Blockchain Basics
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Blockchain Basics
This course is part of Blockchain Specialization
Instructor: Bina Ramamurthy
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What you'll learn
A learner will be able to recognize foundational concepts of blockchain, and apply these program concepts on the blockchain.
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There are 4 modules in this course
This first course of the Blockchain specialization provides a broad overview of the essential concepts of blockchain technology – by initially exploring the Bitcoin protocol followed by the Ethereum protocol – to lay the foundation necessary for developing applications and programming. You will be equipped with the knowledge needed to create nodes on your personal Ethereum blockchain, create accounts, unlock accounts, mine, transact, transfer Ethers, and check balances.
You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, an immutable distributed ledger and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This course enables you to explain basic components of a blockchain (transaction, block, block header, and the chain) its operations (verification, validation, and consensus model) underlying algorithms, and essentials of trust (hard fork and soft fork). Content includes the hashing and cryptography foundations indispensable to blockchain programming, which is the focus of two subsequent specialization courses, Smart Contracts and Decentralized Applications (Dapps). You will work on a virtual machine image, specifically created for this course, to build an Ethereum test chain and operate on the chain. This hands-on activity will help you understand the workings of a blockchain, its transactions, blocks and mining. Main concepts are delivered through videos, demos and hands-on exercises.
We will introduce and define blockchain, explain the structure and operational aspects of Bitcoin blockchain, and compare different types of blockchains.
What's included
4 videos6 readings5 assignments
4 videos•Total 22 minutes
- Blockchain Defined: Bitcoin & Blockchain•9 minutes
- Blockchain Structure•6 minutes
- Basic Operations•4 minutes
- Beyond Bitcoin•3 minutes
6 readings•Total 155 minutes
- Acknowledgements: Blockchain•5 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Bitcoin & Blockchain•45 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Blockchain Structure•5 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Basic Operations•30 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Beyond Bitcoin•60 minutes
- REQUIRED Quiz Resources and Directions: Blockchain Defined - Week 1•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 47 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•2 minutes
- Blockchain Defined - Week 1•30 minutes
We will discuss the innovation of the Ethereum blockchain, review its protocol, and explore the payment model for code execution.
What's included
4 videos5 readings5 assignments
4 videos•Total 17 minutes
- Ethereum Blockchain: Smart Contracts•6 minutes
- Ethereum Structure•5 minutes
- Ethereum Operations•3 minutes
- Incentive Model•4 minutes
5 readings•Total 145 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Smart Contracts•30 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Ethereum Structure•45 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Ethereum Operations•30 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Incentive Model•30 minutes
- REQUIRED Quiz Resources and Directions: Ethereum Blockchain - Week 2•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 50 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Ethereum Blockchain - Week 2•30 minutes
We will discuss the concept of asymmetric key encryption, define the concept of hashing, and explain techniques that use algorithms to manage the integrity of transactions and blocks in blockchain.
What's included
4 videos5 readings5 assignments
4 videos•Total 21 minutes
- Algorithms & Techniques: Public-Key Cryptography•7 minutes
- Hashing•6 minutes
- Transaction Integrity•3 minutes
- Securing Blockchain•4 minutes
5 readings•Total 120 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Public-Key Cryptography•30 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Hashing•30 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Transaction Integrity•20 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Securing Blockchain•30 minutes
- REQUIRED Quiz Resources and Directions: Algorithms & Techniques - Week 3•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 48 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•3 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Algorithms & Techniques - Week 3•30 minutes
We will define elements of trust in blockchain and discuss the Consensus protocol.
What's included
4 videos5 readings5 assignments1 programming assignment
4 videos•Total 17 minutes
- Trust Essentials: Decentralized Systems•5 minutes
- Consensus Protocol•3 minutes
- Robustness•5 minutes
- Forks•4 minutes
5 readings•Total 110 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Decentralized Systems•40 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Consensus Protocol•40 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Robustness•5 minutes
- (OPTIONAL) Resources: Forks•20 minutes
- Blockchain Basics: Key Takeaways•5 minutes
5 assignments•Total 50 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Self-Check•5 minutes
- Trust Essentials - Week 4•30 minutes
1 programming assignment•Total 120 minutes
- Getting Started with Blockchain Ethereum•120 minutes
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Reviewed on May 4, 2019
The course is well designed to give you an overview of Blockchain and the basic concepts. What is Smart Contract and other various terminologies and how they play a role in the blockchain. Thanks
Reviewed on Mar 15, 2019
Very nicely arranged course and very informative. Learned a lot in no time. Only hurdle is The Ethereum Virtual machine takes hell lot of time in the Miner step. rest all fine. thanks a lot.
Reviewed on Apr 6, 2022
very good course it starts from basics and provides a amazing learning path , they focus on your self study rasher than spoon feeding like other courses ,which is the best thing of this course .
Frequently asked questions
You'll learn how blockchains work, how Bitcoin and Ethereum record and validate transactions, and why decentralized systems can be trusted. It starts with the basics of blocks and transactions, then moves into Ethereum's account model, smart contracts, and the trust rules that keep a chain running. You'll apply that in guided exercises by creating accounts, mining, sending Ether, and checking balances on an Ethereum test chain.
No, you don't need prior blockchain knowledge to begin. It starts by defining the core ideas, then moves into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the security concepts behind blockchain systems. Some comfort following technical setup steps will help once you start working with a virtual machine image and an Ethereum test chain.
Yes, it's beginner-friendly if you're new to blockchain but comfortable working through technical examples. The course explains terms and protocols from the ground up through lessons, readings, demos, and self-checks, then reinforces them with guided Ethereum activities. It may feel more demanding if you want a business-only overview with no setup or transaction work.
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