The fact that Bitcoin surpasses conventional currency systems in various parameters doesn’t imply it’s all perfect. Any piece of technology must constantly undergo improvements to make it work better. You can technically refer to the improvements as upgrades (updates). To get started with trading cryptos, visit the official website of https://bitcoinprime.software/
Anybody can upgrade a piece of technology if they have legal authorization from the original owner. Bitcoin is an open-source software because its developer released it with the source code. Any software engineer who understands the language can improve BTC or add more features.
Besides adding new features and achieving incredible efficiency, Bitcoin improvements boost security and make the software compatible with other platforms. It is effortless and fast if a piece of technology belongs to a single entity. In such a case, the lead engineer or manager recommends the necessary changes, and the software development team works on them immediately.
Things are just a little more different with Bitcoin improvements. For example, this cryptocurrency has no central authority controlling it. Besides, Bitcoin doesn’t belong to one single individual but a worldwide community. Therefore, making any change on the platform takes a relatively long time because the community must agree first.
At least a majority has to endorse the proposed changes, if not everyone. That’s why you need to understand the concept behind Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs) and how they work. Below are all the things you should know about BIPs.
What Are They?
Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs) are official recommendations to improve the BTC network. Some of the BIPs affect the core platform, the blockchain. On the other hand, some BIPs touch only the peripheral complementary networks comprising various digital service providers. Notably, Bitcoin Improvement Proposals only guide the improvement process itself.
Why Are BIPs So Important?
Well, the Bitcoin community always wants to achieve two primary goals. The first one is to convince the rest of the world that the platform is safe and adheres to the set basic monetary standards. The other essential aim of the Bitcoin community is to make the network secure and maintain the reputation it has earned so far.
Bitcoin Improvement Proposals ensure every stakeholder takes part in the upgrade process more efficiently. They overcome the challenges of decentralization and allow only improvement suggestions worth going through. So, in simple terms, BIPs are excellent project coordination practices. They enable the BTC community members to improve the network collectively and achieve the desired goals.
Mastering the BIPs Creation Process
All members of the Bitcoin community have equal rights. We have no bosses or administrators. Therefore, anyone using the network can suggest an improvement. The process starts when a member submits an improvement proposal to Bitcoin’s community email list. At this stage, the bid is still informal and undergoes various assessments by the community.
The improvement proposal drafter’s role is to engage users and convince them to support it.The proposal then proceeds to the BIPs repository directory for approval if it gets enough support from the Bitcoin community.
The improvement proposal also gets a registration number (e.g., BIP-XXX) and becomes official. However, if most members fail to approve the recommendation, it goes back to the email list for further evaluation and improvement. And this may take years or even months, depending on various factors.
Final Thoughts
Bitcoin’s core software runs on multiple computers worldwide, organized into network nodes. The software version is the same on all the computers, giving them equal privileges on the network. Like any other application, Bitcoin needs constant updates to make it more efficient and secure.
The upgrade suggestions come from the community members in the form of Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs). For a given BIP to go through, all or most Bitcoin community members must discuss and approve it.