The bitcoin design guide
Bitcoin is a global payment protocol that anyone with Internet access can participate in and contribute to. However, because bitcoin’s use cases are as vast as its user base, building bitcoin applications can be complicated.
We designed this guide to help anyone navigate those complexities—regardless of where they live or work. We can’t imagine every possible use case, but we can help you build for them.
Getting started
New to bitcoin? This section provides top-level overviews of open design, visual language, design principles, a technology primer and more.
Designing bitcoin products
A closer look at the design process and frameworks, from personal finance use cases to units & symbols, the usage life cycle, user research, and more.
Reference designs
Daily spending wallet
An in-depth exploration of a mobile wallet for a lightning-first, on-the-go use case. Covers primary user flows like first use, sending and requesting, features like backup and contacts, and more.
Savings wallet
A multi-key mobile wallet design that provides great security for larger amounts, and low-friction for smaller transactions.
Upgradeable wallet
Exploring the concept of progressive security, in which applications help users navigate varying security configurations appropriate to their holdings and use case.
Shared wallet
An overview and considerations for bitcoin wallets that are managed by multiple owners.
Multiple wallets
How to design for use cases where it is important to manage multiple wallets in a single application.
Inheritance wallet
An in-depth exploration of a multi-key wallet designed for long-term savings and inheritance. It covers everything from wallet creation, backup, change management and succession.
How it works
Explanations of various technical aspects of bitcoin and lightning.
Case studies
Collaboration summaries including Blixt Wallet, Payjoin, WalletScrutiny, and Bitcoin Core App.
Resources
Research references, shared design files, and other useful assets.
Glossary
Helps you learn the most need-to-know bitcoin terminology, from Address to ZPUB.
Contribute
Join our open community and help us improve the Bitcoin Design Guide. Here’s where you can get involved and contribute.