This version introduces several new features, alongside a range of bug fixes and performance enhancements aimed at improving the overall user experience and system efficiency. Additionally, updated translations are included to cater to a wider global audience. Users encountering any issues are encouraged to report these on the project's GitHub issue tracker at GitHub issues and can join the mailing list for announcements at Bitcoin Core announcements.

For those looking to upgrade from an older version of Bitcoin Core, it is advised to shut down the existing software completely before initiating the upgrade process. This might take a few minutes depending on the system and the previous version being upgraded from. Installation instructions vary slightly across different operating systems: Windows users should run the installer, macOS users need to copy over /Applications/Bitcoin-Qt, and Linux users should replace bitcoind/bitcoin-qt. Upgrading from versions that have reached their end-of-life (EOL) is supported but may require additional time if the data directory needs migration. It's also mentioned that old wallet versions are generally compatible with the new release.

Compatibility of Bitcoin Core extends across operating systems using the Linux kernel, macOS 11.0 and above, as well as Windows 7 and newer. Although Bitcoin Core is expected to function on most Unix-like systems, these environments receive less frequent testing. Using Bitcoin Core on unsupported systems is not recommended due to potential instability.

Significant changes in this release include adjustments to the script handling, specifically for parsing TapMiniscript without assuming its sanity. Peer-to-peer network and other networking changes include updating the Luke Dashjr seed and enhancing the detection of cjdns peers in GetAddedNodeInfo(). RPC modifications feature bug fixes and improvements such as enforcing a maximum value for setmocktime, throwing errors for invalid parameters in getnetworkhashps, among others. The build process sees fixes for Qt DEBUG builds with mingw-w64, adjustments for building Qt on 32-bit platforms with recent glibc versions, fetching miniupnpc sources from an alternative site, and a fix for building with miniupnpc 2.2.8.

The release notes also acknowledge contributions from various individuals who played pivotal roles in the development and testing phases, ensuring the stability and reliability of this version. Contributors include notable community members and developers who have dedicated their efforts towards maintaining and enhancing the Bitcoin Core software, demonstrating the collaborative nature of open-source projects.