Mastering Blockchain, 2nd Edition

Key Features

• Get to grips with the underlying technical principles and implementations of blockchain.
• Build powerful applications using Ethereum to secure transactions and create smart contracts.
• Explore cryptography, mine cryptocurrencies, and solve scalability issues with this comprehensive guide.

Book Description

Blockchain is a distributed database that enables permanent, transparent, and secure storage of data. The blockchain technology is the backbone of cryptocurrency – in fact, it’s the shared public ledger upon which the entire Bitcoin network relies – and it’s gaining popularity with people who work in finance, government, and the arts. Mastering Blockchain, Second Edition has been fully updated and revised to provide a detailed description of this leading technology and its implementation in the real world.

This book begins with the technical foundations of blockchain, teaching you the fundamentals of cryptography and how it keeps data secure. You will learn about the mechanisms behind cryptocurrencies and how to develop applications using Ethereum, a decentralized virtual machine. You will explore different blockchain solutions and get an exclusive preview into Hyperledger, the blockchain solution from IBM and the Linux Foundation. You will also be shown how to implement blockchain beyond currencies, scalability with blockchain, and the future scope of this fascinating and powerful technology.

What you will learn

• Master the theoretical and technical foundations of blockchain technology
• Fully comprehend the concept of decentralization, its impact and relationship with blockchain technology
• Experience how cryptography is used to secure data with practical examples
• Grasp the inner workings of blockchain and relevant mechanisms behind Bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrencies
• Understand theoretical foundations of smart contracts
• Identify and examine applications of blockchain technology outside of currencies
• Investigate alternate blockchain solutions including Hyperledger, Corda, and many more
• Explore research topics and future scope of blockchain technology

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Blockchain 101
Chapter 2. Decentralization
Chapter 3. Symmetric Cryptography
Chapter 4. Public Key Cryptography
Chapter 5. Introducing Bitcoin
Chapter 6. Bitcoin Network and Payments
Chapter 7. Bitcoin Clients and APIs
Chapter 8. Alternative Coins
Chapter 9. Smart Contracts
Chapter 10. Ethereum 101
Chapter 11. Further Ethereum
Chapter 12. Ethereum Development Environment
Chapter 13. Development Tools and Frameworks
Chapter 14. Introducing Web3
Chapter 15. Hyperledger
Chapter 16. Alternative Blockchains
Chapter 17. Blockchain – Outside of Currencies
Chapter 18. Scalability and Other Challenges
Chapter 19. Current Landscape and What’s Next