<p>Yes, BIPs are both a Bitcoin specific and a general programming reference as they were designed after the Python Enhancement Proposal (<a href="https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0001/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">PEP</a>) </p>

<p>throughout any open source project you are likely to see PEPs and PIPs, HIPs, and even Ethereum Request for Comments (ERC) that all essentially play the same role of helping a distributed group of people work in an organized fashion.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-02T22:28:03.457Z
2018-12-02T22:28:03.457Z
InfoMiner
<p>BIP = Bitcoin Improvement Proposal. The suggestion to use the concept of BIPs is <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0001">BIP 1</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-27T17:21:42.840Z
2012-03-27T17:21:42.840Z
Meni Rosenfeld
<p>There is a lot of reference to BIP 16, 17 and the likes. What does BIP actually stand for? I'm unsure if this is a programming reference or a Bitcoin specific reference; either way I'm stumped.</p>

<bip><terminology>
What does BIP mean?
MaxSan
# What does BIP mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-03-27)

There is a lot of reference to BIP 16, 17 and the likes. What does BIP actually stand for? I'm unsure if this is a programming reference or a Bitcoin specific reference; either way I'm stumped.

**Tags:** bip, terminology


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-03-27. Score: 12 | Accepted answer

BIP = Bitcoin Improvement Proposal. The suggestion to use the concept of BIPs is [BIP 1](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0001).


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### Answer by username_1 on 2018-12-02. Score: 1

Yes, BIPs are both a Bitcoin specific and a general programming reference as they were designed after the Python Enhancement Proposal ([PEP](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0001/))

throughout any open source project you are likely to see PEPs and PIPs, HIPs, and even Ethereum Request for Comments (ERC) that all essentially play the same role of helping a distributed group of people work in an organized fashion.


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