Btrust Builders is Btrust’s comprehensive engineering program dedicated to training and funding African software developers to contribute to Bitcoin and Lightning open-source projects.
Btrust Builders
A change can look straightforward and still have effects its author did not expect. A bug fix might miss an edge case, a new feature might make it easier to exhaust a node’s resources, or a small adjustment might change behavior elsewhere in the software. Code review helps developers
Btrust Builders
Bitcoin mining brings to mind specialized machines and the electricity they consume. But those machines are only part of the story. Behind them is software that connects miners to pools, distributes work, builds candidate blocks, and helps operators keep everything running. There are many projects and tools developers can build
Btrust Builders
A patch can compile, pass its tests, and still miss what a project needs. It might solve only part of a problem, repeat something that already exists, or introduce behaviour that its tests never check. That has always been true in software development. AI adds another question: when a tool
Btrust Builders
The 2026 Open-Source Fellowship gives fellows a pathway from learning to doing. After building their foundations in Bitcoin and open-source development, fellows choose a project and begin contributing with support from a mentor. Choosing that project can be one of the harder parts of the process. The Bitcoin
Btrust Builders
Between May and July 2026, developers from across Africa and beyond came together for four Btrust Builders pathway cohorts: Rust for Bitcoiners, Language Clubs, Mastering Bitcoin, and Learn Bitcoin from the Command Line. Together, the cohorts recorded 204 enrollments and 87 successful graduations, supporting developers at different stages of their
Btrust Builders
Last year, we ran our first Open Source Bootcamp with a goal of making Bitcoin open-source contribution feel less intimidating. Many developers in our Builders pathways had the technical foundation to contribute, but they were unsure how to get started. They did not always know how to navigate a
Btrust Builders
The journey through Btrust Builders can lead in many directions. Alumni have gone on to work on Bitcoin infrastructure, build products, contribute to open-source projects, teach other developers, and create communities where more people can find their way into Bitcoin development. In part one, we looked at five alumni
Btrust Builders
For many developers, Btrust Builders is where their open-source journey begins. Through technical education, mentorship, and hands-on learning, participants develop the skills needed to contribute to Bitcoin. What happens next is often just as interesting. Today, Builders alumni can be found across different parts of the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Btrust Builders
The BOSS Challenge may be over, but for this year’s finalists, the work has not stopped. They are still opening pull requests, responding to reviews and building tools for Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. Some are improving the projects they started during the challenge. Others have moved into new
Btrust Builders
In Q1 2026, Btrust Builders ran two learning pathways in parallel: Mastering Bitcoin and Learn Bitcoin from the Command Line. Each pathway had two tracks: a live cohort with weekly sessions, chaperones, structured assignments, and formal graduation requirements; and a self-paced track for developers who wanted to study the
Btrust Builders
The first pathways of 2026 at Btrust Builders officially concluded recently. Between March and April 2026, developers from across Africa and beyond participated in two learning pathways: Mastering Bitcoin and Learn Bitcoin from the Command Line. Each pathway ran in two formats: a structured live cohort and an open self‑
Btrust Builders
Building a scalable, high‑quality pipeline for Bitcoin open‑source contributors