Feedback
Sign in./start

Site navigation

Theme

Learn

  • Roadmaps

Build

  • Projects
  • Developer Tools

Contribute

  • Open Source Projects
  • Issues
  • Reviews
  • First Contribution
  • BountiesSoon
  • Feedback

Prove

  • Builders

Ecosystem

  • Partners
  • Get Funded↗
  • HackathonsSoon
Sign in./start-building

Become an Open Source Builder. Learn. Build. Contribute. Prove.

Feedback welcome — open a GitHub issue.

Learn

RoadmapsStart Building

Build

ProjectsDeveloper Tools

Contribute

Open Source ProjectsIssuesReviewsFirst ContributionSupportFeedback

Prove

Builders Directory

Account

Sign in

Legal

PrivacyTermsCredits

© 2026 Pull // code MIT · curriculum CC BY-SA 4.0

PrivacyTermsCredits

lesson // lightning

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.

./sign-in

On this page

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 PRimplementation contributionLightning testingPolar 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

  1. Explain First Lightning PR to a teammate without jargon - what problem does it solve?
  2. What would break in production if you misunderstood First Lightning PR?
  3. 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)
  1. 01

    Worked mental model

    Re-read the diagrams in this lesson once out loud in plain language. If you cannot explain the flow to a friend without jargon, pause and revisit the Mastering Bitcoin / Mastering Lightning chapters linked in Resources. Chapter references are intentional, not decorative.

  2. 02

    Hands-on habit

    Every protocol idea should be paired with one local experiment. That habit turns reading into builder instinct.

    1. Reproduce the happy path on regtest (or Polar for Lightning)
    2. Break it on purpose (wrong fee, expired invoice, offline peer)
    3. Write down what error you saw and which layer produced it (wallet, node, mempool, peer)
  3. 03

    Glossary check

    Pick three terms from this lesson and define them in one sentence each without opening notes. Weak definitions mean the lesson is not finished yet.

  4. 04

    Resource order

    Use Resources in order: narrative book chapter first, then BIP/BOLT for precision, then implementation docs for commands. Jumping straight to RPC flags without the mental model creates brittle knowledge.

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.).

Loading diagram…

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.

further reading

  • docsLND contributing
  • docsCLN contributing

progress // sign in

Reading is public. Sign in to mark lessons complete, sync across devices, and unlock your roadmap.

./sign-in-to-track

discussion

Discussion

prevContribution RubricnextProtocol Review Practice

On this page

Press Shift + ? for keyboard shortcuts.

Press R to research on Bitcoin Search.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.