Bitcoin Magazine Podcast

How Chaincode Labs is Building the Next Generation of Bitcoin Developers w/ Core Dev Matthew Zipkin

Feb 10, 2026
Guest
Matthew Zipkin
Matthew Zipkin, Core developer at Chaincode Labs who runs the BOSS challenge program to train Bitcoin protocol contributors. He explains challenge-based training that filters for deep protocol literacy. Topics include hard coding tasks, low-level transaction and Lightning work, peer learning via Discord, and how programs funnel and retain promising developers.
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INSIGHT

Challenge-Based Recruitment Works

  • Chaincode's BOSS program filters for developers by using hard, self-directed coding challenges instead of traditional lectures.
  • This structure identifies people who can learn autonomously and perform on complex protocol tasks under loose deadlines.
ADVICE

Use Difficulty As A Purposeful Filter

  • Set a high bar to screen for motivated contributors; make early challenges intentionally difficult.
  • Use hardness as a filter to quickly identify those who can handle self-directed, complex protocol work.
ADVICE

Build Protocol Implementations From Scratch

  • Implement protocol features from scratch to learn low-level encoding, hashing, and serialization details.
  • Read specs closely and build implementations rather than relying solely on high-level libraries.
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