READ THE CODE

Inside Bitcoin

The code behind the network, with room to understand it.

Stable release v32.1bitcoin/bitcoin · f0de87f04062 ↗3,020 source files · 47.5 MB stored on the server440 file guides

Release published 2026-10-28 · Snapshot fetched 2026-11-01. Latest stable release at fetch time; development branches and Git history are excluded. Only the selected code window and visible folders load here.

7,304 bytes · SHA-256 b9b2bb83ab995821… · View upstream ↗

1# Release process
2
3This document outlines the process for releasing versions of the form `$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH`.
4
5We distinguish between two types of releases: *regular* and *maintenance* releases.
6Regular releases are releases of a new major or minor version as well as patches of the most recent release.
7Maintenance releases, on the other hand, are required for patches of older releases.
8
9You should coordinate with the other maintainers on the release date, if possible.
10This date will be part of the release entry in [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md) and it should match the dates of the remaining steps in the release process (including the date of the tag and the GitHub release).
11It is best if the maintainers are present during the release, so they can help ensure that the process is followed correctly and, in the case of a regular release, they are aware that they should not modify the master branch between merging the PR in step 1 and the PR in step 3.
12
13This process also assumes that there will be no minor releases for old major releases.
14
15We aim to cut a regular release every 3-4 months, approximately twice as frequent as major Bitcoin Core releases. Every second release should be published one month before the feature freeze of the next major Bitcoin Core release, allowing sufficient time to update the library in Core.
16
17## Sanity checks
18
19Perform these checks when reviewing the release PR (see below):
20
211. Ensure `make distcheck` doesn't fail.
22   ```shell
23   ./autogen.sh && ./configure --enable-dev-mode && make distcheck
24   ```
252. Check installation with autotools:
26   ```shell
27   dir=$(mktemp -d)
28   ./autogen.sh && ./configure --prefix=$dir && make clean && make install && ls -RlAh $dir
29   gcc -o ecdsa examples/ecdsa.c $(PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$dir/lib/pkgconfig pkg-config --cflags --libs libsecp256k1) -Wl,-rpath,"$dir/lib" && ./ecdsa
30   ```
313. Check installation with CMake:
32   ```shell
33   dir=$(mktemp -d)
34   build=$(mktemp -d)
35   cmake -B $build -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$dir && cmake --build $build && cmake --install $build && ls -RlAh $dir
36   gcc -o ecdsa examples/ecdsa.c -I $dir/include -L $dir/lib*/ -l secp256k1 -Wl,-rpath,"$dir/lib",-rpath,"$dir/lib64" && ./ecdsa
37   ```
384. Use the [`check-abi.sh`](/tools/check-abi.sh) tool to verify that there are no unexpected ABI incompatibilities and that the version number and the release notes accurately reflect all potential ABI changes. To run this tool, the `abi-dumper` and `abi-compliance-checker` packages are required.
39   ```shell
40   tools/check-abi.sh
41   ```
42
43## Preparing and tagging a release
44
45If you're going to sign the release, make sure that your default GPG signing key is the [expected one](../SECURITY.md).
46You can see your default key by running `echo "test" | gpg --sign --verbose > /dev/null`.
47
48### Regular release
49
501. Open a PR to the master branch with a commit (using message `"release: prepare for $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"`, for example) that
51   * finalizes the release notes in [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md) by
52       * adding a section for the release (make sure that the version number is a link to a diff between the previous and new version),
53       * removing the `[Unreleased]` section header,
54       * ensuring that the release notes are not missing entries
55         (check the `needs-changelog` label on GitHub and also go manually through the list of commits since the previous release), and
56       * including an entry for `### ABI Compatibility` if it doesn't exist,
57   * sets `_PKG_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` to `true` in `configure.ac`, and,
58   * if this is not a patch release,
59       * updates `_PKG_VERSION_*` and `_LIB_VERSION_*`  in `configure.ac`, and
60       * updates `project(libsecp256k1 VERSION ...)` and `${PROJECT_NAME}_LIB_VERSION_*` in `CMakeLists.txt`.
612. Perform the [sanity checks](#sanity-checks) on the PR branch
62   and attach the output of the [`check-abi`](/tools/check-abi.sh) tool (screenshot of the generated compatibility HTML report) to the PR description.
633. After the PR has been merged, tag the commit, and push the tag:
64   ```
65   RELEASE_COMMIT=<merge commit of step 1>
66   git tag -s v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH -m "libsecp256k1 $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH" $RELEASE_COMMIT
67   git push [email protected]:bitcoin-core/secp256k1.git v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH
68   ```
694. Open a PR to the master branch with a commit (using message `"release cleanup: bump version after $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"`, for example) that
70   * sets `_PKG_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` to `false` and increments `_PKG_VERSION_PATCH` and `_LIB_VERSION_REVISION` in `configure.ac`,
71   * increments the `$PATCH` component of `project(libsecp256k1 VERSION ...)` and `${PROJECT_NAME}_LIB_VERSION_REVISION` in `CMakeLists.txt`, and
72   * adds an `[Unreleased]` section header and a corresponding `[Unreleased]` link at the bottom of [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md).
73
74   If other maintainers are not present to approve the PR, it can be merged without ACKs.
75
76### Maintenance release
77
78Note that bug fixes need to be backported only to releases for which no compatible release without the bug exists.
79
801. If there's no maintenance branch `$MAJOR.$MINOR`, create one:
81   ```
82   git checkout -b $MAJOR.$MINOR v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$((PATCH - 1))
83   git push [email protected]:bitcoin-core/secp256k1.git $MAJOR.$MINOR
84   ```
852. Open a pull request to the `$MAJOR.$MINOR` branch that
86   * includes the bug fixes,
87   * finalizes the release notes similar to a regular release,
88   * increments `_PKG_VERSION_PATCH` and `_LIB_VERSION_REVISION` in `configure.ac`
89     and the `$PATCH` component of `project(libsecp256k1 VERSION ...)` and `${PROJECT_NAME}_LIB_VERSION_REVISION` in `CMakeLists.txt`
90     (with commit message `"release: bump versions for $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"`, for example).
913. Perform the [sanity checks](#sanity-checks) on the PR branch.
924. After the PR has been merged, update the release branch, tag the commit, and push the tag:
93   ```
94   git checkout $MAJOR.$MINOR && git pull
95   git tag -s v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH -m "libsecp256k1 $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"
96   git push [email protected]:bitcoin-core/secp256k1.git v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH
97   ```
985. Open a PR to the master branch that includes a commit (with commit message `"release notes: add $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"`, for example) that adds release notes to [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md).
996. Get the PR merged to ensure that the [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md) file on the master branch is current before announcing the release.
100
101## Creating a tarball and announcing the release
102
1031. Create a tarball and a detached GPG signature covering it, and check that the signature verifies under the expected key.
104     ```
105     git archive --output "libsecp256k1-$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH.tar.gz" --prefix "libsecp256k1-$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH/" v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH
106     gpg --detach-sign "libsecp256k1-$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH.tar.gz"
107     gpg --verify "libsecp256k1-$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH.tar.gz.sig"
108     ```
1092. Create a new GitHub release with a link to the corresponding entry in [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md).
110   Attach the tarball and the detached signature.
1113. Send an announcement email to the bitcoin-dev mailing list.
112
113
114## Cleaning up
115
1161. Close the GitHub milestone, and create a new one. Consider moving unresolved issues to the new milestone.
1172. Remove the `needs-changelog` label from all merged PRs.
118

src/wallet/receive.cpp

src/wallet/coinselection.cpp

src/consensus/validation.h

src/primitives/transaction.cpp

src/script/descriptor.cpp

src/bitcoin-cli.cpp

src/rpc/blockchain.cpp

src/rpc/rawtransaction.cpp

src/init.cpp

src/crypto/sha256.cpp

src/consensus/merkle.h

src/consensus/tx_check.h

src/consensus/tx_verify.h

src/policy/feerate.h

src/policy/feerate.cpp

src/primitives/transaction_identifier.h

src/chainparamsbase.h

src/chainparamsbase.cpp

src/util/moneystr.cpp

src/crypto/ripemd160.h

src/crypto/sha1.h

src/crypto/sha512.h

src/crypto/hmac_sha256.h

src/crypto/hmac_sha512.h

src/crypto/hmac_sha256.cpp

src/crypto/hmac_sha512.cpp

src/crypto/hkdf_sha256_32.h

src/crypto/hkdf_sha256_32.cpp

src/support/cleanse.h

src/support/cleanse.cpp

src/crypto/siphash.cpp

src/crypto/muhash.h

src/crypto/chacha20.h

src/crypto/poly1305.h

src/crypto/chacha20poly1305.h

src/crypto/chacha20poly1305.cpp

src/util/chaintype.cpp

src/util/obfuscation.h

src/util/byte_units.h

src/util/overflow.h

src/blockencodings.cpp

src/net_permissions.cpp

src/policy/packages.cpp

src/policy/rbf.cpp

src/policy/truc_policy.cpp

src/policy/ephemeral_policy.cpp

src/policy/settings.cpp

src/policy/policy.cpp

src/node/transaction.cpp

src/node/coin.cpp

src/rpc/client.cpp

src/rpc/external_signer.cpp

src/rpc/request.cpp

src/rpc/server_util.cpp

src/rpc/fees.cpp

src/rpc/output_script.cpp

src/rpc/rawtransaction_util.cpp

src/rpc/rawtransaction_util.h

src/rpc/register.h

src/rpc/request.h

src/rpc/server_util.h

src/rpc/protocol.h

src/rpc/server.h

src/rpc/signmessage.cpp

src/rpc/txoutproof.cpp

src/rpc/util.cpp

src/rpc/util.h

src/wallet/rpc/addresses.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/backup.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/coins.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/encrypt.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/signmessage.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/util.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/util.h

src/wallet/coincontrol.cpp

src/wallet/coincontrol.h

src/wallet/context.cpp

src/wallet/context.h

src/wallet/crypter.cpp

src/wallet/crypter.h

src/wallet/db.cpp

src/wallet/export.cpp

src/wallet/external_signer_scriptpubkeyman.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/spend.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/transactions.cpp

src/wallet/rpc/wallet.cpp

src/wallet/feebumper.cpp

src/wallet/feebumper.h

src/index/base.h

src/index/base.cpp

src/index/txindex.h

src/index/txindex.cpp

src/index/txindex_key.h

src/index/txospenderindex.h

src/index/txospenderindex.cpp

src/index/blockfilterindex.h

src/index/blockfilterindex.cpp

src/index/coinstatsindex.h

src/index/coinstatsindex.cpp

src/index/db_key.h

src/index/disktxpos.h

src/kernel/chain.cpp

src/kernel/chain.h

src/kernel/checks.cpp

src/kernel/checks.h

src/kernel/context.cpp

src/kernel/context.h

src/kernel/cs_main.cpp

src/kernel/cs_main.h

src/kernel/disconnected_transactions.cpp

src/kernel/disconnected_transactions.h

src/kernel/mempool_removal_reason.cpp

src/kernel/mempool_removal_reason.h

src/kernel/coinstats.cpp

src/kernel/coinstats.h

src/kernel/chainparams.cpp

src/kernel/chainparams.h

src/wallet/sqlite.cpp

src/wallet/sqlite.h

src/wallet/transaction.cpp

src/wallet/transaction.h

src/wallet/dump.cpp

src/wallet/dump.h

src/wallet/init.cpp

src/wallet/walletutil.cpp

src/wallet/walletutil.h

src/wallet/wallettool.cpp

src/wallet/wallettool.h

src/wallet/export.h

src/wallet/migrate.cpp

src/wallet/migrate.h

src/wallet/db.h

src/wallet/walletdb.cpp

src/wallet/interfaces.cpp

src/wallet/scriptpubkeyman.cpp

src/wallet/scriptpubkeyman.h

src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp

src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h

src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h

src/node/chainstate.cpp

src/node/chainstate.h

src/node/blockstorage.cpp

src/node/blockstorage.h

src/node/mempool_persist.cpp

src/node/mempool_persist.h

src/node/utxo_snapshot.cpp

src/node/utxo_snapshot.h

src/node/kernel_notifications.cpp

src/node/kernel_notifications.h

src/node/blockmanager_args.cpp

src/kernel/blockmanager_opts.h

src/util/expected.cpp

src/policy/settings.h

src/util/types.h

src/kernel/messagestartchars.h

src/kernel/warning.h

src/util/exception.h

src/common/license_info.h

src/node/coins_view_args.h

src/node/database_args.h

src/util/batchpriority.h

src/util/ui_change_type.h

src/node/coins_view_args.cpp

src/node/peerman_args.h

src/util/serfloat.h

src/node/blockmanager_args.h

src/node/database_args.cpp

src/util/overloaded.h

src/interfaces/types.h

src/node/chainstatemanager_args.h

src/node/minisketchwrapper.h

src/util/macros.h

src/util/syserror.h

src/common/run_command.h

src/util/bytevectorhash.cpp

src/node/mempool_persist_args.cpp

src/util/exec.h

src/util/rbf.h

src/crypto/hex_base.h

src/node/mempool_persist_args.h

src/interfaces/echo.h

src/util/any.h

src/util/batchpriority.cpp

src/util/threadnames.h

src/node/coin.h

src/node/mempool_args.h

src/util/asmap.h

src/util/bytevectorhash.h

src/node/context.cpp

src/util/insert.h

src/util/readwritefile.h

src/node/peerman_args.cpp

src/node/interface_ui.cpp

src/interfaces/handler.h

src/node/mining_args.h

src/util/hasher.cpp

src/common/init.h

src/kernel/mempool_limits.h

src/common/system.h

src/crypto/sha3.h

src/util/threadinterrupt.cpp

src/node/protocol_version.h

src/util/exception.cpp

src/common/messages.h

src/node/connection_types.cpp

src/util/bip32.h

src/common/license_info.cpp

src/util/stdmutex.h

src/common/run_command.cpp

src/util/check.cpp

src/util/golombrice.h

src/node/types.h

src/node/timeoffsets.h

src/util/readwritefile.cpp

src/util/fastrange.h

src/util/signalinterrupt.h

src/util/task_runner.h

src/util/syserror.cpp

src/common/interfaces.cpp

src/common/types.h

src/util/threadinterrupt.h

src/kernel/chainstatemanager_opts.h

src/node/psbt.h

src/policy/ephemeral_policy.h

src/util/trace.h

src/common/url.cpp

src/kernel/mempool_options.h

src/util/serfloat.cpp

src/kernel/notifications_interface.h

src/node/timeoffsets.cpp

src/node/warnings.cpp

src/util/hash_type.h

src/crypto/hex_base.cpp

src/node/eviction.h

src/util/tokenbucket.h

src/crypto/aes.h

src/common/pcp.h

src/util/feefrac.cpp

src/node/transaction.h

src/util/threadnames.cpp

src/common/signmessage.h

src/util/exec.cpp

src/util/signalinterrupt.cpp

src/clientversion.cpp

src/common/signmessage.cpp

src/compat/assumptions.h

src/compat/byteswap.h

src/deploymentinfo.cpp

src/deploymentinfo.h

src/deploymentstatus.cpp

src/deploymentstatus.h

src/dummywallet.cpp

src/external_signer.h

src/init/bitcoin-gui.cpp

src/init/bitcoin-node.cpp

src/init/bitcoin-qt.cpp

src/init/bitcoin-wallet.cpp

src/init/bitcoind.cpp

src/init/common.h

src/interfaces/init.h

src/interfaces/ipc.h

src/key_io.h

src/logging/categories.h

src/logging/timer.h

src/mapport.h

src/musig.h

src/net_permissions.h

src/netgroup.h

src/netmessagemaker.h

src/node/chainstatemanager_args.cpp

src/node/connection_types.h

src/node/context.h

src/node/interface_ui.h

src/node/mempool_args.cpp

src/node/mining_args.cpp

src/node/minisketchwrapper.cpp

src/node/txreconciliation.h

src/policy/fees/estimator_args.cpp

src/policy/fees/estimator_args.h

src/policy/fees/estimator_man.cpp

src/policy/fees/estimator_man.h

src/policy/packages.h

src/policy/rbf.h

src/policy/truc_policy.h

src/pow.h

src/primitives/block.cpp

src/randomenv.h

src/rest.h

src/script/keyorigin.h

src/script/parsing.cpp

src/script/parsing.h

src/script/script_error.h

src/script/sigcache.cpp

src/script/sigcache.h

src/script/solver.h

src/script/verify_flags.h

src/semaphore_grant.h

src/signet.h

src/span.h

src/support/allocators/secure.h

src/support/allocators/zeroafterfree.h

src/util/tokenpipe.cpp

src/util/translation.h

src/util/vector.h

src/versionbits.h

src/versionbits_impl.h

src/wallet/external_signer_scriptpubkeyman.h

src/wallet/fees.h

src/wallet/load.h

src/wallet/receive.h

src/wallet/rpc/wallet.h

src/wallet/types.h

src/walletinitinterface.h

src/zmq/zmqabstractnotifier.cpp

Independent explanations by MyBitcoinExplorer. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Bitcoin Core. Guides are educational and do not replace the source or its tests.

Bitcoin Core source © its contributors, distributed under the MIT license. Original notices and bundled third-party licenses are retained in the source tree.