What is blockchain?

Blockchain

What is blockchain?

What is a blockchain, how does it work and what are its uses? These are common questions that are asked about this revolutionary technology, and it may not be easy for beginners or even professionals to understand. Join us to answer all these questions in simple language.

Simply put, the blockchain is a kind of information and reporting system. The difference with other systems is that the information stored on this type of system is shared among all members of a network. With the use of data encryption and distribution, the possibility of hacking, deleting and manipulating recorded information is almost eliminated.

The concept of the blockchain was first introduced with the advent of bitcoin, and the king of digital currencies used this strategy to store information about users’ assets.

To better understand the Chinese block, consider the following example:

In a group of 100 people, I pick up an information sheet and everyone takes a picture of it with their mobile phone. Now if I delete that information, or change it, it is no longer acceptable to that collection, because they have a copy of the original, unless I take everyone’s mobile and delete it.

The group we talked about could be the millions we see in Bitcoin and Atrium and other blockchain digital currencies, or it can be used privately for a specific group.

Blockchains can be used privately and for specific purposes in an institution or organization, also called enterprise blockchain. Of course, according to many experts, organizational blockchains can not achieve the main goal of this technology, which is decentralization.

The word Blockchain is a combination of the words Block and Chain. This technology is actually a chain of blocks.

In each block, any information can be recorded; From the crimes of one person to the details of the transactions of a monetary network such as Bitcoin.

Any information can be recorded in one block.

The information is stored in blocks and the blocks are linked together in a chain. This chain forms the Chinese block.

There is one more thing. Each of these blocks has something called a hash. A hash is a text string generated from a specific mathematical function and its application is to prevent system fraud. The hash of a data or input is always fixed. Using the hash solution prevents fraud and alteration of information recorded on the blockchain.

In blockchain, blocks not only have a hash themselves, they also contain a hash of the previous block.

The slightest change in the information of a block changes its hash in general and invalidates the Chinese block.

For example, if a character is added to US city name information, the hash block will change, resulting in invalid subsequent blocks.

What happens if someone changes the content of a block and updates the hashes of subsequent blocks? It is possible, but the distribution strategy in the Chinese bloc solves this problem.

Blockchain data is not stored on a specific computer or server. Each computer or system that connects to the network receives a copy of the information. Any computer that connects to the network and receives a copy of the blockchain is called a node.

When you connect to a Chinese block as node, you get a copy of all its data. No change in information is possible unless the majority agrees.

Blockchain technology is not a fundamental technology in itself, but a set of processes of alerting, cryptography, mass distribution, and so on that gave rise to this idea. Before the China Bloc, there were distributed head offices, but the China Block has improved its distributed head office technology with its blockchain structure.

Blockchain from a technical point of view

Think of blockchain as an archive on which information is stored. Maybe a blockchain is not very different from what you are most familiar with. Like Wikipedia.

Using a blockchain, many people can enter different records into one type of information archive, and users can control how information is recorded and updated.

The structure and type of work of this technology is not very different from the type of work of the Wikipedia website. Articles on the Wikipedia online encyclopedia website are also not the product of an author. Anyone can post content on this site in accordance with Wikipedia rules. So in Wikipedia, not just one person controls the information.

However, in-depth study reveals the differences that make blockchain technology unique. While both run on distributed networks (Internet), Wikipedia on the World Wide Web (WWW) is designed using a “client server” model.

This means that in Wikipedia, data is stored on a centralized server. Even if users do not want to, one or more people have control over all the data and can modify or delete it completely.

In Wikipedia, a user (client) is able to modify all or some of the Wikipedia entries stored on a centralized server, with permissions assigned to him / her by the system.

Each time a user accesses the Wikipedia page, they receive an updated version of an article in the database (master copy). But the main difference is that control of the database remains with the administrators of Wikipedia, and control of access and permissions is maintained by a central authority. In a way, Wikipedia administrators can delete an article at any time.

But in blockchain, the owners of the database information are the network users, and the information registered on it is not deleted.

Decentralization of the world: The long-standing human dream

As we have said, bitcoin and decentralized digital currencies are the most important and successful applications of Chinese blockchain technology. For example, in Bitcoin, using this technology eliminates the possibility of fraud, double spending and return of transactions.

But this technology can have many other applications besides digital currencies, and it can be used wherever there is a need for storage space and eliminates the need for trust.

For example, electoral and fraud-free elections could be one of the applications of the Chinese bloc. By using this innovation, the risk of electoral fraud and the need for manpower can be greatly reduced.

Or for another example, we can mention the use of the Chinese block in the supply and transportation chain. Factories and manufacturing companies can record their goods and shipping information from the beginning to reach the customer in the database, which ensures the authenticity of the goods and the quality of raw materials for the customer.

With this technology, just like a society or an organization, it is possible to create a kind of governance in a system so that everyone can share in the advancement of that system in relation to their shares and powers.

This technology can also be used to convert assets into digital tokens and present them as a transferable asset. For example, the value of a home can be converted into thousands of digital tokens and sold at the budget of applicants so that many people (even from other countries) can invest in that home.

Of course, the Chinese blockchain is not yet widely used in the real world, and although this technology is decentralized, we still have to rely on centralized institutions and organizations in many areas. But with the provision of the necessary infrastructure, such as the development of artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things, we can hope for more applications of this technology.

Conclusion

Blockchain is a new technology that allows information to be recorded permanently and without the possibility of change.

This technology is actually a database that is not located on one or more specific servers, but is distributed to all computers that connect to the network. Registered records cannot be hacked or deleted due to the use of encryption and registration on all network computers.

Bitcoin was the first application of this technology, but this revolutionary system can be used for any system that needs to reduce the need for trust in intermediaries and third parties.

Share this post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *