What changed, and why it matters
This commit only adds a new manual page for an existing tool called lightning-downgrade. It does not change any code, commands, or behavior. It simply documents how to use the tool and warns users that downgrades may fail if newer features have been used. There is no security issue in this documentation change itself.
No security action required. This is a documentation-only change. Reviewers may optionally verify that the documented downgrade limitations accurately reflect the tool's behavior, but that is a documentation accuracy matter, not a security defect.
Security signals we found
No strong security signals were identified.
Evidence from the diff
The commit adds doc/lightning-downgrade.8.md and registers it in doc/Makefile and doc/index.rst. The content describes the lightning-downgrade utility, which reverts a Core Lightning database to an older schema version. It notes operational constraints (lightningd must not be running, some feature usage prevents downgrade) and lists command-line options. No executable code, database logic, RPC handling, or cryptographic code is modified.
Changed components
doc/Makefiledoc/index.rstdoc/lightning-downgrade.8.mdInspect captured patch +104 / −0
diff --git a/doc/Makefile b/doc/Makefile
index 613036bb..bff82fd6 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile
+++ b/doc/Makefile
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ NON_PREFIXED_MANPAGES := doc/lightning-cli.1 \
doc/lightningd-config.5 \
doc/lightningd-rpc.7 \
doc/lightning-hsmtool.8 \
+ doc/lightning-downgrade.8 \
doc/lightning-reckless.1
MANPAGES := $(PREFIXED_MANPAGES) $(NON_PREFIXED_MANPAGES)
diff --git a/doc/index.rst b/doc/index.rst
index a7487d87..11acf53d 100644
--- a/doc/index.rst
+++ b/doc/index.rst
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ Core Lightning Documentation
invoicerequest <invoicerequest.7.md>
keysend <keysend.7.md>
lightning-cli <lightning-cli.1.md>
+ lightning-downgrade <lightning-downgrade.8.md>
lightning-hsmtool <lightning-hsmtool.8.md>
lightning-reckless <lightning-reckless.1.md>
lightningd <lightningd.8.md>
diff --git a/doc/lightning-downgrade.8.md b/doc/lightning-downgrade.8.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f154001
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/lightning-downgrade.8.md
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+lightning-downgrade -- Tool to revert core lightning to an older version
+========================================================================
+
+SYNOPSIS
+--------
+
+```bash
+lightning-downgrade [ARGUMENTS]...
+```
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+
+**lightning-downgrade** reverts an upgrade by modifying the `lightningd`
+database back the prior version. `lightningd` must **not** be running
+at the time.
+
+A downgrade may not be possible if a new feature has been used that would
+be incompatible with an older version. In this case the downgrade will fail
+with a message and nothing will be changed.
+
+Use the latest `lightning-downgrade` to downgrade. For example, the `v25.12` lightning-downgrade won't know how to downgrade `v26.06`.
+
+All minor versions are compatible, so a downgrade to v25.09 will work
+fine with v25.09.1 or v25.09.2, etc.
+
+VERSIONS
+--------
+
+* *v25.12*: downgrades to v25.09.
+
+ Downgrade is not possible if `withhold` `true` has been used with `fundchannel_complete`, or if `askrene-bias-node` has been used.
+
+* *v25.09*: downgrade is not supported.
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+
+* **--lightning-dir**=*DIR*
+
+ Set the directory for the lightning daemon we're talking to; defaults to
+*$HOME/.lightning*.
+
+* **--conf**=*PATH*
+
+ Sets configuration file (default: **lightning-dir**/*config* ).
+
+* **--network**=*network*
+* **--mainnet**
+* **--testnet**
+* **--testnet4**
+* **--signet**
+* **--regtest**
+
+ Sets network explicitly.
+
+* **--rpc-file**=*FILE*
+
+ Named pipe to use to talk to lightning daemon: default is
+*lightning-rpc* in the lightning directory.
+
+* **wallet**=*DSN*
+
+ Identify the location of the wallet. See lightningd-config(5) for details.
+
+* **--help**/**-h**
+
+ Pretty-print summary of options to standard output and exit. The format can
+be changed using `-F`, `-R`, `-J`, `-H` etc.
+
+* **--version**/**-V**
+
+ Print version number to standard output and exit.
+
+
+BUGS
+----
+
+You should report bugs on our github issues page, and maybe submit a fix
+to gain our eternal gratitude!
+
+AUTHOR
+------
+
+Rusty Russell <<rusty@rustcorp.com.au>> wrote the initial version of **lightning-downgrade** and this man page.
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+
+lightningd(8), lightningd-config(5)
+
+RESOURCES
+---------
+
+Main web site: <https://github.com/ElementsProject/lightning>
+
+COPYING
+-------
+
+Note: the modules in the ccan/ directory have their own licenses, but
+the rest of the code is covered by the BSD-style MIT license.
+Main web site: <https://github.com/ElementsProject/lightning>
Why this scored 15/100
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