Definition
The BIP process is the documented procedure by which changes to Bitcoin and its surrounding conventions are proposed, discussed, and recorded. A Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) is a design document that either describes a new feature, gathers community input on a design, or documents a process. The process itself is self-describing: it is defined in BIP 2, which superseded the original BIP 1. Because Bitcoin has no central authority, the BIP process is a coordination tool rather than a decision-making body. A BIP does not become consensus rule simply by being assigned a number.
Types and statuses
BIPs fall into three categories. Standards Track BIPs affect interoperability or consensus across implementations. Informational BIPs offer guidelines that the community may freely ignore. Process BIPs describe changes to procedure and generally require rough consensus. Each BIP advances through statuses such as Draft, Proposed, Final, Active, Rejected, Withdrawn, or Replaced. A proposal that sees no progress for an extended period may be marked Rejected.
The champion and the editor
An author (the champion) is expected to vet an idea on the public developer mailing list before formal submission, then shepherd discussion and revisions. BIP editors perform an administrative role: assigning numbers, checking formatting and licensing, and merging the document into the repository. Editors do not judge technical merit, and number assignment is not an endorsement.
The BIP process documents intent; activation of any consensus change is a separate matter handled through soft fork activation methods. Discussion typically begins on the Bitcoin developer mailing list.
Full open-data reference: Bitcoin BIPs Reference — CSV / JSON + REST API, CC BY 4.0.
In Simple Terms
The BIP process is the documented procedure by which changes to Bitcoin and its surrounding conventions are proposed, discussed, and recorded. A Bitcoin Improvement Proposal…