What this book covers

Chapter 1, Blockchain 101, introduces the basic concepts of distributed computing, on which blockchain technology is based. It also covers the history, definitions, features, types, and benefits of blockchains, along with various consensus mechanisms that are at the core of the blockchain technology.

Chapter 2, Decentralization, covers the concept of decentralization and its relationship with blockchain technology. Various methods and platforms that can be used to decentralize a process or a system are also introduced.

Chapter 3, Symmetric Cryptography, introduces the theoretical foundations of symmetric cryptography, which is necessary in order to understand how various security services such as confidentiality and integrity are provided.

Chapter 4, Public Key Cryptography, introduces concepts such as public and private keys, digital signatures, and hash functions, and includes a number of practical examples.

Chapter 5, Consensus Algorithms, covers the fundamentals of consensus algorithms and describes the design and inner workings of several such algorithms. It covers both traditional consensus protocols and blockchain consensus protocols.

Chapter 6, Introducing Bitcoin, covers Bitcoin, the first and largest blockchain. It introduces technical concepts related to the Bitcoin cryptocurrency in detail.

Chapter 7, Bitcoin Network and Payments, covers the Bitcoin network, relevant protocols, and various Bitcoin wallets. Moreover, advanced protocols, Bitcoin trading and payments are also introduced.

Chapter 8, Bitcoin Clients and APIs, introduces various Bitcoin clients and programming APIs that can be used to build Bitcoin applications.

Chapter 9, Alternative Coins, introduces alternative cryptocurrencies that were introduced after the invention of Bitcoin, along with their theoretical foundations.

Chapter 10, Smart Contracts, provides an in-depth discussion on smart contracts. Topics such as their history and definition, Ricardian contracts, oracles, and the theoretical aspects of smart contracts are presented in this chapter.

Chapter 11, Ethereum 101, introduces the design and architecture of the Ethereum blockchain in detail. It covers various technical concepts related to the Ethereum blockchain that explain the underlying principles, features, and components of this platform in depth.

Chapter 12, Further Ethereum, continues the introduction of Ethereum from the previous chapter, and covers topics related to the Ethereum Virtual Machine, mining, and supporting protocols for the Ethereum chain.

Chapter 13, Ethereum Development Environment, covers topics related to setting up private networks for Ethereum smart contract development and programming.

Chapter 14, Development Tools and Frameworks, provides a detailed practical introduction to the Solidity programming language, and different relevant tools and frameworks that are used for development with Ethereum.

Chapter 15, Introducing Web3, covers the development of decentralized applications and smart contracts using the Ethereum blockchain. A detailed introduction to the Web3 API is provided, along with multiple practical examples.

Chapter 16, Serenity, introduces the latest developments in Serenity, the update that will introduce Ethereum 2.0. It covers the theory relating to the beacon chain, validator nodes, and explores various phases of Ethereum 2 development.

Chapter 17, Hyperledger, presents a discussion about the Hyperledger project from the Linux Foundation, which includes different blockchain projects introduced by its members.

Chapter 18, Tokenization, introduces the topic of tokenization, stable coins, and other relevant ideas such as initial coin offerings, decentralized exchanges, decentralized finance, and token development standards.

Chapter 19, Blockchain – Outside of Currencies, provides a practical and detailed introduction to applications of blockchain technology in fields others than cryptocurrencies, including the Internet of Things, government, media, and finance.

Chapter 20, Enterprise Blockchains, explains the use and application of blockchain technology in enterprise settings, and covers distributed ledger platforms such as Quorum and Corda.

Chapter 21, Scalability and Other Challenges, is dedicated to a discussion of the challenges faced by blockchain technology and how to address them.

Chapter 22, Current Landscape and What's Next, is aimed at providing information about the current landscape, projects, and research efforts related to blockchain technology, and includes a number of predictions based on the current state of blockchain technology.