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.
This course is part of the Blockchain Specialization
Offered By

About this Course
Knowledge of at least one modern, high-level programming language is required.
What you will learn
A learner will be able to recognize foundational concepts of blockchain, and apply these program concepts on the blockchain.
Skills you will gain
- Ethereum
- Cryptography
- Blockchains
- Bitcoin
Knowledge of at least one modern, high-level programming language is required.
Offered by

University at Buffalo
The University at Buffalo (UB) is a premier, research-intensive public university and the largest, most comprehensive institution of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. UB offers more than 100 undergraduate degrees and nearly 300 graduate and professional programs.

The State University of New York
The State University of New York, with 64 unique institutions, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States. Educating nearly 468,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs both on campus and online, SUNY has nearly 3 million alumni around the globe.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
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.
Reviews
- 5 stars70.15%
- 4 stars22.56%
- 3 stars4.78%
- 2 stars1.02%
- 1 star1.46%
TOP REVIEWS FROM BLOCKCHAIN BASICS
A comprehensive course covering everything related to Blockchain Basics and great for Beginners and any professional who wants to start their career in Blockchain technology can take this course.
Some of the course links don't work. The instruction for installation of virtual machine needs updating. I'm hoping the other courses in the specialisation go into more depth, as this is very basic.
Very nicely arranged course and very informative. Learned a lot in no time. Only hurdle is The Ethereum Virtual machine takes hell lot of time in the Miner step. rest all fine. thanks a lot.
A comprehensive and clear course that summarizes the basic concepts to understand blockchain technology. Also, the resources and contents included are very valuables. I totally recommend this course.
About the Blockchain Specialization
This specialization introduces blockchain, a revolutionary technology that enables peer-to-peer transfer of digital assets without any intermediaries, and is predicted to be just as impactful as the Internet. More specifically, it prepares learners to program on the Ethereum blockchain. The four courses provide learners with (i) an understanding and working knowledge of foundational blockchain concepts, (ii) a skill set for designing and implementing smart contracts, (iii) methods for developing decentralized applications on the blockchain, and (iv) information about the ongoing specific industry-wide blockchain frameworks.

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