BIP 380 — Output Script Descriptors General Operation

BIP 380 (Output Script Descriptors General Operation) is the umbrella specification for descriptors: a precise textual language (wpkh(...), tr(...), multi(...) and so on, with checksums) recording exactly which scripts and derivation paths a wallet watches. Companion BIPs in the 38x range define specific descriptor types. Repository status: Deployed.

Debate relevance: Comes up in backup-and-recovery debates: seed words alone do not capture script type, derivation path, or multisig quorum details — descriptors do. Increasingly cited as best practice for multisig backups. Common misstatements: "A BIP 39 phrase always recovers your funds" — without knowing the descriptor (or at least script type and path), recovery can miss funds; this is the failure mode descriptors exist to prevent.