<p>There are a number of "core" developers. And the ones who have access to commit directly to the Github project obviously have more "power" than other people. Since the software is open source you can of course make your own copy of it and modify it to your likings but you won't be able to change any of the "rules" of the network unless you get the rest of the Bitcoin world to follow you and use your client.</p>

<p>According to <a href="http://www.bitcoin.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">bitcoin.org</a> the core developers are Satoshi Nakamoto, Gavin Andresen, Pieter Wuille, Nils Schneider and Jeff Garzik. According to a <a href="http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=28223657" rel="nofollow noreferrer">recent message</a> on the Bitcoin Development mailing list Wladimir (J. van der Laan?) is now also part of the core development team. Obviously Satoshi is not anymore, so I don't know how accurate the list on bitcoin.org actually is.</p>

<p>The ones who have push access to the Github project are according to <a href="http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=28150387" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this message</a>:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/gavinandresen" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Gavin Andresen</a></li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/tcatm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Nils Schneider</a> (a.k.a. tcatm)</li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/sipa" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pieter Wuille</a> (a.k.a. sipa)</li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/jgarzik" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jeff Garzik</a></li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/alexwaters" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Alex Waters</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Gavin, who is the lead developer is active here so I'm sure he can give us a clearer answer himself. Also see <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/176/is-there-a-list-of-core-bitcoin-committers">Is there a list of core Bitcoin committers?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-10-15T07:49:54.493Z
2011-10-15T08:21:46.830Z
2017-04-13T12:47:32.940Z
D.H.
<p>You control it.</p>

<p>It is open source, so if you want to modify the copy you're running, go right ahead.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-10-15T07:24:01.090Z
2011-10-15T07:24:01.090Z
eldentyrell
<p>The list of project mainters who have commit access is listed here: <a href="https://bitcoincore.org/en/team/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Team of bitoin core</a></p>

<p>Currently they are</p>

<ol>
<li>Wladimir J. van der Laan</li>
<li>Jonas Schnelli</li>
<li>Marco Falke</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-02T01:36:46.680Z
2017-12-02T01:36:46.680Z
Anton Setzer
<p>In some sense don't the miners control the software? If there are some changes made to the bitcoin code and the majority of miners (by hashrate?) don't upgrade for what ever reason then    the changes won't be implemented.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-10-16T02:18:29.323Z
Even if a large number of miners switched to a new rule set, everyone running the bitcoin software would ignore them. The blocks from the miners who are still in agreement with the community would be accepted. So if any miners were to try this, they would only lose out on revenue and be ignored.
osmosis
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-10-15T12:26:20.347Z
2011-10-15T12:26:20.347Z
kirian
<p>Is there anything comparable to a "board of directors" for Bitcoin or is the software on complete cruise-control? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-17T21:17:13.543Z
Another related question: http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2094
Stephen Gornick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-10-15T16:51:19.010Z
possible duplicate of [Is there a list of core Bitcoin committers?](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/176/is-there-a-list-of-core-bitcoin-committers)
ripper234
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-31T22:08:34.017Z
Was this closed and reopened? Anyone care to explain?
ripper234
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-31T22:14:14.503Z
http://meta.bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/238/why-was-this-duplicate-question-reopened
ripper234
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-01T08:37:15.677Z
Having push access to the GitHub repo doesn't necessarily make a "board of directors" - though it does confer some degree of power over the codebase. I'd suggest that as a distributed project, anyone who can get 51% of the network to use their version of the client could usurp any existing power structures and as such no "board of directors" model could exist. In any case, I don't feel that "who writes the code" and "who controls the direction of the software" are necessarily identical, though if you'd like to cast votes the community is welcome to contradict me :)
David Perry
<bitcoin-core-development><governance>
Who controls the Bitcoin software?
Dale
# Who controls the Bitcoin software?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-10-15)

Is there anything comparable to a "board of directors" for Bitcoin or is the software on complete cruise-control?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core-development, governance

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: possible duplicate of [Is there a list of core Bitcoin committers?](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/176/is-there-a-list-of-core-bitcoin-committers)  
> **username_2**: Was this closed and reopened? Anyone care to explain?  
> **username_2**: http://meta.bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/238/why-was-this-duplicate-question-reopened  
> **username_3**: Having push access to the GitHub repo doesn't necessarily make a "board of directors" - though it does confer some degree of power over the codebase. I'd suggest that as a distributed project, anyone who can get 51% of the network to use their version of the client could usurp any existing power structures and as such no "board of directors" model could exist. In any case, I don't feel that "who writes the code" and "who controls the direction of the software" are necessarily identical, though if you'd like to cast votes the community is welcome to contradict me :)  
> **username_1**: Another related question: http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2094  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2011-10-15. Score: 9

There are a number of "core" developers. And the ones who have access to commit directly to the Github project obviously have more "power" than other people. Since the software is open source you can of course make your own copy of it and modify it to your likings but you won't be able to change any of the "rules" of the network unless you get the rest of the Bitcoin world to follow you and use your client.

According to [bitcoin.org](http://www.bitcoin.org) the core developers are Satoshi Nakamoto, Gavin Andresen, Pieter Wuille, Nils Schneider and Jeff Garzik. According to a [recent message](http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=28223657) on the Bitcoin Development mailing list Wladimir (J. van der Laan?) is now also part of the core development team. Obviously Satoshi is not anymore, so I don't know how accurate the list on bitcoin.org actually is.

The ones who have push access to the Github project are according to [this message](http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=28150387):

* [Gavin Andresen](https://github.com/gavinandresen)
* [Nils Schneider](https://github.com/tcatm) (a.k.a. tcatm)
* [Pieter Wuille](https://github.com/sipa) (a.k.a. sipa)
* [Jeff Garzik](https://github.com/jgarzik)
* [Alex Waters](https://github.com/alexwaters)

Gavin, who is the lead developer is active here so I'm sure he can give us a clearer answer himself. Also see [Is there a list of core Bitcoin committers?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/176/is-there-a-list-of-core-bitcoin-committers)


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2011-10-15. Score: 2

You control it.

It is open source, so if you want to modify the copy you're running, go right ahead.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2017-12-02. Score: 2

The list of project mainters who have commit access is listed here: [Team of bitoin core](https://bitcoincore.org/en/team/)

Currently they are

1. Wladimir J. van der Laan
2. Jonas Schnelli
3. Marco Falke


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2011-10-15. Score: 1

In some sense don't the miners control the software? If there are some changes made to the bitcoin code and the majority of miners (by hashrate?) don't upgrade for what ever reason then the changes won't be implemented.

> **Comments:**
> **username_8**: Even if a large number of miners switched to a new rule set, everyone running the bitcoin software would ignore them. The blocks from the miners who are still in agreement with the community would be accepted. So if any miners were to try this, they would only lose out on revenue and be ignored.  

---

