What is Blockchain Technology?

What Is a Blockchain?

A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. As a database, a blockchain stores information electronically in digital format.

Blockchains are best known for their crucial role in cryptocurrency systems, such as Bitcoin, to maintain secure and decentralized records of transactions.

The innovation with a blockchain is that it guarantees the fidelity and security of a data record and generates trust without the need for a trusted third party.

The growing list of records, called blocks, are linked together by encryption. Each transaction is independently verified by peer-to-peer computer networks, timed, and added to a growing data chain. Once saved, the data cannot be changed.

How Does a Blockchain Work?

The goal of blockchain is to allow digital information to be recorded and distributed, but not edited. In this way, a blockchain records transactions cannot be altered, deleted, or destroyed. This is why blockchains are also known as distributed ledger technology (DLT).

Blockchain is a combination of three leading technologies:

1. As each transaction occurs, it is recorded as a “block” of data, Those transactions show the movement of an asset that can be tangible (a product) or intangible.
2. Each block is connected to the ones before and after it, These blocks form a chain of data when an asset moves from one location to another or changes ownership. Blocks confirm the exact time and sequence of transactions, and blocks connect securely to prevent blocks from being changed or inserted between two existing blocks.
3. Transactions are blocked together in an irreversible chain: a blockchain Each additional block reinforces the verification of the previous block and therefore of the entire blockchain. This makes the blockchain tamper-proof, providing the key strength of immutability. This removes the possibility of tampering by an attacker and creates a record of transactions that you and other members of the network can trust.

Types of Blockchain

Private Blockchain Networks

Private blockchains operate on closed networks and tend to work well for private businesses and organizations. Businesses can use private blockchains to customize their accessibility and permission preferences, network settings, and other important security options. A single authority operates a private blockchain network.

Public Blockchain Networks

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies come from public blockchains, which have also played a role in popularizing distributed ledger (DLT) technology. Public blockchains also help eliminate some challenges and problems, such as security holes and centralization. With DLT, data is distributed over a peer-to-peer network, rather than being stored in a single location. A consent algorithm is used to verify the authenticity of the information; Proof of Stake (PoS) and Proof of Work (PoW) are two frequently used consensus methods.

Permissioned Blockchain Networks

Also known as hybrid blockchains, permissioned blockchain networks are private blockchains that allow special access to authorized persons. Organizations typically set up these types of blockchains to get the best of both worlds and allow for better structure when assigning who can participate in the network and in what operations.

Consortium Blockchains

Similar to permissioned blockchains, consortium blockchains have both public and private components, except that multiple organizations will operate a single consortium blockchain network. While these types of blockchains may be more complex to set up initially, once executed they can provide greater security. In addition, consortium blockchains are ideal for collaborating with multiple organizations.

Why is Blockchain Popular?

Highly Secure

It uses a digital signature feature to perform fraud-free transactions by preventing other users from corrupting or modifying an individual’s data without a specific digital signature.

Decentralized System

you need approval from regulatory authorities such as a government or transaction bank; however, with Blockchain, transactions are carried out with the mutual consent of users, resulting in smoother, more secure, and faster transactions.

Automation Capability

It is programmable and can automatically generate actions, events, and systematic payments when trigger criteria are satisfied.

How does a transaction get into the blockchain?

Authentication

The original blockchain was designed to operate without a central authority (i.e. without a bank or anyone who carries out transactions), but transactions still need to be authenticated.

This is done using the cryptographic keys, a data chain (as a password) that identifies a user and gives access to their account or value of the value on the system.

Each user has their own private key and their own public key that everyone can see. Their use creates a secure digital identity to authenticate the user with digital signatures and to unlock the transaction they wish to perform.

Authorization

Once the transaction is agreed between the users, it needs to be approved, or authorized, before it is added to a block in the chain.

For a public blockchain, the decision to add a transaction to the chain is made by consensus. This means that most “nodes” (or computers on the network) must accept that the transaction is valid. People who own computers on the network are encouraged to verify transactions through rewards. This process is known as “proof of work”.

Proof of Work

Proof of work requires the people who own the computers on the network to solve a complex math problem in order to add a block to the chain. Solving the problem is known as mining, and “miners” are usually rewarded for their work in cryptocurrency.

But mining is not easy. The math problem can only be solved by trial and error, and the odds of solving the problem are about 1 in 5.9 trillion. It requires significant computing power which uses significant amounts of energy. This means that the rewards for the company’s drawing must exceed the cost of the computers and the cost of the electricity to run them, as a single computer would take years to find a solution to the math problem.

Mining

In Blockchain technology, the process of adding transaction details to this digital/public ledger is called ‘mining’. Although the term is associated with Bitcoin, it is also used to refer to other Blockchain technologies. Mining is the process of generating the hash of a block transaction, which is difficult to tamper with, ensuring the security of the entire blockchain without the need for a central system.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Blockchain

Advantages

The level of security, which also means that blockchains can protect and secure sensitive data from online transactions. For anyone looking for fast and convenient transactions, blockchain technology has it too. only takes a few minutes. In addition, there is no third-party interference from financial institutions or government organizations, which many users see as a benefit.

Disadvantages

Blockchain and cryptography involve the use of public and private keys, and there would have been issues with private keys. If a user loses their private key, they face a lot of challenges, which makes it a disadvantage of blockchains. Another disadvantage is the scalability restrictions, as the number of transactions per node is limited. For this reason, it may take several hours to complete multiple transactions and other activities. It can also be difficult to change or add information after it is saved.