Base58
A Bitcoin protocol education organization offering intensive, in-person bootcamps focused on Bitcoin Core, transactions, and protocol fundamentals. Named after the Base58Check encoding scheme used in Bitcoin addresses.
Philosophy
Base58 teaches Bitcoin from first principles rather than through abstractions or custodial services. The curriculum is designed for developers and technical professionals who want to understand how Bitcoin actually works under the hood.
Core Programs
Base58 Bitcoin Transactions Bootcamp
- 4-day intensive, in-person program
- Covers transaction structure, scripting, SegWit, and Taproot
- Hands-on coding exercises in the language of the student's choice
- Prerequisite: working programming knowledge
Protocol Seminars
- Shorter-format sessions on specific protocol topics
- Often co-hosted with other Bitcoin education organizations
Distinguishing Features
- Language-agnostic — Exercises can be completed in Python, Rust, Go, JavaScript, or any language with basic crypto libraries
- No dependencies on Bitcoin libraries — Students build transactions from raw bytes, not via wrapper libraries
- Small cohorts — Typically 10-20 students per bootcamp for high instructor attention
- Protocol focus — Emphasizes the base layer over Lightning or application development
Alumni and Impact
Base58 graduates have gone on to contribute to Bitcoin Core, Lightning implementations, and education initiatives such as PlebDevs. Austin (@bitcoinplebdev), founder of PlebDevs, cites Base58 as part of his technical formation.
Comparison to Other Programs
| Program | Focus | Format | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base58 | Protocol/transactions | In-person intensive | Developers |
| Chaincode | Protocol/Lightning | Residency | Experienced devs |
| PlebDevs | App dev/Lightning | Online + workshops | Beginners |
| University courses | Broad blockchain | Semester-long | Students |
Related
- Bitcoin Education — Overview of Bitcoin learning paths
- PlebDevs — Education initiative founded by a Base58 alum
- Bitcoin Core — Primary protocol taught at Base58