Mastering Blockchain: A technical reference guide to the inner workings of blockchain, from cryptography to DeFi and NFTs, 4th Edition
Blockchain is the backbone of cryptocurrencies, with applications in finance, government, media, and more. With a legacy of providing technologists with executable insights, this new edition of Mastering Blockchain is thoroughly revised and updated according to the latest blockchain research. With new chapters on decentralized finance, decentralized identity, blockchain privacy, scalability, security, and bonus online content exploring alternative blockchains, this is an unmissable read for everyone who wants to gain a deep understanding of blockchain.
Although this book covers the basics, including blockchain's technical underpinnings, cryptography, and consensus protocols, it doesn't shy away from advanced topics and practical expertise, such as decentralized application (DApp) development using smart contracts. Throughout the book, you'll explore blockchain solutions beyond cryptocurrencies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) with blockchain, enterprise blockchains, and tokenization, and gain insight into the future scope of this fascinating and disruptive technology.
By the end of this blockchain book, you will have gained a thorough understanding of the various facets of blockchain and understand the potential of this technology in diverse real-world scenarios.
What you will learn
- Grasp the mechanisms behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other blockchain protocols
- Understand cryptography and its usage in blockchain
- Become familiar with blockchain consensus algorithms and develop smart contracts and DApps using Solidity, Remix, Truffle, and Ganache
- Solve issues relating to scalability, privacy, and security in blockchain
- Explore enterprise blockchains
- Delve into emerging trends like decentralized and self-sovereign identity, DeFi, NFTs, and Metaverse
- Explore various applications, research topics, and future directions of blockchain
Who this book is for
This book is for blockchain enthusiasts from all backgrounds, including business executives who want to leverage new platforms and students who want to a textbook exploring this fascinating technology. It is also a useful reference guide for blockchain development professionals who want to build fast and highly secure transactional applications. Basic knowledge in any programming language will come in handy.
Table of Contents
- Blockchain 101
- Decentralization
- Symmetric Cryptography
- Asymmetric Cryptography
- Consensus Algorithms
- Bitcoin Architecture
- Bitcoin in Practice
- Smart Contracts
- Ethereum Architecture
- Ethereum in Practice
- Tools, Languages, and Frameworks for Ethereum Developers
- Web3 Development Using Ethereum
- The Merge and Beyond
- Hyperledger
- Tokenization
- Enterprise Blockchain
- Scalability
- Blockchain Privacy
- Blockchain Security
- Decentralized Identity
- Decentralized Finance
- Blockchain Applications and What's Next!
- Alternative blockchains