21CS734 Blockchain Technology
Course Learning Objectives
CLO 1. Explain the fundamentals of distributed computing and blockchain
CLO 2. Discuss the concepts in bitcoin
CLO 3. Demonstrate Ethereum platform
SYLLABUS COPY
MODULE - 1
Blockchain 101: Distributed systems, History of blockchain, Introduction to blockchain, Types of
blockchain, CAP theorem and blockchain, Benefits and limitations of blockchain.Decentralization and Cryptography: Decentralization using blockchain, Methods of decentralization,Routes to decentralization, Decentralized organizations.
MODULE - 2
Introduction to Cryptography & Cryptocurrencies: Cryptographic Hash Functions, Hash Pointers and Data Structures, Digital Signatures, Public Keys as Identities, A Simple Cryptocurrency, How Bitcoin Achieves Decentralization: Distributed consensus, Consensus without identity using a block chain, Incentives and proof of work, Putting it all together,
MODULE - 3
Mechanics of Bitcoin: Bitcoin transactions, Bitcoin Scripts, Applications of Bitcoin scripts, Bitcoin blocks, The Bitcoin network, Limitations and improvements How to Store and Use Bitcoins: Simple Local Storage, Hot and Cold Storage, Splitting and Sharing Keys, Online Wallets and Exchanges, Payment Services, Transaction Fees, Currency Exchange Markets
MODULE - 4
Bitcoin Mining: The task of Bitcoin miners, Mining Hardware, Energy consumption and ecology,
Mining pools, Mining incentives and strategies. Bitcoin and Anonymity: Anonymity Basics, How to De-anonymize Bitcoin, Mixing, Decentralized
Mixing, Zerocoin and Zerocash.
MODULE - 5
Smart Contracts and Ethereum 101:Smart Contracts: Definition, Ricardian contracts.
Ethereum 101: Introduction, Ethereum blockchain, Elements of the Ethereum blockchain,
Precompiled contracts.
Course outcome
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
CO 1. Describe the concepts of Distrbuted computing and its role in Blockchain
CO 2. Describe the concepts of Cryptography and its role in Blockchain
CO 3. List the benefits, drawbacks and applications of Blockchain
CO 4. Appreciate the technologies involved in Bitcoin
CO 5. Appreciate and demonstrate the Ethereum platform to develop blockchain application.
Suggested Learning Resources
Textbooks 1. Mastering Blockchain – Distributed ledgers, decentralization and smart contracts explained, Imran Bashir, Packt Publishing Ltd, Second Edition, ISBN 978-1-78712-544-5, 2017.
2. Arvind Narayanan, Joseph Bonneau, Edward W. Felten, Andrew Miller, Steven Goldfeder and
Jeremy Clark., Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction.
Princeton University Press, 2016.Reference 1. Mastering Bitcoins: Unlocking Digital Cryptocurrencies by Andreas Antonopoulos. O’Reilly
Media, Inc, 2013.