Initially, it was conceived as a platform for the developer to enhance their understanding of Bitcoin's mechanics, focusing on the implementation of various Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs) using Swift, a favorite programming language of the developer. This endeavor expanded to include porting unit tests from the Bitcoin Core project, which furthered the developer's comprehension of the cryptocurrency's underlying processes.

Swift Bitcoin now boasts a robust collection of Swift APIs that adhere closely to idiomatic expressions in the language. The project encompasses a wide array of functionalities including but not limited to elliptic curve cryptography (leveraging libsecp256k1), hash functions, codecs, SCRIPT interpretation, transaction composition and verification, wallet services (such as address generation, key derivation, and mnemonic support), alongside features supporting blockchain, mining, and even remote procedure call (RPC) and peer-to-peer (P2P) communications, which are currently under development. A notable aspect of using Swift for this project is the employment of actors for mutable state isolation and structured concurrency, ensuring data race safety especially at the wire protocol layer, where SwiftNIO library comes into play for non-blocking input/output operations.

Furthermore, the project prides itself on not depending on third-party libraries, resulting in fast and compact binaries potentially suitable for embedded systems in the near future. While designed with compatibility for Apple platforms in mind, all development and testing have been conducted on Linux, ensuring broad applicability. Thanks to interoperability with C/C++, Swift Bitcoin can also be integrated into any project that utilizes CMake.

The project is open for contributions, with the developer expressing a particular interest in assistance with protocol development—a domain they admit is not their forte. Engagement from individuals interested in contributing or learning more is encouraged, with contact information provided for direct communication. Through this initiative, the developer poses an intriguing question about the potential evolution of Swift Bitcoin from an experimental and educational tool into a resource that could offer tangible benefits to a wider audience.