Transactions

---
name: bitcoin-transactions
description: |
  Bitcoin transaction structure: inputs, outputs, witness, version, locktime,
  serialization (legacy + segwit + wtxid), sighash modes, malleability,
  TRUC v3, ephemeral anchors. Quick-ref docs cover sighash combinatorics,
  serialization wire format, malleability classes, RBF/CPFP rules.
  USE WHEN: building/decoding transactions, choosing sighash flags,
  understanding txid vs wtxid, fee bumping logic.
allowed-tools: Read, Grep, Glob
---

# Bitcoin Transactions

> **Quick refs**: [sighash.md](quick-ref/sighash.md), [serialization.md](quick-ref/serialization.md), [malleability.md](quick-ref/malleability.md), [rbf-cpfp.md](quick-ref/rbf-cpfp.md), [v3-truc.md](quick-ref/v3-truc.md)

## Anatomy

```
version (4 bytes)
[marker (0x00) flag (0x01)]    ← only if SegWit, signals witness presence
vin count (varint)
vin[]:
  prevout: { txid (32), vout (4) }
  scriptSig (varint-prefixed)   ← legacy unlocking script
  sequence (4 bytes)
vout count (varint)
vout[]:
  value (8 bytes, sats)
  scriptPubKey (varint-prefixed)
[witness[]]                     ← if marker/flag present, one stack per input
locktime (4 bytes)
```

**Version**: 1, 2 (BIP68 relative locktimes require v≥2), 3 (TRUC, BIP431).

## txid vs wtxid

- `txid = SHA256d(tx without witness data)` — what spends and merkle root
  reference.
- `wtxid = SHA256d(tx with witness)` — what coinbase witness commitment
  uses (BIP141 witness merkle root).
- For legacy non-segwit txs, `txid == wtxid`.

## Inputs & outputs

- **Input** spends a previous output (`txid:vout`) and proves authorization
  via scriptSig + (for SegWit) witness stack. Value = whatever the
  prevout had — never serialized in the spending tx (must be looked up).
- **Output** locks N sats to a `scriptPubKey`. Address formats:
  - P2PKH (`1...`) — `OP_DUP OP_HASH160 <20> OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG`
  - P2SH (`3...`) — `OP_HASH160 <20> OP_EQUAL`
  - P2WPKH (`bc1q...`) — `OP_0 <20>` (Bech32)
  - P2WSH (`bc1q...`) — `OP_0 <32>` (Bech32)
  - P2TR (`bc1p...`) — `OP_1 <32>` (Bech32m)

## Sighash flags

See [sighash.md](quick-ref/sighash.md) for full combinatorics. Summary:

| Flag | Signs |
|------|-------|
| `ALL` (0x01) | All inputs, all outputs |
| `NONE` (0x02) | All inputs, no outputs (anyone can change outputs) |
| `SINGLE` (0x03) | All inputs, only output at same index |
| `\| ANYONECANPAY` (0x80) | Only this input's prevout (others can be added) |

Taproot adds `SIGHASH_DEFAULT` (0x00 = ALL with new digest) and changes
serialization (BIP341).

## TRUC v3 (BIP431)

- Version=3 marks the tx as TRUC.
- Constraints: `vsize ≤ 10000 vB`, ≤1 unconfirmed ancestor, ≤1 unconfirmed
  descendant, ancestor must also be v3.
- Sibling eviction: a v3 child can replace a sibling without paying for
  the sibling's bandwidth.
- Designed for Lightning anchor / commitment fee bumping: enables 0-fee
  parent + child paying full package fee.

## Ephemeral anchors

- Anchor with `value=0` and trivially-spendable script (e.g., `OP_TRUE`).
- Must be spent in the same package as its parent (mempool rule).
- Combined with TRUC v3, replaces existing anchor outputs (BOLT-3) with
  no-cost variant.

## See also

- [scripts/SKILL.md](../scripts/SKILL.md) — opcodes, output type construction
- [taproot/SKILL.md](../taproot/SKILL.md) — Taproot witness, SIGHASH_DEFAULT
- [psbt/SKILL.md](../psbt/SKILL.md) — partially-signed tx workflow