Published on: 2015-12-31T23:30:02+00:00
A recent thread on the Bitcoin-dev mailing list has sparked a discussion about simplifying the process of assigning BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposal) numbers. The proposal suggests allowing anyone to open a pull request and use the PR # as the BIP #, thus avoiding conflicts and eliminating the need for manual assignment. However, concerns have been raised that this approach may result in some numbers going unused if PRs are opened to update existing BIPs.One user in the thread suggests that BIP numbers should only be assigned after significant adoption, in order to avoid the headaches caused by the current system. They argue that the Bitcoin consensus protocol development process is often backwards, with the code being written before the human-readable reference explaining it (the BIP). This user's perspective highlights the need for a more streamlined and efficient process for assigning BIP numbers.Marco Pontello also questions the current process of assigning BIP numbers and suggests that it should be a mere formality to avoid conflicts and BIP spamming. He notes that the current process can take months due to the lengthy PR request list and wonders if there is some historical context that he may be missing. Peter Todd responds to this concern by explaining that getting a BIP number assigned is usually one of the last steps taken by the better-known Bitcoin Core developers. He further explains that the development process itself is often backwards, with the protocol specification (code) being written first and the human-readable reference (BIP) being written afterwards.While the BIP number assignment process may appear to be a mere formality, it holds significance in providing an aura of officiality and making it easy to refer to a particular BIP. It serves as an important step in the overall process of adding a BIP to the main repository and eventual approval. However, the process can be time-consuming due to the PR request list. The reasons behind this delay may lie in some historical context that has not been fully explained in the thread. Overall, the discussion highlights the need for a more efficient and streamlined process for assigning BIP numbers to ensure the smooth development and adoption of Bitcoin improvements.
Updated on: 2023-08-01T17:20:56.117370+00:00