received: by mail.as397444.net with esmtpsa (TLS1.3) (Exim) (envelope-from ) id 1vEtyj-00000007mHM-3HWO; Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:36:05 +0000 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=Apple-Mail-24B50CF3-BDF8-4A89-8F9B-5F1818ABE02A Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Matt Corallo Mime-Version: 1.0 (1.0) Subject: Re: [bitcoindev] [Pre-BIP Discussion] Bitcoin Node Repository Consensus-Policy Separation Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:36:09 -0400 Message-Id: <16007942-114D-4183-9CBB-BEEEF70E5F41@mattcorallo.com> References: Cc: bitcoindev@googlegroups.com In-Reply-To: To: Juan Aleman X-Original-Sender: lf-lists@mattcorallo.com X-Original-Authentication-Results: gmr-mx.google.com; dkim=pass header.i=@mattcorallo.com header.s=1761933662 header.b=Oz3NKVS+; dkim=pass header.i=@clients.mail.as397444.net header.s=1761933664 header.b=Z4s1R5IR; spf=pass (google.com: domain of lf-lists@mattcorallo.com designates 2620:6e:a000:1::99 as permitted sender) smtp.mailfrom=lf-lists@mattcorallo.com; dmarc=pass (p=NONE sp=REJECT dis=NONE) header.from=mattcorallo.com Precedence: list Mailing-list: list bitcoindev@googlegroups.com; contact bitcoindev+owners@googlegroups.com List-ID: X-Google-Group-Id: 786775582512 List-Post: , List-Help: , List-Archive: , List-Unsubscribe: , X-Spam-Score: 1.6 (+) --Apple-Mail-24B50CF3-BDF8-4A89-8F9B-5F1818ABE02A Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
You should probably dig i= nto the libbitcoinkernel project (and the immense amount of work that has g= one into it, as well as the immense amount of work that it requires). Also = this is not anything that would merit a BIP.

On Oct 31, 2025, at 14:20, Jua= n Aleman <bitcoindev@juanaleman.com> wrote:

=EF=BB=BFHello bitcoin develope= rs,

My name is Juan Alem=C3=A1n, and this is my first post to the ma= iling list. But I've been involved with Bitcoin since 2017. First only as a= hard money investor, but later also as a developer, specially fascinated b= y this permanent medium. I hope this proposal can be appreciated by all per= spectives as a pragmatic (maybe unorthodox, but timely) solution to move fo= rward in agreement.

The changes in v30 defaults got my attention (si= milar to many of you), as they are completely opposite to what has historic= ally been "standard" practice. A highly controversial change that surfaces = the influence over default policy in the network, escalating to the point o= f a fork proposal= .

First, it must be reminded that a fork should be unnecessary if de= faults are simply reverted, while still allowing all policy possibilities.

After = my second PR = attempt was (also) closed (and I was blocked from the repo), I realized tha= t the main issue here is social-political, not technical. It's about the po= werful influence the "Official Reference Implementation" centralized node s= oftware repository has.

This needs a different kind of solution. I'd= like to propose a high-level structural change to the "Official Bitcoin Re= pository": Separating consensus code from policy-based node distribution.
Problem Statement:

The "official" Bitcoin Core node rep= ository (https://github.com/= bitcoin/bitcoin) maintains consensus code while also defining default r= elay and mining policies, among all other node functionalities, in a single= piece of software. This concentration of responsibilities leads to elevati= ng this single repository to a "pedestal", thus a point of centralization, = giving a few too much influence.

This kind of influence can be consi= dered "harm" when abrupt default policy changes (like v30's shift toward pe= rmissive data carrying) disrupt "standard" network practices and its users.=

However, the v30 release itself may have caused a point of no retur= n, where "globally agreed standardness" is no longer a realistic expectatio= n. Bitcoin's hidden limits are being revealed.

Proposal:
<= br>To address humans' flaws, I suggest reorganizing the repository structur= e to better safeguard against unwarranted political (policy) influence.
=
1. Rename and Refocus Core Repo:

    Rename (gi= thub.com/)bitcoin/bitcoin to bitcoin/bitcoin-core. This repo would focus ma= inly on consensus rules, removing arbitrary or non-critical policies from i= ts scope. It becomes a neutral base for ALL node implementations, emphasizi= ng on hardening and testing consensus without policy distractions.

<= b>2. Introduce Node Client Repo(s):

    Create a separ= ate repository for the full-featured node client, starting with (github.com= /)bitcoin/bitcoin-node as the foundational template. This would effectively= serve as the direct replacement for the current bitcoin/bitcoin node softw= are. This repository embeds the consensus-focused bitcoin-core (objective),= while including "current core devs"-recommended default policies (subjecti= ve). Other clients would use this as their foundation, to customize policy = and beyond. (Also, there is nothing preventing multiple bitcoin-node-<ty= pe> existing in parallel, best addressing default-bias concerns.)


The initial implementation of this separation mi= ght not be elegant, but future releases can progressively refactor based on= this new reorganization, potentially incorporating more modularity (where = beneficial).

For a smooth transition that resolves ongoing tensions,= the suggested first release of bitcoin/bitcoin-node should revert to pre-v= 30 defaults. Then, a subsequent release could adopt v30 defaults, with the = home README clearly documenting options/alternatives (e.g. "For legacy Mone= y-First policies, use X").

(But STILL the simplest solution is ju= st to allow something like this. And let's just move on! Open-Data is out of the bag any= way.)

This proposal attempts to find a compromise where no side = feels "forced to comply", and represents a more neutral position from the "= Official Reference Implementation" repository in this new era.

Be= nefits:
  • Bitcoin-Core reaches its epitome, focusing on a hard= ened consensus core that serves all clients, regardless of policy.
  • = Reduction of the "official" repo's influence on default policy, better alig= ning with Bitcoin's decentralization principles.

Drawbacks:=
  • Breaks existing infrastructure tied to github.com/bitcoin/b= itcoin. However, bitcoin/bitcoin-node is a 1-to-1 replacement, mitigating d= eep disruptions (which some will see as a benefit, forcing a conscious choi= ce about what node software to run moving forward).
  • Also, there mus= t be caution of not using the original github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin name for = anything else, as that would break automatic GitHub url redirects.


    • Thank you for your time. This is just an ide= a I wanted to share for discussion, and I would appreciate any thoughts.
    Juan

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