Bitcoin Inquisition 29.1

This update introduces support for several proposed consensus changes aimed at enhancing the functionality and efficiency of the Bitcoin network. Among these are significant improvements and new features such as SIGHASH_ANYPREVOUT as outlined in BIP 118, OP_CHECKTEMPLATEVERIFY from BIP 119, and several others including OP_CAT (BIP 347), OP_CHECKSIGFROMSTACK (BIP 348), and OP_INTERNALKEY (BIP 349), which are part of the BIN-24 series.

These enhancements have been incrementally activated on the default signet, with the first two being operational since September 6, 2022, and subsequent features following suit into 2024. The most recent changes are scheduled to be activated imminently, marking a significant milestone in the network's evolution. It's important to note that transactions utilizing these new features will require peering with nodes that support the inquisition consensus changes, as they will not be relayed by nodes lacking this compatibility. An efficient method to facilitate this connection is through specifying addnode=inquisition.bitcoin-signet.net in the node configuration.

Additionally, this release extends support to the sending side of template sharing as per BIP 153, enabling a more streamlined block reconstruction process for nodes that are interoperable with inquisition nodes but do not adopt the consensus changes themselves. This feature represents a critical step towards improving network resilience and efficiency by minimizing the necessity for data round trips during block propagation. For further details regarding the intricacies of this release and its implications for the Bitcoin network, refer to the comprehensive announcement for version 23.0.