From here, you will have fully understood all the tenets of how we build a blockchain system, from the conceptual level to the implementation.
Our first module examined the basics of Bitcoin, building it from the ground up with four key components: identity, transactions, record-keeping, and consensus.
WIth this high level understanding of Bitcoin, you learned the motivations for Bitcoin’s design, how Bitcoin provides a previously centralized service in a decentralized manner, and were then able to explain Bitcoin in simple terms.
In our second module, we took a step back to look at Bitcoin and blockchain’s historical context, to get a sense for libertarian ideals and the Cypherpunk movement, why blockchains are designed as they are, and the path that current efforts are taking us now.
We then dove into the technical implementation of Bitcoin in our third module, which used tools such as cryptographic hash functions, tamper evident data structures, the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm, and Bitcoin Script.
Through this lecture, you saw features of Bitcoin, such as Merkle trees and nonces, implementing every concept from Module 1.
In the fourth module, we stepped out of the world of hypotheticals and theory and looked at how all these concepts played out in real life.
We examined all the various types of users of Bitcoin and discussed tools to interact with the network, such as wallets and various categories of nodes.
The lecture brought Bitcoin to life, allowing you to decide for yourself how well Satoshi Nakamoto met their mission with Bitcoin.
And then finally, last week, we looked at the vulnerabilities of Bitcoin from a game theoretical standpoint.
Recognizing the costs and implications of both malicious Proof-of-Work attacks, and that of network latency and topology, we saw for ourselves Bitcoin’s imperfections.
By completing these 5 lectures, you have now completed your understanding of Bitcoin fundamentals.
BUT, this is only the beginning of your blockchain knowledge.
With these accumulated sets of knowledge, we are now going to take you from Bitcoin-centric material into a new frame of blockchain thinking, leveraging all the blockchain knowledge you accumulated while learning about Bitcoin.
In this module, we’ll be looking at Ethereum and blockchain use cases.