Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone interested in a broad overview of the fervent developments taking place in the blockchain landscape, the practical applications that illustrate unique features of blockchain technology – namely decentralization, disintermediation and distributed immutable ledger – and approaches for ongoing improvements in privacy and scalability. It provides learners with an opportunity to learn about the permissioned blockchain in Hyperledger Fabric, the samples of the disruptive Dapps in energy retailer (Grid+) and prediction markets (Augur) and other decentralized developments in IPFS and Hashgraph that may help enrich the blockchain technologies.

Are there any prerequisites?

Review of the content of the first course (Blockchain Basics), second course (Smart Contracts), and third course (Decentralized Applications) of this specialization are prerequisites. Knowledge of at least one high-level programming language is required.

Are there any hardware requirements?

A laptop or a desktop of this specification: 64 bit machine with minimum 4Gb ram, 10Gb free space and Windows 7 or above , or ubuntu 16.04 or Mac os x 10.0+.

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Blockchain Platforms

Blockchain Platforms

This course is part of Blockchain Specialization

Instructor: Bina Ramamurthy

44,921 already enrolled

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,165 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

94%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,165 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

94%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

This fourth course of the Blockchain specialization provides learners with an understanding of the broader blockchain ecosystem.

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

18 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Blockchain Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 4 modules in this course

This fourth course of the Blockchain specialization provides learners with an understanding of the broader blockchain ecosystem. Learners are introduced to other blockchain platforms, details of two decentralized application use cases, and challenges such as privacy and scalability. They are prepared to discuss permissioned blockchain architectures of Hyperledger and Microsoft Azure's blockchain as a service model and analyze the Augur and Grid+ decentralized application platforms. Course material includes emerging alternative decentralization models such as IPFS and Hashgraph, challenges in broader blockchain adoption, and continuous improvement solutions.

Module details

In this module, we will explore the contributions of two major technology organizations: The Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Fabric and Microsoft Azure’s Blockchain as a Service.

What's included

11 videos7 readings6 assignments

11 videosTotal 57 minutes

Intro: Permissioned Blockchains2 minutes
Hyperledger (Part 1)6 minutes
Hyperledger (Part 2)4 minutes
Fabric Services5 minutes
Fabric Model & Functions (Part 1)6 minutes
Fabric Model & Functions (Part 2)5 minutes
Composer3 minutes
Composer (Demo) (Part 1)6 minutes
Composer (Demo) (Part 2)7 minutes
Composer (Demo) (Part 3)7 minutes
Microsoft Azure6 minutes

7 readingsTotal 110 minutes

Acknowledgements: Blockchain5 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Linux's Hyperledger10 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Fabric Services25 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Fabric Model & Functions15 minutes
[OPTIONAL] Composer Demo Files30 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Composer15 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Microsoft Azure10 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 102 minutes

Self-Check6 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Self-Check4 minutes
Self-Check2 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Permissioned Blockchains - Week 130 minutes

We will explore two Dapps: Augur and Grid+ which are both implemented on Ethereum. You, too, can be a participant in these Dapps platforms, if you wish to do so.

What's included

5 videos2 readings3 assignments

5 videosTotal 27 minutes

Intro: Decentralized Application Platforms3 minutes
Augur (Part 1)5 minutes
Augur (Part 2)6 minutes
Grid+ (Part 1)7 minutes
Grid+ (Part 2)6 minutes

2 readingsTotal 45 minutes

(Optional) Resources: Augur25 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Grid+20 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 70 minutes

Self-Check10 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Decentralized Applications Platforms - Week 230 minutes

We will explore just a few of the important challenges and solutions that are continuously innovating Blockchain.

What's included

5 videos4 readings5 assignments

5 videosTotal 25 minutes

Introduction: Challenges & Solutions1 minute
Consensus6 minutes
Scalability7 minutes
Privacy & Confidentiality4 minutes
Escrow & Multi-sig7 minutes

4 readingsTotal 85 minutes

(Optional) Resources: Consensus15 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Scalability35 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Privacy & Confidentiality10 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Escrow & Multi-Sig25 minutes

5 assignmentsTotal 102 minutes

Self-Check6 minutes
Self-Check6 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Challenges & Solutions - Week 330 minutes

We will explore the Interplanetary File System (IPFS) that aims to address the decentralized data storage problem and Hashgraph, which aims to solve the decentralized trust problem.

What's included

7 videos5 readings4 assignments

7 videosTotal 37 minutes

Intro: Alternative Decentralized Solutions1 minute
Interplanetary File System (Part 1)5 minutes
Interplanetary File System (Part 2)5 minutes
Interplanetary File System (Demo)7 minutes
Hashgraph (Part 1)7 minutes
Hashgraph (Part 2)8 minutes
Blockchain: Social Imperative4 minutes

5 readingsTotal 165 minutes

(Optional) Resources: Interplanetary File System60 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Hashgraph30 minutes
(Optional) Resources: Blockchain: Social Imperative5 minutes
Blockchain Platforms: Key Takeaways10 minutes
REQUIRED: Quiz Resources60 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 150 minutes

Self-Check30 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Self-Check30 minutes
Alternative Decentralized Solutions60 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(184 ratings)

Bina Ramamurthy

The State University of New York

9 Courses312,233 learners

Offered by

University at Buffalo

The State University of New York

Learner reviews

5 stars
69.98%
4 stars
21.95%
3 stars
5.91%
2 stars
1.20%
1 star
0.94%

Showing 3 of 1165

Reviewed on Dec 26, 2018

It is very practical, and loved the Augur, Grid+, and Escrow which is not usually mentioned in any other blockchain courses

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2020

The content for IPFS hashgraph is a bittooadvanced. for non-cs major, but the final project is easy to follow and enabled me to understand IPFS better than just wathingthe videos.

Reviewed on Sep 24, 2020

Fantastic course, with some roughness when it comes to projects, but otherwise full of contents and clearly developed, really appreciated it. Thank You

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