Bitcoin Core

Basics

• First version 2014-03-19

• Wiki: "open source client of the bitcoin cryptocurrency. Initially, the software was published by Satoshi Nakamoto under the name Bitcoin, then Bitcoin-Qt and later renamed to Bitcoin Core. It is also known as the Satoshi client. It is the reference implementation for bitcoin nodes that create the bitcoin network. Since its introduction the majority of bitcoin miners support its use. In this way, the developers of Bitcoin Core are sanctioned to make changes to the underlying bitcoin protocol."
• Is often construed as an elite inner circle holding the Bitcoin network hostage. BitMEX Research disagrees, looking at three different ways competition exists within Bitcoin: between chains, between independent implementations, and other competing software projects; BitMEX finds that regardless of an offshoots goals, it requires network consensus. In the same manner, Bitcoin Core requires network consensus and its actual power is vastly overestimated; the ability to alter or maintain code does not mean it will be adopted by the greater network. (However it is good to keep in mind that BitMEX has given grants to Bitcoin Core devs before to continue their work. It could be that they are genuine about this research, or that they have a bias.)

Governance

• At the start of 2021 Wladimir J. van der Laan wrote a blog post in which he expressed his views and wants towards decentralising the developers process of Bitcoin, including using IPFS for code distribution, moving away from Github and handing over more tasks he is doing to a more wider group of people.

Bugs

• There has been many bugs found in the Bitcoin Core client (list here) with some of them being critical.

People working on Bitcoin Core:

• Amiti Uttarwar
• Bishop, Bryan; contributor
• BTCDrak; contributor
• Corallo, Matt; Core Dev, coder (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
• Cousens, Daniel; contributor
• Daftuar, Suhas; contributor
• Dooglus; contributor
• Dorier, Nicolas; contributor
• Falke, Marco; Maintainer
• Fields, Cory; coder, contributor (was part of Hong Kong Consensus), (Paid by MIT)
• Ford, Michael; contributor (got a grant from BitMEX)
• Fowler, Alex; Core Dev
• Friedenbach, Mark; Core Dev
• Garzik, Jeff; developer
• Gloria Zhao; core dev
• Hall, Francesca; Core Dev
• Janik, Pavel; contributor
• Jon Atack; core dev since 2019, had a grant from Square Crypto.
• John Newbery; core dev, brought in Amiti Uttarwar.
• Johnson, Dr. Lau; contributor
• Laan, Wladimir J. van der; Maintainer (Paid by MIT), left crypto all together in 2020.
• Lau, Johnson; coder (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
• Lombrozo, Eric; contributor
• Dashjr, Luke (Luke-Jr); contributor (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
• Maxwell, Gregory; old chief tech officer. Resigned in 1-2018.
• Mike Schmidt; core dev
• Morcos, Alex; contributor
• Rosenveld, Meni
• Rupp, Jean-Pierre; contributor
• Schnelli, Jonas; Maintainer
• Sneurlax; contributor
• Strateman, Patrick; core tech engineer
• Svenson, Erik; Core Dev
• Timon, Jorge; Core Tech Engineer
• Troelsen, Janus; contributor
• Todd, Peter; contributor (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
• Wilkens, Jonathan; Core Dev
• Wuille, Dr. Pieter; contributor

Funding

• Is getting funding from Gemini, Square and Kraken. From Decrypt (3-12-2020):

"Gemini today announced the launch of a $200,000 Bitcoin development fund. Called the Gemini Opportunity Fund, $150,000 of the money, in Bitcoin of course, will go straight to Brink, a London non-profit fellowship program to sponsor Bitcoin developers. The developers will work with John Newbery, Brink’s co-founder and executive director, and a Bitcoin Core contributor. Mike Schmidt, another Bitcoin core contributor. Square, the Human Rights Foundation and Kraken are among other donors. Kraken also donated $150,000. So far, the only fellow is Gloria Zhao, a Bitcoin Core contributor fresh from University of California, Berkeley, where she sat as president of its blockchain club."