Blockchain Basics from Coursera

This first course of the Blockchain specialization provides a broad overview of the essential concepts of blockchain technology – by initially exploring the Bitcoin protocol followed by the Ethereum protocol – to lay the foundation necessary for developing applications and programming. You will be equipped with the knowledge needed to create nodes on your personal Ethereum blockchain, create accounts, unlock accounts, mine, transact, transfer Ethers, and check balances.

You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, an immutable distributed ledger and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This course enables you to explain basic components of a blockchain (transaction, block, block header, and the chain) its operations (verification, validation, and consensus model) underlying algorithms, and essentials of trust (hard fork and soft fork). Content includes the hashing and cryptography foundations indispensable to blockchain programming, which is the focus of two subsequent specialization courses, Smart Contracts and Decentralized Applications (Dapps). You will work on a virtual machine image, specifically created for this course, to build an Ethereum test chain and operate on the chain. This hands-on activity will help you understand the workings of a blockchain, its transactions, blocks and mining.

Main concepts are delivered through videos, demos and hands-on exercises.

What's inside

Syllabus

Blockchain Defined

We will introduce and define blockchain, explain the structure and operational aspects of Bitcoin blockchain, and compare different types of blockchains.

Ethereum Blockchain

We will discuss the innovation of the Ethereum blockchain, review its protocol, and explore the payment model for code execution.

Algorithms & Techniques

We will discuss the concept of asymmetric key encryption, define the concept of hashing, and explain techniques that use algorithms to manage the integrity of transactions and blocks in blockchain.

Trust Essentials

We will define elements of trust in blockchain and discuss the Consensus protocol.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Enhances knowledge of algorithms and techniques used in blockchain programming, which is essential for understanding industry applications

Builds a foundation in both Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols, providing learners with a comprehensive understanding of blockchain technology

Provides hands-on experience through exercises and activities, reinforcing understanding and solidifying knowledge gained through theory

Taught by Bina Ramamurthy, an expert in blockchain technology, ensuring learners receive up-to-date and relevant knowledge

Emphasizes essential concepts, including trust models and consensus protocols, providing a strong basis for further exploration in the field

This course is aimed at individuals who are interested in gaining a foundational understanding of blockchain technology and its applications

Reviews summary

Blockchain for beginners

Learners say this course is an engaging resource for grasping the basics of blockchain technology and its most common implementations, using Bitcoin and Ethereum as examples. Students especially appreciate the final project where they create two nodes on a private blockchain and practice conducting transactions. However, many learners note that the video lectures are short and the quizzes are easy, and some warn that the final project can be difficult to set up due to outdated materials.

Students describe this course as a well-rounded overview of blockchain technology, providing a solid introduction to the concepts behind Bitcoin and Ethereum. The course's strengths include its clear and engaging video lectures, informative supplementary materials, and a hands-on final project that allows learners to create and interact with their own blockchain.

"The course provided a thorough overview of blockchain technology, its evolution, and its potential applications across different industries."

"The course content was well-structured and presented in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner."

"The interactive quizzes and hands-on exercises helped to reinforce my learning and enabled me to apply the concepts I had learned."

Many learners criticize the video lectures for being overly brief and superficial, leaving them with a lack of understanding of the concepts being taught. They suggest that the videos could be improved by providing more detailed explanations and examples.

"My takeaways after completing: - per class 4min video of a woman reading from the teleprompter only throwing out buzzwords"

"The explanations or demonstrations aren't top notch, you need to watch the videos multiple times with great concentration to understand fully and sometimes the lecture left you bunch of questions for which I do not find any good answers."

"The videos are super short and don’t really explain much."

Students generally find the quizzes to be too easy, providing little challenge and not adequately testing their understanding of the material.

"The quizzes could've been more difficult and it always turned out being way too easy and underwhelming"

"The quizzes are trivial."

"I could have finished the course by simply clicking "Next" all the time."

A common complaint among reviewers is the lack of instructor support. Students report experiencing difficulties with the course material or the final project and being unable to get help from the instructors or teaching assistants.

"The course has hundreds of graduates-wanna-be that get stranded at this stage because that technology doesn’t work on Win10, or on the machine that they have."

"I had to borrow a friends window box."

"I think the problem here is the technology develops very quickly and these documentations are already out of circulation."

Many students express frustration with outdated course materials, particularly in the final project. They report broken links, compatibility issues, and a lack of support for newer technologies.

"The final assignment is run on a Virtualbox VM which you might, or might not get installed on your machine."

"There are hundreds of graduates-wanna-be that get stranded at this stage because that technology doesn’t work on Win10, or on the machine that they have."

"All "further reading" links are from 2018, and out of those, half don’t even exist anymore."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Blockchain Basics with these activities:

Review the basics of hashing functions

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Begin by refreshing your knowledge of the fundamentals of hashing functions.

Browse courses on Hash Functions

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Read a tutorial on hashing functions.
Solve practice problems on hashing functions.

Practice creating and executing transactions on the Ethereum blockchain

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Sharpen your understanding of creating and executing transactions on the Ethereum blockchain through repetitive practice.

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Set up an Ethereum development environment.
Create a smart contract that can receive and spend Ether.
Write code to interact with the smart contract.

Learn and Practice Hashing Techniques

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Understand the fundamentals and significance of hashing in blockchain technology.

Browse courses on Hashing

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Explore online resources or tutorials on hashing algorithms (e.g., SHA-256, SHA3, keccak).
Practice implementing hashing algorithms in a programming language (e.g., Python).

Three other activities

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Follow a guided tutorial on building a decentralized application (DApp)

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Gain practical experience in the end-to-end development of a DApp through guided tutorials.

Browse courses on dApp Development

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Find a reputable tutorial on DApp development.
Follow the tutorial step-by-step.
Deploy your DApp to a test network.

Create a technical report on the security implications of smart contracts

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Deepen your understanding of smart contract security by researching and writing a comprehensive technical report.

Browse courses on Blockchain Security

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Research smart contract security vulnerabilities.
Analyze case studies of smart contract attacks.
Write a technical report outlining your findings.

Contribute to an open-source blockchain project

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Make a meaningful contribution to the blockchain community by volunteering your skills on an open-source project.

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Find an open-source blockchain project that aligns with your interests.
Review the project documentation.
Identify an area where you can contribute.
Submit a pull request with your proposed changes.

Career center

Learners who complete Blockchain Basics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Blockchain Consultant

Blockchain Consultants are responsible for advising businesses on how to implement blockchain technology. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Blockchain Consultant.

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Cryptocurrency Trader

Cryptocurrency Traders are responsible for buying and selling cryptocurrencies on exchanges. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Cryptocurrency Trader.

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Cryptocurrency Analyst

Cryptocurrency Analysts are responsible for analyzing the cryptocurrency market and providing insights to investors. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Cryptocurrency Analyst.

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Smart Contract Developer

Smart Contract Developers are responsible for developing and deploying smart contracts on blockchain platforms. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Smart Contract Developer.

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Decentralized Application Developer

Decentralized Application Developers are responsible for developing and deploying decentralized applications (dApps) on blockchain platforms. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Decentralized Application Developer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Decentralized Application Developer

Blockchain Developer

Blockchain Developers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining blockchain applications. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Blockchain Developer.

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Blockchain Architect

Blockchain Architects are responsible for designing and building blockchain networks. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Blockchain Architect.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Data Scientist.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Software Engineer.

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Computer Scientist

Computer Scientists are responsible for researching and developing new computer technologies. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Computer Scientist.

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Investment Banker

Investment Bankers are responsible for advising companies on mergers and acquisitions, and other financial transactions. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as an Investment Banker.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts are responsible for analyzing business processes and providing recommendations for improvement. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Business Analyst.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts are responsible for analyzing financial data and providing insights to investors. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Financial Analyst.

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Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for developing and managing products. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Product Manager.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course provides a strong foundation in the essential concepts of blockchain technology, including the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, immutable distributed ledger, and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a Marketing Manager.

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