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.

Blockhchain technology uses cryptography to keep data secure. This book gives 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, an upcoming blockchain solution from IBM and the Linux Foundation. You will also be shown how to implement blockchain beyond currencies, scability 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

About the Author

Imran Bashir has a M.Sc. in Information Security from Royal Holloway, University of London, and has a background in software development, solution architecture, infrastructure management, and IT service management. He is also a member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and British Computer Society (BCS). Imran has sixteen years of experience in the public and financial sectors. He worked on large scale IT projects for public sector before moving to financial services industry. Since then he has worked in various technical roles for different financial companies in Europe's financial capital, London. He is currently working for an investment bank in London as Vice President in the technology department.

Table of Contents

1. Blockchain 101
2. Decentralization
3. Cryptography and Technical Foundations
4. Bitcoin
5. Alternative Coins
6. Smart Contracts
7. Ethereum 101
8. Ethereum Development
9. Hyperledger
10. Alternative Blockchains
11. Blockchain-Outside of Currencies
12. Scalability and Other Challenges
13. Current Landscape and What's Next