This course is part of the Blockchain Specialization

4.6
stars
5,601 ratings

Bina Ramamurthy

145,976 already enrolled

Offered By

University at Buffalo

The State University of New York

Blockchain SpecializationUniversity at Buffalo

About this Course

246,664 recent views

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.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 4 in the

Blockchain Specialization

Beginner Level

Knowledge of at least one modern, high-level programming language is required.

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, English, Spanish

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

EthereumCryptographyBlockchainsBitcoin

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 4 in the

Blockchain Specialization

Beginner Level

Knowledge of at least one modern, high-level programming language is required.

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.54/5 (1,257 Ratings)

Bina Ramamurthy

Teaching Professor

Computer Science and Engineering Department

156,727 Learners

4 Courses

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

Content Rating95%(32,448 ratings)

Week

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Blockchain Defined

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

4 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 26 min), 6 readings, 5 quizzes

5 videos

Practitioner's Perspective: John Wolpert, ConsenSys4m

Blockchain Defined: Bitcoin & Blockchain8m

Blockchain Structure5m

Basic Operations4m

Beyond Bitcoin3m

6 readings

Acknowledgements: Blockchain5m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Bitcoin & Blockchain45m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Blockchain Structure5m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Basic Operations30m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Beyond Bitcoin1h

REQUIRED Quiz Resources and Directions: Blockchain Defined - Week 110m

5 practice exercises

Self-Check5m

Self-Check2m

Blockchain Defined - Week 130m

Week

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Ethereum Blockchain

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

4 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 19 min), 5 readings, 5 quizzes

5 videos

Ethereum Blockchain: Smart Contracts5m

Practitioner's Perspective: The Enterprise2m

Ethereum Structure4m

Ethereum Operations2m

Incentive Model4m

5 readings

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Smart Contracts30m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Ethereum Structure45m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Ethereum Operations30m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Incentive Model30m

REQUIRED Quiz Resources and Directions: Ethereum Blockchain - Week 210m

5 practice exercises

Self-Check5m

Ethereum Blockchain - Week 230m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

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.

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 21 min), 5 readings, 5 quizzes

4 videos

Algorithms & Techniques: Public-Key Cryptography7m

Hashing5m

Transaction Integrity3m

Securing Blockchain4m

5 readings

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Public-Key Cryptography30m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Hashing30m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Transaction Integrity20m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Securing Blockchain30m

REQUIRED Quiz Resources and Directions: Algorithms & Techniques - Week 310m

5 practice exercises

Self-Check5m

Self-Check3m

Self-Check5m

Algorithms & Techniques - Week 330m

Week

Week 4

5 hours to complete

Trust Essentials

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

5 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 19 min), 5 readings, 6 quizzes

5 videos

Trust Essentials: Decentralized Systems4m

Consensus Protocol2m

Practitioner's Perspective: Decentralized Governance2m

Robustness5m

Forks4m

5 readings

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Decentralized Systems40m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Consensus Protocol40m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Robustness5m

(OPTIONAL) Resources: Forks20m

Blockchain Basics: Key Takeaways5m

5 practice exercises

Self-Check5m

Trust Essentials - Week 430m

Reviews

4.6

1422 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
23.37%
3 stars
4.84%
2 stars
1.07%
1 star
1.14%

TOP REVIEWS FROM BLOCKCHAIN BASICS

by ESDec 30, 2019

Out of date: the content is from 2017 I believe, and this is a field that is evolving so fast. It was hard to follow along on the programming exercises, but it was a good introduction to the concepts.

by TTNov 18, 2018

This is an introductory course to Blockchain. The supplemented material (in other words self-study) is excellent and in my opinion is the only way to master the concepts and details of this discipline

by LMJul 29, 2019

Comprehensive and clear course that summarize the basic concepts to understand the blockchain technology. Also the resources and contents included are very valuables. I totally recommend this course.

by UDec 31, 2019

One of the Best course for Absolutely Beginners :-) Discussed Core Fundamental Factors of Blockchain of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Amazing Resources & Really Helpful Content. Thanks Bina Ramamurthy Ma'am.

View all reviews

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. 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. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Who is this course for?
This course is for anyone interested in obtaining a broad overview of blockchain technology. Along with the other courses of the Blockchain specialization, it provides the foundation needed for developers who seek to design and develop smart contracts (the focus of the second course) and decentralized applications (the focus of the third course) on the blockchain. Though there are no technical prerequisites for this course, motivation to learn novel techniques and essential foundations is critical to understanding blockchain concepts and interacting with the blockchain.
Are there any prerequisites?
Knowledge of at least one modern, 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+.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Blockchain Basics