Bitshala

# Bitcoin wallets do not contain your bitcoin.

They manage the keys and scripts that allow you to prove ownership of bitcoin locked in the blockchain. Starting with a small amount of cryptographic randomness, a wallet can generate a structured hierarchy of private keys, public keys, addresses, and signing conditions.

In this technical meetup, we will go beneath wallet interfaces and explore how Bitcoin standards transform entropy into a usable self-custody system.

​You will learn how mnemonic phrases, elliptic-curve cryptography, hierarchical deterministic wallets, derivation paths, and output descriptors work together to create and manage Bitcoin keys.

## What we’ll cover

• ​Entropy and wallet seeds: How randomly generated entropy becomes the foundation of a wallet’s key hierarchy and why the quality of that randomness is critical to security.
• ​Private keys and public keys: How Bitcoin uses elliptic-curve cryptography to derive public keys from private keys, and how digital signatures prove control without revealing the private key.
• ​Mnemonic phrases and BIP39: How 12, 15, 18, 21, or 24 word recovery phrases encode entropy and include a checksum for backup and recovery.
• ​Hierarchical deterministic wallets: How standards such as BIP32 allow one seed to generate a large, organized tree of keys and accounts.
• ​Derivation paths: How paths such as `m/84'/0'/0'/0/0` identify specific keys within a wallet—and how using the wrong path can make funds appear to be missing.
• ​Extended keys and privacy: What xpubs and other extended keys reveal, why they are useful for watch-only wallets, and how leaking them can compromise transaction privacy.
• ​Output descriptors: How descriptors provide a clear, human-readable way to define the keys and scripts required to receive and spend Bitcoin.

## WHO'S GUIDING THIS

Bitshala Educators: Builders and educators actively working on Bitcoin FOSS education and open-source tooling.

## WHAT TO EXPECT

• ​A step-by-step walkthrough of the wallet derivation process
• ​Practical explanations of BIP32, BIP39, BIP44, and related standards
• ​Discussion of common wallet, backup, and privacy mistakes
• ​Beginner-friendly explanations for developers

​We will skip generic blockchain introductions and focus directly on how Bitcoin wallets work under the hood.

## ​IS THIS FOR YOU?

​This meetup is a good fit if you:

• ​Want to understand how a recovery phrase ultimately leads to a Bitcoin address
• ​Are curious about the relationship between private keys, public keys, addresses, and signatures
• ​Want to understand what wallet libraries do behind the scenes
• ​Think about security in terms of entropy, key exposure, and probability
• ​Are moving from web development toward Bitcoin or self-custody engineering
• ​Want to read and understand Bitcoin wallet-related standards

​You do not need advanced cryptography experience. Familiarity with basic programming concepts is helpful, along with an interest in understanding the mathematics and standards behind Bitcoin wallets.

​Most social platforms give you an account on their server; Nostr gives you a key pair that you control directly. Moving beyond Twitter alternatives, Nostr is a simple open protocol for signing and sending messages across decentralized servers. In this beginner-friendly workshop, we remove the complexity to help you understand how digital keys work, set up your first profile, and publish your first note.

Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn how Nostr works from the ground up!

## ​AGENDA

• ​Identity & Keypairs Made Simple: Learn how public keys (`npub`) and private keys give you true ownership of your profile without usernames or passwords.
• ​Setting Up Your First Account: Walk through generating your keys and securing your secret key step by step.
• ​How Relays Pass Your Messages: Understand how independent servers send your notes across the network without a central owner.
• ​Publishing Live Notes: Create, sign, and broadcast your very first Nostr note directly during the session.
• ​Exploring the Ecosystem: Find the right web and mobile clients for your needs and see where to go next.

## WHO'S GUIDING

​Led by Bitshala educators and open-source builders dedicated to onboarding the next generation of Bitcoin developers.

## ​IS THIS FOR YOU?

• ​You want to own your digital footprint without relying on big tech companies.
• ​You are curious about how public-key cryptography works in daily life.
• ​You prefer learning by doing in a friendly, supportive environment.
• ​You want to start your journey into decentralized software.

Prior technical experience is not required. Curiosity to learn is.

Your digital identity should belong to you, not a server.

# About Bitshala

Join us for Orientation Session of Mastering Bitcoin (MB) Cohort - Season 7
​Cohort Details:

​📅 Starts 12 September 2026 | 8‑Week Cohort | Saturdays, 8:00 PM IST (2:30 PM UTC)

​An immersive cohort based on Mastering Bitcoin (3rd ed.) by Andreas Antonopoulos, combining self‑study, discussions, and live sessions to understand how Bitcoin works—from transactions and wallets to mining and consensus.

​👉 For developers, designers, professionals, and curious learners.

​✅ No coding experience required

​🎓 Earn a Proof‑of‑Work certificate on completion

Join our laid-back Bitcoin tech catch-up every Monday at 8 PM IST on Discord!

We cover the latest Bitcoin Optech newsletter and podcast - https://bitcoinops.org/

Come chill with us in the chilly winters, as we dive into the latest Bitcoin Optech newsletter, discussing tech highlights in Bitcoin & Lightning.

Jump in. Monday 8 PM IST.