Users can download the update from the official website or BitTorrent and are encouraged to report bugs via the GitHub issue tracker.

This version maintains compatibility with Linux, macOS 11.0+, and Windows 7 or newer, but Unix-like system compatibility may vary. Upgrading requires shutdown of the current instance and may involve data migration if coming from an end-of-life version. Wallet support for older versions remains.

The release includes experimental support for the v2 transport protocol (BIP324), which is disabled by default and can be enabled with a command. Network enhancements improve resistance against eclipse and partition attacks, reducing the need for users to connect to multiple networks actively.

Pruning adjustments have been made for assumeutxo usage, and RPC layer updates include new fields and arguments, as well as deprecations like the removal of hash_serialized_2. New RPCs such as loadtxoutset and getaddrmaninfo add capabilities for transaction handling and network information, though they come with warnings about potential future changes.

Configuration errors now result in startup failures, specifically those involving bitcoin.conf file ignorance due to datadir directives or invalid logging options. The wallet section details GUI and wallet-specific settings changes.

Wallet functionality has evolved with changes in loading behavior for corrupted records, additional information through new RPC fields, and coin selection improvements. Simplified RPC methods now accept options parameters directly. Error reporting in RPC calls has been refined, returning more specific error codes.

For complete upgrade guidance and feature details, users should consult the official release documentation. In addition to these core updates, there have been advances in transaction serialization for RPC sendrawtransaction, enhancing descriptor wallets' capabilities.

GUI changes include distinct display of transactions affecting both inputs and outputs, a new menu option for migrating from legacy to modern wallets, and clearer identification of own wallet outputs in the PSBT operations dialog. Additionally, the GUI will eventually phase out legacy wallet creation.

Standardization efforts on testnet disallow non-standard transactions by default, though this can be changed if needed.

The release reflects contributions from numerous programmers in various areas, emphasizing the collaborative nature of software development and its impact on functionality, reliability, and efficiency.