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Prerequisites

Before diving into Bitcoin development, you should have a working knowledge of the following areas. You don't need to be an expert — but having a solid foundation will make everything else much smoother.

Programming​

You should be comfortable with at least one general-purpose programming language. The most common in the Bitcoin ecosystem are:

  • C++ — Bitcoin Core is written in C++. Essential for protocol development.
  • Python — Great for scripting, testing, and rapid prototyping. Widely used in Bitcoin tooling.
  • JavaScript/TypeScript — The go-to for web-based wallets, tools, and Lightning apps.
  • Rust — Growing quickly in the Bitcoin space (BDK, LDK, and many new projects).
  • Go — Used in infrastructure tools like btcd, lnd.

Beyond a specific language, you should understand:

  • Data structures (arrays, hash maps, trees, linked lists)
  • Algorithms (sorting, searching, graph traversal)
  • Object-oriented and functional programming concepts
  • Version control with Git

Mathematics and Cryptography​

Bitcoin relies heavily on cryptography. You should understand:

  • Modular arithmetic — The foundation of most cryptographic operations
  • Hash functions — SHA-256, RIPEMD-160, and their properties (preimage resistance, collision resistance)
  • Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) — Bitcoin uses the secp256k1 curve for digital signatures
  • Digital signatures — How ECDSA and Schnorr signatures work at a high level
  • Merkle trees — Used in block headers and transaction verification

You don't need a math degree, but being comfortable with these concepts will help you understand why Bitcoin works the way it does.

Systems and Networking​

Bitcoin is a distributed system. Familiarity with these topics will be valuable:

  • Operating systems — Process management, file systems, memory management
  • Networking — TCP/IP, HTTP, peer-to-peer protocols, sockets
  • Command line — Navigating the terminal, shell scripting, package management
  • Linux/macOS — Most Bitcoin development happens on Unix-like systems
  • Databases — Basic understanding of key-value stores and relational databases