What is Blockchain?
It’s one of the most puzzling questions we find ourselves trying to answer when first discovering cryptocurrencies. So getting blockchain explained is essential.
Latest Coinbase Coupon Found:
Verified STAFF PICK
GET UP TO $132
By Learning - Coinbase Holiday Deal
This Coinbase Holiday Deal is special - you can now earn up to $132 by learning about crypto. You can both gain knowledge %story% earn money with Coinbase!
Expiration date: 01/02/2021 3,928 People Used Only 31 Left
RATING
5.0
Ready? Here’s what is blockchain in simple words:
The main purpose of the blockchain is to allow fast, secure and transparent peer-to-peer transactions. It is a trusted, decentralized network that allows for the transfer of digital values such as currency and data.
Now, as we’re all newbies here. Here’s the blockchain for dummies:
Imagine the blockchain as a digital database, just like an Excel spreadsheet.
This database is typically shared across a large network containing many computers (known as “nodes”) and it is completely public. I say “typically” because it can technically be formed by any number of nodes. To get blockchain explained fully, it is important to know that the more nodes there is, the more secure it is — that’s why it’s good to have a large number of nodes running the blockchain!
Every time the network makes an update to the database, it is automatically updated and downloaded to every computer on the network.
Blockchain technology is secured with cryptographic techniques, making it near impossible for hackers to make changes to it. The only way to make changes would be to hack more than half of the nodes in the blockchain, which again, is why it is more secure to have more nodes/computers running the blockchain.
That’s your blockchain explained in simple words. So, now when someone asks you “what is blockchain?”, you have two strong answers to choose from.
How Does Blockchain Work in the Case of Bitcoin?
Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to use blockchain technology. It was invented by the person, or group of people, that go by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto (strangely enough, nobody knows who Satoshi Nakamoto is).
The sole purpose of Bitcoin is to act as a store of value. It allows for peer-to-peer transactions that do not need a third party, such as PayPal or a bank.
Getting Bitcoin blockchain explained is essential to understanding how blockchain works. The Bitcoin blockchain is a database (known as a “ledger”) that consists only of Bitcoin transaction records. There is no central location that holds the database, instead, it is shared across a huge network of computers. So, for new transactions to be added to the database, the nodes must agree that the transaction is real and valid.
Blockchain explained: a bank.
This group agreement is also known as a “consensus”. It occurs during the process of mining.
Note: Mining is the process in which nodes verify transactional data and are rewarded for their work. It covers their running costs (electricity and maintenance etc.) and a small profit too for providing their services. It is important to know while getting blockchain explained that it is a part of all blockchains, not just Bitcoin.
Once the nodes agree that the transaction is real, it is then added to a “block” (which is why it is called a blockchain) and is placed below the previous block of transactions in the ledger.
For a transaction to be valid, the computers on the network must confirm that:
(1) The account holds the amount of Bitcoin that the user wants to send.
(2) The amount hasn’t already been sent to someone else.
For example, let’s imagine that Tom tries to send $10 of Bitcoin to Ben. Tom only has $5 worth of Bitcoin in his wallet. Because Tom doesn’t have the funds to send $10 to Ben, this transaction would not be valid. The transaction will not be added to the ledger.
Blockchain explained: Bitcoins on a computer chip.
This means that nobody can ever spend the same money twice! This can often be a big problem for standard banks and payment systems.
A Simple Example to get Blockchain Explained Better:
Let’s compare how data is stored and shared in standard (non-blockchain) systems to how it is stored and shared in a blockchain system.
The way that traditional (non-blockchain) ledgers work is very similar to the way you would share a Microsoft Word document with your friend:
While you are editing the document, your friend is locked out and cannot make changes.
Once you have finished making your changes, you send it to your friend to edit it further.
Now while your friend is editing the document, you are locked out and cannot make changes until they are finished and send it back to you.
In a blockchain system, however, all users can view the changes while they are being made.
Blockchain explained: a blockchain.
The data is accessible in a secure and shared environment, instead of being locked to one company or person at a time (at the risk of losing the data). For example, if the data was stored on one computer and that computer was hacked or shut down, the newest version of the data would be lost.
Now, to get blockchain explained: with the blockchain, the data is stored on all the computers/nodes that run it. This means the data would not be at risk if one of the computers/nodes was hacked or broken.
As you can see, blockchain technology does not just benefit cryptocurrencies. It benefits many different industries. Imagine the amounts of legal, health, accounts and customer data, etc. that should be used this way.
This is just one of the many advantages of blockchain technology! Now, let’s look at some of the others.
bitcoin открыть ethereum платформа ethereum russia bitcoin adress майнить bitcoin tether bitcointalk 'Therefore, privacy in an open society requires anonymous transaction systems. Until now, cash has been the primary such system. An anonymous transaction system is not a secret transaction system. An anonymous system empowers individuals to reveal their identity when desired and only when desired; this is the essence of privacy. Privacy in an open society also requires cryptography… We cannot expect governments, corporations, or other large, faceless organizations to grant us privacy out of their beneficence. It is to their advantage to speak of us, and we should expect that they will speak. To try to prevent their speech is to fight against the realities of information. Information does not just want to be free, it longs to be free. Information expands to fill the available storage space. Information is Rumor's *****er, stronger cousin; Information is fleeter of foot, has more eyes, knows more, and understands less than Rumor. We must defend our own privacy if we expect to have any. We must come together and create systems which allow anonymous transactions to take place. People have been defending their own privacy for centuries with whispers, darkness, envelopes, closed doors, secret handshakes, and couriers. The technologies of the past did not allow for strong privacy, but electronic technologies do. We the Cypherpunks are dedicated to building anonymous systems. We are defending our privacy with cryptography, with anonymous mail forwarding systems, with digital signatures, and with electronic money.'Cold storage is an offline wallet used for storing bitcoins. With cold storage, the digital wallet is stored on a platform that is not connected to the internet, thereby protecting the wallet from unauthorized access, cyber hacks and other vulnerabilities to which a system that is connected to the internet is susceptible.ethereum habrahabr So those are the details of Bitcoin as a currency unit, but Bitcoin is also a payment network. As a payment network, Bitcoin replaces the function of banks (especially the Federal Reserve as money creation is not at the whim of any person nor group), inter-bank funding networks (like SWIFT and SEPA), payment processors (like PayPal) and remitters (such as Western Union). The entirety of these massive industries as they relate to the creation, storage, accounting, and transfer of money has been usurped by Bitcoin. If Bitcoin succeeds, it is likely that PayPal and Western Union would be removed from the marketplace. The Federal Reserve (and every central bank) would be made redundant. 'Disruptive technology' is thus an understatement.bitcoin community The result of bitcoin mining is twofold. First, when computers solve these complex math problems on the bitcoin network, they produce new bitcoin (not unlike when a mining operation extracts gold from the ground). And second, by solving computational math problems, bitcoin miners make the bitcoin payment network trustworthy and secure by verifying its transaction information.bitcoin satoshi George owes 10 USD to both Michael and Jackson. Unfortunately, George only has 10 USD in his account. He decides to try to send 10 USD to Michael and 10 USD to Jackson at the same time. The bank’s staff notice that George is trying to send money that he doesn’t have. They stop the transaction from happening.bitcoin hacker monero address fee bitcoin today bitcoin nxt cryptocurrency