BLOCKCHAIN
Terms and Keywords
A unique string of characters that represents the destination for a cryptocurrency transaction.
A set of rules that dictate how transactions are verified and added to the blockchain.
A collection of data that represents a group of confirmed transactions.
A decentralized and distributed ledger that records transactions in a secure and transparent manner.
The distribution of data, power, and decision-making across a network, as opposed to being held by a single centralized authority.
A ledger that is maintained by multiple parties, rather than a single central authority.
A split in a blockchain network that results in two separate chains, one of which becomes the longest chain and the other of which becomes an alternate chain.
A reference to a previous block in the blockchain, used to link blocks together and create a secure chain.
A measure of the computational power of the network.
A property of blockchain data that means it cannot be altered or deleted once it has been recorded.
The process of adding blocks to the blockchain, typically done by solving complex mathematical problems.
A participant in the blockchain network that maintains a copy of the ledger.
A random number used in mining to generate a unique hash for each block.
A network where each participant can act as both a client and a server, allowing for direct communication between participants.
A self-executing computer program that automatically executes when certain conditions are met, used to automate transactions on a blockchain.
The measures taken to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the data stored on the blockchain.
A transfer of value from one address to another on the blockchain
In a blockchain, a witness is a node that is responsible for verifying and validating transactions. In some consensus mechanisms, such as Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), witnesses are elected by token holders to validate transactions and produce blocks.
A world state refers to the current state of the blockchain, including all transactions and the balance of all accounts. The world state is maintained by nodes in the network and is used to verify the validity of transactions and to update the state of the blockchain.
A type of proof construction that allows one to prove the authenticity of information without revealing the information itself. In the context of blockchain, zk-Snarks can be used to verify transactions without exposing the sender, receiver, or transaction amount.