Book Image

Mastering Blockchain - Third Edition

By : Imran Bashir
Book Image

Mastering Blockchain - Third Edition

By: Imran Bashir

Overview of this book

Blockchain is the backbone of cryptocurrencies, with applications in finance, government, media, and other industries. With a legacy of providing technologists with executable insights, this new edition of Mastering Blockchain is thoroughly revised and updated to the latest blockchain research with four new chapters on consensus algorithms, Serenity (the update that will introduce Ethereum 2.0), tokenization, and enterprise blockchains. This book covers the basics, including blockchain’s technical underpinnings, cryptography and consensus protocols. It also provides you with expert knowledge on decentralization, decentralized application development on Ethereum, Bitcoin, alternative coins, smart contracts, alternative blockchains, and Hyperledger. Further, you will explore blockchain solutions beyond cryptocurrencies such as the Internet of Things with blockchain, enterprise blockchains, tokenization using blockchain, and consider the future scope of this fascinating and disruptive technology. By the end of this book, you will have gained a thorough comprehension of the various facets of blockchain and understand their potential in diverse real-world scenarios.
Table of Contents (24 chapters)
23
Index

Ethereum 101

This chapter is an introduction to the Ethereum blockchain. We will introduce the fundamentals and various theoretical concepts behind Ethereum. A discussion on the different components, protocols, and algorithms relevant to the Ethereum blockchain is also presented.

We cover different elements of Ethereum such as transactions, accounts, the world state, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), and the relevant protocols so that readers can develop strong technical foundations before exploring more advanced concepts in later chapters. The main topics we will explore in this chapter are as follows:

  • The Ethereum network
  • Components of the Ethereum ecosystem
  • The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)
  • Smart contracts
  • Trading and investment

Let's begin with a brief overview of the foundation, architecture, and use of the Ethereum blockchain.