What is Blockchain Technology, and How Does it Work?

Table of Contents

• Blockchain: In Most Simple Words
• Bitcoin and Blockchain: How are They Related?
• Working Mechanism of Blockchain
• Benefits of using Blockchain Technology
• Concluding Lines

Blockchain: In Most Simple Words

Blockchain is a peer-to-peer decentralized distributed ledger technology that makes the records of any digital asset transparent and unchangeable and works without involving any third-party intermediary. It is an emerging and revolutionary technology that is attracting a lot of public attention due to its capability to reduce risks and frauds in a scalable manner.

Now here comes the question why is Blockchain a distributed, decentralized P2P network? A decentralized network offers multiple benefits over the traditional centralized network, including increased system reliability and privacy. Moreover, such networks are much easier to scale and deal with no real single point of failure. The reason why Blockchain is distributed is because of shared communication and distributed processing.

The P2P architecture of Blockchains provides several benefits such as greater security compared to traditional client-server based networks. A distributed P2P network, paired with a majority consensus requirement, provides Blockchains a relatively high degree of resistance to malicious activities.

Bitcoin and Blockchain: How are They Related?

Although the advent of Blockchain has taken the world by storm, many people still get confused about these two terms. Thus, it is important to understand how these terms differ and how they are interrelated.

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is an application of Blockchain, whereas Blockchain is simply an underlying technology behind Bitcoin that is implemented through various channels. So if you are working on Blockchain and learning Blockchain, then you are not actually learning cryptocurrency but learning how cryptocurrency works.

Working Mechanism of Blockchain

Blockchain can be defined as a shared ledger, allowing thousands of connected computers or servers to maintain a single, secured, and immutable ledger. Blockchain can perform user transactions without involving any third-party intermediaries. In order to perform transactions, all one needs is to have its wallet. A Blockchain wallet is nothing but a program that allows one to spend cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, etc. Such wallets are secured by cryptographic methods (public and private keys) so that one can manage and have full control over his transactions.

Now, this is how Blockchain works. Initially, when a user creates a transaction over a Blockchain network, a block will be created, representing that transaction is created. Once a block is created, the requested transaction is broadcasted over the peer-to-peer network, consisting of computers, known as nodes, which then validate the transaction.

A verified transaction can involve cryptocurrency, contracts, records, or any other valuable information.

Once a transaction is verified, it is combined with other blocks to create a new block of data for the ledger.

Here it is important to note that with each new transaction, a secured block is created, which are secured and bound to each other using cryptographic principles. Whenever a new block is created, it is added to the existing Blockchain network confirming that it is secured and immutable.

Benefits of using Blockchain Technology

We have learned a lot about Blockchain technology. Now let’s explore what its benefits are.

Immutability

In a traditional database, you have to trust a system administrator that he is not going to change the data. But with Blockchain, there is no possibility of changing the data or altering the data; the data present inside the Blockchain is permanent; one cannot delete or undo it.

Transparency

Centralized systems are not transparent, whereas Blockchain (a decentralized system) offers complete transparency. By utilizing blockchain technology, organizations and enterprises can go for a complete decentralized network where there is no need for any centralized authority, thus improving the transparency of the entire system.

High Availability

Unlike centralized systems, Blockchain is a decentralized system of P2P network which is highly available due to its decentralized nature. Since in the Blockchain network, everyone is on a P2P network, and everyone has a computer running, therefore, even if one peer goes down, the other peers still work.

High Security

This is another major benefit that Blockchain offers. Technology is assumed to offer high security as all the transactions of Blockchain are cryptographically secure and provide integrity. Thus, instead of relying on a third-party, you need to put your trust in cryptographic algorithms.

Concluding Lines

Blockchain was originally developed as the platform that bitcoin was built on. Now, it’s more transparent, decentralized, and secure as it grows and develops in new areas of business, such as banking and supply chain management. This technology can drive innovation for new ways of doing business and may be especially useful for companies where transparency and security are important. In particular, small businesses can leverage platforms built on blockchain to streamline processes and payments. There are a few companies already offering this type of technology now, so expect to see many more in the future.

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