No one said consensus would be easy.

The conversation on how to best upgrade the bitcoin network to accommodate a greater transaction capacity has been a long one, dating back to the earliest forums and message boards. However, it wasn’t until 2014 that the idea that bitcoin’s technology may need to adapt to increasing usage entered the industry spotlight.

Since then, there’s been a heated, seemingly non-stop debate that, at best, has showcased the depth and creativity of the developers working on the open-source project, and at worst, has shown the damage a 24-hour online commentary can have on scientific pursuits.

Now, as the scaling debate heads to what could be a notable milestone, CoinDesk looks back at the major stories that have shaped the narrative.

For a crash course, take a tour of 19 stories we believe are essential reading to get up to speed. For news and up-to-date information, check out our full selection of guides here.

Bitcoin image via Shutterstock