Data protocols, Ordinals, Runes, and BitVM

Analyze protocols built from Bitcoin transaction semantics.

Follow these 7 lessons in order, or choose the topic you need. Each lesson combines an explanation, a worked example and practice inside the Guild.

1. OP_RETURN and data commitments

   OP_RETURN outputs carry provably unspendable data but do not themselves enforce later spending conditions.

   Open lesson

2. Ordinals and inscriptions

   Ordinal theory assigns ordering conventions to satoshis while inscriptions use witness envelopes interpreted by off-chain indexers.

   Open lesson

3. Runes

   Runestones encode fungible token operations whose meaning is reconstructed by compatible indexers; cenotaph behavior supports upgrade semantics through burns.

   Open lesson

4. Indexer consensus

   Meta-protocol users depend on deterministic off-chain interpretation and must understand divergence and reorg handling.

   Open lesson

5. BitVM

   BitVM-style systems use commitments, challenge games, and Bitcoin-enforced disputes to verify computations without adding general execution to consensus.

   Open lesson

6. Client-side validation

   Some protocols keep rich state off chain while using Bitcoin commitments and proofs to constrain valid transitions.

   Open lesson

7. Policy and resource debates

   Data protocols affect fees, relay policy, UTXO growth, miner incentives, and social arguments about block-space use.

   Open lesson