Blockchain technology is a term that has been widely used for the past few years. The popularity of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has made the term even more famous. With the passing of each day, blockchain is becoming more user-friendly and is implemented in different sectors of life. Therefore it has become vital to understand blockchain technology and its work.
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology is also called Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). It can be considered as a structure that allows users to store their transactional data in several databases. The records are known as blocks and the databases are known as chains. This will be done through a network that is linked through peer-to-peer nodes.
Blockchain will store all the records in a digital format electronically. Their records of transactions are decentralized and secure which makes them ideal for cryptocurrency systems. And that is one of the primary reasons why the cryptocurrency is widespread among traders, investors, and business people. Moreover, with cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase, it has become much easier to buy, sell, exchange and store cryptocurrency. The Coinbase kryptoszene.de site explains more about it in detail. The security and fidelity offered by blockchain technology for storing data without the need for a third party add to its popularity.
The structuring of the data is one of the key differences between blockchain and the other typical databases. Blockchains make use of blocks to store information. These blocks come with some storage capacity and when the information is stored the blocks are closed and are connected to the other blocks that were previously filled. Thus a chain will be formed which is called a blockchain. A typical database stores data into tables.
Working of Blockchain
Blocks, miners, and nodes are the three most important concepts of a blockchain.
- Blocks
There are multiple blocks on every chain and three elements constitute a block – data, nonce, and hash. When a block is created, there will be a nonce that is randomly created and then a block header hash will also be created. The nonce is a 32-bit whole number while the hash is a 256-bit number. When the user creates the first block, the nonce will create the cryptographic hash. All the data that is stored in the block is considered to be signed and then linked to the nonce and hash forever until it is mined.
- Miners
Through mining, miners generate new blocks to the existing chains. There will be a particular hash and nonce for all blocks in the blockchain. But there will be references to the previous block’s hash and therefore mining will be difficult for large chains. But the use of special software helps miners to find nonces that will create a hash that is accepted. When successful mining of a block happens, all the nodes on the network accept the change and the miner gets his financial reward.
- Nodes
Blockchain technology is decentralized and the chain is a distributed ledger that is connected to the chain through different nodes. They are somewhat related to electronic devices that maintain duplicates of the blockchains so that the network remains functioning.
Final thoughts
Blockchain is having rapid growth in every field and the research and studies that are happening worldwide will bring in more applicable benefits for the technology. Very soon the world will witness the dominance of blockchain technology in all sectors of life.
