Understand the system. Own your bitcoin.

Three parts. One foundation.

1. 01First PrinciplesWhy Bitcoin Core?Understand trust, learn Linux through harmless experiments, then start clean. See why this course chooses Bitcoin Core on dedicated generic hardware.5 milestones · Understand the foundation
   1. Begin with the threat0 of 5 steps complete

      1. Self-custody means control and understandingOpen step
      2. Write your threat model before choosing a solutionOpen step
      3. Make the remaining trust visibleOpen step
      4. Complexity has a security and economic costOpen step
      5. Bitcoin custody does not scale like a gold vaultOpen step
   2. Verify for yourself0 of 6 steps complete

      1. Bitcoin Core is a wallet and your own verifierOpen step
      2. Verification belongs inside the custody modelOpen step
      3. Electrum: the trade for an instant startOpen step
      4. Initial block download is a feature of sovereigntyOpen step
      5. Keep the verification work you have already doneOpen step
      6. One chain, several offline signersOpen step
   3. Choose the foundation0 of 7 steps complete

      1. Why this course starts with general-purpose hardwareOpen step
      2. Generic hardware, dedicated Debian, Bitcoin CoreOpen step
      3. BIP39: a readable root secret and its backup consequencesOpen step
      4. Where Core gets its wallet secretsOpen step
      5. Sparrow case study: a valid checksum is not good randomnessOpen step
      6. Choose recovery dependencies for 20, 40 or 80 yearsOpen step
      7. What this foundation cannot do for youOpen step
   4. Learn to control your computer0 of 6 steps complete

      1. Linux is something you can learnOpen step
      2. Why Debian StableOpen step
      3. Install Linux and make it yoursOpen step
      4. AI is a tutor, not a root of trustOpen step
      5. Make one change you understandOpen step
      6. Freedom creates responsibilityOpen step
   5. Start clean and verify0 of 3 steps complete

      1. Start cleanOpen step
      2. What exactly am I verifying?Open step
      3. Before practice: explain your chosen foundationOpen step
2. 02Master the Simple SystemSingle-sig Bitcoin CorePractice the wallet lifecycle in the GUI and console, prove backup and offline recovery, then decide whether to move to real bitcoin.7 milestones · Practice over several sessions
   1. Prepare Debian and Core0 of 6 steps complete

      1. Choose one dedicated computer for practiceOpen step
      2. Install a small, dedicated Debian systemOpen step
      3. Download Core and check that it is the intended releaseOpen step
      4. Practice with test coins firstOpen step
      5. Check whether you are using test coins or real bitcoinOpen step
      6. Open Core on the Signet practice networkOpen step
      7. Keep every block or save disk space with pruningOptional
   2. Operate one Core wallet0 of 13 steps complete

      1. Create a wallet used only for practiceOpen step
      2. How strong does my wallet passphrase need to be?Open step
      3. Explore the cost of guessingOpen step
      4. Generate the passphrase with KeePassXCOpen step
      5. Protect the test wallet with a password and back it upOpen step
      6. Receive test coins and send a small payment to yourselfOpen step
      7. Choose coins, fees and the final transaction deliberatelyOpen step
      8. Rebuild the test wallet from its backupOpen step
      9. Prove that the restored wallet can sendOpen step
      10. Lock, unlock and change the wallet passphraseOpen step
      11. See what the GUI is asking Core to doOpen step
      12. Repeat until the wallet lifecycle feels ordinaryOpen step
      13. Check that you completed the whole practice cycleOpen step
   3. Prove backup and recovery0 of 7 steps complete

      1. Find the wallet data that needs a backupOpen step
      2. Keep backups separate and up to dateOpen step
      3. Understand what an encrypted backup still revealsOpen step
      4. Choose backup media by failure modeOpen step
      5. Recover after losing the local wallet or a backup deviceOpen step
      6. Checkpoint — prove backup and recoveryOpen step
      7. Mastery checkpoint — I can operate one Core walletOpen step
   4. Separate node and signer0 of 6 steps complete

      1. Separate the jobs you already knowOpen step
      2. How the online computer and offline signer work togetherOpen step
      3. Three wallet roles you will encounterOpen step
      4. Transfer payment files safely between the computersOpen step
      5. Know when physical tampering means you should stopOpen step
      6. Prepare the offline signer and check it after shutdownOpen step
   5. Complete an offline payment0 of 2 steps complete

      1. Connect the wallets using public descriptorsOpen step
      2. Build online, sign offline, return and broadcastOpen step
   6. Recover without the originals0 of 3 steps complete

      1. Replace both computers and repeat the paymentOpen step
      2. Write a recovery guide someone else can followOpen step
      3. Before maintenance: operate without the original signerOpen step
   7. Maintain the setup0 of 3 steps complete

      1. Review the custody system every yearOpen step
      2. Make recovery understandable to another personOpen step
      3. Master the simple system before adding a spending policyOpen step
   8. Optional extensionsOptional · outside the required path

      1. Practise GPG backup encryption and optional layersOpen optional step
      2. Reuse your own block files and rebuild validation stateOpen optional step
      3. Optional: use Tails as the offline operating systemOpen optional step
      4. Optional: keep a small spending wallet onlineOpen optional step
   9. Move to real BitcoinOptional · outside the required path

      1. Move to real Bitcoin — deliberatelyOpen optional step
      2. Start a new wallet for real bitcoinOpen optional step
      3. Create the real wallet and its password offlineOpen optional step
      4. Restore the empty real wallet before depositingOpen optional step
      5. Check the setup before a small real-bitcoin testOpen optional step
      6. Send a small real payment from the restored walletOpen optional step
3. 03Advanced Spending PoliciesOnly when the threat model requires themExperience the work of multisig and recovery in Regtest. Add signers or delayed spending paths only when their benefits justify the operational cost.Optional policies · Optional, after mastery
   1. Decide whether to add authorityOptional · outside the required path

      1. Multisig is a spending policy, not a backup strategyOpen optional step
      2. Count the cost of three vendor ecosystemsOpen optional step
      3. Write the policy in ordinary language firstOpen optional step
   2. Learn the Core primitivesOptional · outside the required path

      1. Make a reproducible, disposable experimentOpen optional step
      2. Run the Core 31.1 laboratoryOpen optional step
      3. Use RPC only when you need its precisionOpen optional step
      4. Separate node state from wallet state in RPCOpen optional step
      5. Read and verify a descriptorOpen optional step
      6. Inspect the PSBT before adding signaturesOpen optional step
   3. Build and recover policiesOptional · outside the required path

      1. Build and spend a 2-of-3 policyOpen optional step
      2. Back up the policy as well as the keysOpen optional step
      3. Test the missing-signer casesOpen optional step
      4. Did the extra signers earn their place?Open optional step
      5. Taproot is an output format, not an automatic quorumOpen optional step
      6. Inspect a Taproot descriptor and its actual spending authorityOpen optional step
      7. Add a delayed recovery path only when you mean itOpen optional step
      8. Test every permitted path and every intended rejectionOpen optional step
      9. Before adopting a policy: justify and recover itOpen optional step
   4. Optional interfaces and further workOptional · outside the required path

      1. Optional: Core Explorer as an advanced interfaceOpen optional step
      2. Ask a technical question without exposing a walletOpen optional step