What is Blockchain Technology - Definition
Instructor
Bertha Kgokong
Course Description
In this course you are going to learn about blockchain technology. This is the technology that was created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto that powers Bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies. However as a technology it is not always understood. I will explain the technical definition of Blockchain as a technology, its applications in to cryptocurrencies and other enterprise solutions. This is a theoretical course, where you will be educated on Blockchain. This course is designed for non-technical people who are looking to get a better understanding of blockchain technology, the terms and concepts used and how they are all connected.
What you will learn
Learning Points, key take-aways
- Understanding blockchain technology
- What is included in a block, how are blocks created
- How is the chain formed, difference between blockchain and a database
- How does blockchain process transactions
- What is blockchain proof of work
- What are smart contracts and ICO
- Difference between public and private blockchain
- Understanding enterprise blockchains and future blockchain courses
Course Pre-requisites
- None
Course Skills
- Basic understanding of Blockchain technology
Curriculum
Section-1: Blockchain Theory
In this lecture we define what blockchain is in simple terms. We present a definition of blockchain that is easy to understand for anyone. We also discuss a monetary illustration - that demonstrates further how blockchain addresses some of the issues presented. We discuss the intent the initial designers of blockchain had in mind.
In this lecture we discuss the architecture of blockchain technology. We discuss what is a block, what is included in a block and how a block is formed. We also discuss how blocks are added together to create the chain - hence block-chain.
In this lecture we discuss the second part of blockchain architecture - transaction control. How are transactions added in to the blockchain? We discuss transaction signing and how the private and public keys are used to confirm and verify transactions. We also discuss EC cryptography and explain how that is used in blockchain technology.
In this lecture we discuss blockchain features, what makes blockchains unique? How do blockchains really differ from traditional databases? We also discuss public blockchains versus private blockchains.
In this lecture we discuss blockchain smart contracts and ICOs - Initial Coin Offerings. We discuss how ICOs are created, and how other smart contracts can be added on top of blockchains to create cryptocurrency tokens and games such as Cryptokitty.
We conclude the course in this lecture, discussing enterprise blockchains. We we discuss Hyperledger open source project and introduce all the future courses we will be doing on Skolo around blockchain technology.
About Instructor
Bertha Kgokong
Software Programmer and Tech Entrepreneur
Software Programmer and Tech Entrepreneur, i have extensive experience in Software Development - end-to-end in most platforms, Business Processes and Entrepreneurship. I am a fully qualified Engineer, with a Bachelors Degree and Masters in Business Administration - with over 17 years of professional experience. I am also an entrepreneur with a couple of award winning ventures and projects in Software Development.