List of specifications

LNP/BP stands for "Bitcoin Protocol / Lightning Network Protocol". This repository covers standards & best practices for Layer 2+ in cases when they do not require soft- or hard-forks of the Bitcoin blockchain level and are not directly related to issues covered in Lightning Network RFCs (BOLTs).

Basically, LNP/BPs cover everything that can be anchored to Bitcoin transactions, defines primitives for L2+ solution design and describes complex use cases which can be built from some primitives. This allows such solutions as financial assets, storage, messaging, computing and different forms of secondary markets leveraging Bitcoin security model and Bitcoin as a method of payment/medium of exchange.

Criteria for a LNP/BP specification proposal:

  • Should not be covered by existing or proposed BIPs

  • Should not cause soft- or hard-fork in Bitcoin blockchain (but may depend on soft-forks from an existing BIP proposals)

  • Should not distort Bitcoin miner's economic incentives

  • Should not pollute Bitcoin blockchain with unnecessary non-transaction related data or have to maintain such pollution as low as possible

  • Must not require a utility or security tokens to function (but may enable creation of digital assets or tokenized physical goods)

  • Must not depend on non-bitcoin blockchains (but may be applicable to other blockchains)

Verticals for LNP/BP proposals:

List of LNP/BP standards and proposals

Invited or planned proposals to join LNP/BP standards family

  1. Other lightning network extensions:

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