Demystify one of the most disruptive modern technologies and gain a deeper understanding of distributed ledgers, consensus protocols, smart contracts, DApps, cryptocurrencies, and more

Key Features

• Study new blockchains, including Polkadot, Solana, and VMware, along with recent developments in DeFi and NFTs
• Explore key cryptocurrencies and distributed ledgers such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, Hyperledger Fabric, Corda, and Quorum
• Get to grips with Solidity, Web3, and smart contract development

Book Description

Blockchain is the backbone of cryptocurrencies, with applications in finance, government, media, among other industries. With a legacy of providing technologists with executable insights, this new edition of Mastering Blockchain is thoroughly revised and updated according to the latest blockchain research. Thoroughly updated and with new chapters on Decentralized Finance and solving privacy, identity, and security issues, this is an unmissable read for everyone who wants to gain a deep understanding of blockchain.

Although this book covers the basics, including blockchain's technical underpinnings, cryptography, and consensus protocols, it doesn't shy away from advanced topics and practical expertise, such as decentralized application (DApp) development using smart contracts and oracles. Throughout the book, you'll explore blockchain solutions beyond cryptocurrencies, such as the Internet of Things with blockchain, enterprise blockchains, and tokenization, and gain insight into the future scope of this fascinating and disruptive technology.

By the end of this book, you will have gained a thorough comprehension of the various facets of blockchain and understand the potential of this technology in diverse real-world scenarios.

What you will learn

• Grasp the mechanisms behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies
• Understand cryptography and its usage in blockchain
• Become familiar with the theoretical foundations of smart contracts
• Develop DApps using Solidity, Remix, Truffle, and Ganache
• Solve issues relating to privacy, identity, scalability, and security in enterprise blockchains
• Dive into the architecture and development of Ethereum 2.0
• Delve into emerging trends like decentralized finance and NFTs
• Explore various applications, research topics, and future directions of blockchain

Who This Book Is For

This book is for blockchain enthusiasts from all backgrounds, including business executives who want to leverage new platforms and blockchain investors or students who want to explore this fascinating technology. It is also a useful reference guide for blockchain developers who want to build fast and highly secure transactional applications. Basic knowledge of blockchain and prior experience in any programming language will come in handy, but are not prerequisites.

Table of Contents

1. Blockchain 101
2. Decentralization
3. Symmetric Cryptography
4. Public Key Cryptography
5. Consensus Algorithms
6. Introducing Bitcoin
7. The Bitcoin Network and Payments
8. Bitcoin Clients and APIs
9. Alternative Coins
10. Smart Contracts
11. Ethereum
12. Further Ethereum
13. Ethereum Development Environment
14. Development Tools and Frameworks
15. Introducing Web3
16. Serenity
17. Hyperledger
18. Tokenization
19. Blockchain – Outside of Currencies
20. Enterprise Blockchain
21. Scalability and security
22. Privacy
23. Identity
24. Decentralized Finance
25. Alternative blockchain
26. Current Landscape and What's Next!