Learn Bitcoin from the Command Line

Cohort Kicking off on June 2025

What is it? The LBTCL Cohort is a hands-on, immersive cohort designed to teach you how to interact with Bitcoin Core through the command line interface (CLI). From basic transaction creation to advanced scripting, this cohort covers the essential operations using bitcoin-cli and a local bitcoind regtest node. It’s the perfect way to build a strong foundation in Bitcoin development, with a focus on practical, command-line skills.

Who is it for? This cohort is tailored for intermediate learners — those who have a basic understanding of Bitcoin and want to deepen their knowledge by working directly with Bitcoin Core. Whether you're a developer, engineer, or just someone eager to get hands-on with Bitcoin, this cohort will help you elevate your Bitcoin development skills to the next level.

What are the prerequisites? You should have a basic knowledge of Bitcoin and be comfortable using Unix/Linux command-line terminals. Familiarity with the material in "Mastering Bitcoin" will be helpful, but not required. Your eagerness to dive into the command line is what matters most!

What are the takeaways?

Solid Grasp of Bitcoin Core : Get in-depth knowledge of Bitcoin Core and its operations
Node Management Skills : Learn to set up and manage a local bitcoind regtest node for testing and experimentation
Scripting Proficiency : Explore advanced scripting techniques to create custom Bitcoin scripts and smart contracts
Community : Join a community of like-minded learners, participating in discussions and collaborative learning
Certificate of Achievement : Earn a certificate recognizing your completion and proof-of-work
Foundation for Advanced Study : Open doors to more advanced topics in Bitcoin development, setting the stage for deeper exploration, such as programmatically interfacing with bitcoin-cli and exploring the lightning network.
Fellowship Opportunities : Gain access to fellowship opportunities at Bitshala and exclusive invites to Bitspace for more physical community experiences

What is the fellowship program? The fellowship program is your launchpad into the Bitcoin FOSS(Free and Open Source Software) world. Whether it's developing innovative open-source software or leading educational initiatives, this is where your contributions to Bitcoin begin — and maybe even your Bitcoin career!

Cohort Details

Commencement date

June 2025

Duration

08 weeks

Cohort level

Intermediate (Basic Hands-On)

Mode

Self-study, weekly live sessions, group discussions, and QnA

Format

Online virtual classroom

Structure

The structure of the cohort program is designed for self-study. Each week, participants will be assigned to a group to receive questions related to the scheduled chapters. Participants are expected to study the material, prepare answers to their questions, and actively participate in the weekly group discussion sessions, where they will explain their answers to other participants.

Following the group discussion, Bitshala Teaching Assistants (TAs) will be available for doubt-clearing sessions, providing an opportunity to ask additional questions and clarify any doubts that arose during the study session.

After the group session, participants will be given programming exercises based on the weekly study content. Participants are expected to complete and submit the exercises within the designated timeframe.

Cohort calendar

Weeks

Lessons

Chapters

Week 01

Introduction (1) ; Setting Up Bitcoin Core VPS (2) ; Understanding Your Bitcoin Setup (3)

01-03

Week 02

Sending Bitcoin TXNs (4) ; Controlling Bitcoin TXNs (5)

04-05

Week 03

Expanding Bitcoin TXNs - Multisigs (6) ; Expanding Bitcoin TXNs - PSBTs (7)

06-07

Week 04

Expanding Bitcoin TXNs - Other (8) ; Introducing Bitcoin Scripts (9)

08-09

Week 05

Embedding Bitcoin Scripts in p2SH TXNs (10) ; Empowering Timelock with Bitcoin Scripts (11)

10-11

Week 06

Expanding Bitcoin Scripts (12) ; Designing Bitcoin Scripts (13)

12-13

Week 07

Next Steps

The cohort covers chapters 01 to 13 of "Learning Bitcoin From Command Line”. After the cohort, participants are encouraged to independently explore chapters 14 to 20, which delve into the advanced functionalities of Bitcoin Core. This will allow them to further explore more advanced topics.