# lightning/bolts

BOLT: Basis of Lightning Technology (Lightning Network Specifications)

Repository: https://github.com/lightning/bolts
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/bolts
Language: Markdown
License Family: other
Topics: cryptography, cryptocurrency, bitcoin, blockchain, lightning-network, lightning, protocol
Last push: 2026-08-26T06:50:01+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 77/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3579, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2248, forks 532 (observed 2026-08-28T04:06:30.253171+00:00)

## What it is
A repository of BOLT (Basis of Lightning Technology) documents that specify the Bitcoin Lightning Network protocol in Markdown. These community-drafted specifications serve as the normative reference that Lightning node implementations follow to stay interoperable.

## Use cases
- understand how the lightning network protocol works
- implement a lightning network node from the specs
- look up the bolt spec for invoice encoding
- check onion routing and payment channel message formats
- follow proposed changes to lightning protocol rules
- verify interoperability requirements between lightning implementations

## When to choose
- You need the authoritative normative reference for Lightning Network protocol behavior
- You are implementing, auditing, or testing Lightning node software and need exact wire formats and rules
- You want to track or contribute to ongoing Lightning protocol development and discussions

## When to avoid
- You need runnable Lightning node software - use an implementation like LND, Core Lightning, or Eclair instead
- You want an end-user wallet or payment app rather than protocol documentation
- You need introductory tutorials rather than dense normative specification text

## Facets
- artifact type: learning-resource
- maturity: active
- function: documentation, cryptography
- domain: blockchain, security, developer-tools
- platform: -
- tags: lightning-network, bitcoin, protocol-specification, bolts, payment-channels, off-chain-payments, onion-routing, markdown-docs, cryptocurrency

## Member repositories
- lightning/bolts (main) score 77

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:30.253171+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:43:57.133369+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/lightning/bolts (fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:30.253171+00:00, sha 9fc3cc1411b8)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.