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title: Letter about Learning Bitcoin Release
tags: [letters]

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title: Letter about Learning Bitcoin Release
tags: letters
robots: noindex, nofollow
---

Blockchain Commons has recently released v2.0 of our Learning Bitcoin course. 

* [Visit the Course](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/README.md)
* [Support the Course](https://github.com/sponsors/BlockchainCommons)

Learning Bitcoin was one of our first projects, launched back in 2017 with support from Blockstream. The intent of the course was to teach the fundamentals of Bitcoin programming through Bitcoin Core and its RPC-based command-line interface. 
We chose this methodology because Bitcoin Core is one of the most robust, secure, and safe cryptocurrency interfaces in existence. We believe it's the solid foundation for programming Bitcoin; it also allows you to interact with Bitcoin in a way that teaches the fundamentals.

Blockchain Commons' overarcing goal has always been to improve the open infrastructure of the blockchain industry, and one of the ways to do that is to build the next generation of engineers. Our course was very successful in this regard. It has helped Bitcoin novices to become Bitcoin developers: some have created their own open-source projects and others have been hired for entry-level jobs. Some of Blockchain Commons'  own engineers, including many of our interns, got their start with the Learning Bitcoin course. Even GitHub's raw numbers reveal the interest in the course, with 100 Watches, 350 Forks, and 1300 Stars. 

However, Bitcoin is still undergoing rapid development, which led to the need for v2.0 of the course, so that could update it for Bitcoin 0.20: every example in the course has been updated and revised accordingly. The updated course has also has been expanded to include a number of new topics. New sections discuss descriptors, SegWit, and how SegWit's new transaction types interact with Bitcoin Scripts. We've also added new chapters for larger topics:

* A chapter on [PSBTs](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/07_0_Expanding_Bitcoin_Transactions_PSBTs.md) looks at Partially Signed Bitcoin Transactions as well as how they can be used with Bitcoin Core's Hardware Interface.
* Though our focus is on the command-line interface,another new chapter talks about [C programming with RPC (and ZMQ) libraries](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/15_0_Talking_to_Bitcoind.md).
* Libwally is a great extension to command-line programming, so [another new Chapter](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/16_0_Programming_with_Libwally.md) covers its wallet and cryptographic features.
* We also touch upon RPC programming in [Go, Java, NodeJS, Python, Rust, and Swift](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/17_0_Talking_to_Bitcoind_Other.md).
* Finally, we're proud to present our first look at the Lightning command-line interface in a [two](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/18_0_Understanding_Your_Lightning_Setup.md) [chapter](https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/19_0_Using_Lightning.md) finale to the book.

Bitcoin is quickly evolving, but the Learning Bitcoin course from Blockchain Commons is now updated to teach all about its newest incarnation.

However, we need your support. Where v1 of Learning Bitcoin was largely sponsored by Blockstream, v2 was done with our own resources. We hope that you can help us recoup those costs, so that we can continue to create open infrastructure of all sorts.

If you think that education resources of this sort are important, please become an [ongoing sponsor](https://github.com/sponsors/BlockchainCommons) or if you prefer, make a one-time donation at our [BTCPay](https://btcpay.blockchaincommons.com/).

Thank you for your help in improving our techological commons for blockchain and Bitcoin users!

Christopher Allen