This week we are going on a learning spree. Recently Codecademy started their Introduction to Blockchain Space, and I wanted to give it a try. I have been regularly working on my programming skill for the past few months. And this looked like a good opportunity.
Before starting my article, I would like to invite you to join my channel Texploxe (In Telegram). I share my ICO Analysis, News and now even Tech related to Blockchain like this one.
First, Let’s see how the course is structured!
(As we have a tight budget, we don’t have bought the pro section. Sorry!)
The Basic Building Blocks
As you can see, the first section of the course is pretty straightforward. The goal of the first part of the first section is to make you understand what Blockchain is and some of the basic terminologies while the second part of the first section goes a bit more in detail. If you are a regular crypto user, you may find this easy to get.
We will cover only the first section in this post, and the next section will be done in the second post.
Let’s jump into the course now!
1.1 Introductory Blockchain Concepts
This one has 7 Steps in it.
Step 1: Why Blockchain?
The first one is basically just talking about the Pizza Guy who paid 10K Bitcoin for a Pizza and an introduction to the course.
Step 2: What is Blockchain?
This has a nice graphic image along with a comparison with the Bank and Blockchain. Gives a basic description about Blocks and Blockchain as well.
Step 3: The Blockchain Network
This Step contains a nice GIF which shows validation. It talks about the decentralized nature of Blockchain and how the transactions are verified.
Step 4: What are Blocks in the Blockchain
This Step contains a graphic image which explains about blocks, the data contained in it. In general, it also explains how each block is linked and what all it can contain.
Step 5: Hashing
This one contains a funny GIF which shows a basic hashing. It tells about terminologies like hash, hashing and about being deterministic.
Step 6: The Genesis Block
This contains an interactive site which shows the transaction hash for each transaction. You can fiddle with the Sender, Amount, etc to see how the hash changes each time. Even if you don’t change it, the hash changes due to the fact that the Block uses timestamp also for creating the hash.
Step 7: Visualizing Blockchain
This one also contains an interactive site which shows how each block (in that, transactions) is linked with the previous one. And how altering one in the middle will result for the Blockchain. It also contains a summary of all the terminologies.
1.2 Diving Deeper into Blockchain
This one has 8 Steps in it.
Step 1: Gathering Blockchain Transactions
This contains a GIF which explains how invalidated transactions are included in the latest block from mempool and validated. It also explains why all transactions are not validated instantly.
Step 2: Adding More Blocks
This contains a GIF which explains how a block is verified, validated and approved. Here we also learn about Consensus.
Step 3: How Hashing Maintains the Blockchain’s Integrity
This contains a GIF which shows us why altering of Blockchain is impossible/difficult.
Step 4: Is Hashing Enough to secure the Blockchain?
This contains a GIF which shows how an attack is possible in the Blockchain. It shows a possibility of how an attack can be done by recalculating the hashes.
Step 5: Securing the Blockchain Further
This contains a GIF which kind of shows about Proof Of Work. They also talk a bit in detail about the Proof of Work and why this is a much secure way than just a chain of blocks with hashes.
Step 6: Proof of Work
This contains a GIF (which I personally believe should be a little slow) which explains about the Proof Of Work and also contains text details about the same.
Step 7: Diving Deeper into Proof of Work
This contains a GIF which explains why Proof Of Work saves the day from dishonest miners who want to tamper with the chain.
Step 8: Blockchain Transactions Review
This contains a summary of all the terminologies we learned in this section.
With that, we come to an end in the first section.
For those who are not noobs, this might seem childish. Still, for those who regularly use Crypto and are aware of Blockchain, I think you might have learned a thing or two at least.
So, if you got some time, do check this course at Codecademy. This is not a paid review, I just did this because of fascination with the topic. Though I won’t say no to a pro upgrade from Codecademy for some time.
We will soon complete the next section and publish it online!
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