First Lightning PR

Submit a tested pull request to a Lightning implementation or tool.

advanced2 weeks

Public lesson — sign in to track progress on this roadmap.

Learning objectives

Reproduce a bug or feature need locally
Add or update tests with your change
Navigate CI and review on a Lightning repo

study // plan

Lessons are primers. Start with Step 1 (required reading) when present, then follow the numbered steps in the article. Depth comes from primary sources, labs, reflection, and evidence.

Research on Bitcoin Search

Lightning PR implementation contribution Lightning testing Polar regtest

Step 1 // Required reading

Complete these before the numbered steps in the lesson body. Links are listed here once — not repeated below.

bookMastering the Lightning Network
Use as protocol companion while debugging

Reflection prompts

Explain First Lightning PR to a teammate without jargon - what problem does it solve?
What would break in production if you misunderstood First Lightning PR?
Which BOLT (or implementation doc) is the source of truth for this topic, and what did you verify there?

Lab // Open or draft a PR

Complete Steps 2–3. Reproduce locally, add/update tests, and open a PR (or a complete draft PR + planned upstream). Tie the description to the protocol concept you fixed.

evidence required

Issue URL and PR URL (or draft PR text + branch)
Test / Polar / CI notes
Updated rubric self-score ≥ 8/10 (or documented gaps)

Landing a Lightning PR requires local labs (bitcoind + peers), patience with CI, and precise reproduction notes.

Complete Step 1 // Required reading in the study plan above, then continue here.

Step 2 — Context: reproduce → test → PR → iterate

Use Review Club picks or /issues. Tie your PR description to the protocol concept you fixed (liquidity, HTLC, routing, etc.).

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Reproduce, test, PR, CI, iterate with reviewers.

Done when: You can list reproduction steps a reviewer could follow without asking you.

Step 3 — Practice: ship the PR (lab)

Reproduce → fix → test → open (or draft). Summarize each push. Keep rubric ≥ 8/10.

Checklist

Reproduction steps in the PR body
Tests or Polar notes attached
Protocol concept named for reviewers

Done when: Lab evidence (issue + PR/draft + tests + score) is complete.

Next lesson

Protocol Review Practice — BOLT PRs and interop impact.

First Lightning PR

Learning objectives

Step 1 // Required reading

Reflection prompts

Lab // Open or draft a PR

How to study this lesson

Step 2 — Context: reproduce → test → PR → iterate

Step 3 — Practice: ship the PR (lab)

Checklist

Next lesson

further reading

First Lightning PR

Learning objectives

Step 1 // Required reading

Reflection prompts

Lab // Open or draft a PR

How to study this lesson

Step 2 — Context: reproduce → test → PR → iterate

Step 3 — Practice: ship the PR (lab)

Checklist

Next lesson

further reading