Demystify one of the most disruptive modern technologies and gain an understanding of distributed ledger technology, consensus protocols, smart contracts, DApps, blockchain scalability, privacy, security, and more.
Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.
Key Features
- Study new blockchains, including Polkadot, Solana, and dive into the architecture of Ethereum’s execution and consensus layer
- Explore distributed ledger technologies such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, Hyperledger Fabric, and Quorum
- Get to grips with Solidity, Web3, NFTs, DeFi, and smart contract development
Book Description
Blockchain is the backbone of cryptocurrencies, with applications in finance, government, media, and more. With a legacy of providing technologists with executable insights, this new edition of Mastering Blockchain is thoroughly revised and updated according to the latest blockchain research. With new chapters on decentralized finance, decentralized identity, blockchain privacy, scalability, security, and bonus online content exploring alternative blockchains, this is an unmissable read for everyone who wants to gain a deep understanding of blockchain.
Although this book covers the basics, including blockchain’s technical underpinnings, cryptography, and consensus protocols, it doesn’t shy away from advanced topics and practical expertise, such as decentralized application (DApp) development using smart contracts. Throughout the book, you’ll explore blockchain solutions beyond cryptocurrencies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) with blockchain, enterprise blockchains, and tokenization, and gain insight into the future scope of this fascinating and disruptive technology.
By the end of this blockchain book, you will have gained a thorough understanding of the various facets of blockchain and understand the potential of this technology in diverse real-world scenarios.
What you will learn
- Grasp the mechanisms behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other blockchain protocols
- Understand cryptography and its usage in blockchain
- Become familiar with blockchain consensus algorithms and develop smart contracts and DApps using Solidity, Remix, Truffle, and Ganache
- Solve issues relating to scalability, privacy, and security in blockchain
- Explore enterprise blockchains
- Delve into emerging trends like decentralized and self-sovereign identity, DeFi, NFTs, and Metaverse
- Explore various applications, research topics, and future directions of blockchain
Who this book is for
This book is for blockchain enthusiasts from all backgrounds, including business executives who want to leverage new platforms and students who want to a textbook exploring this fascinating technology. It is also a useful reference guide for blockchain development professionals who want to build fast and highly secure transactional applications. Basic knowledge in any programming language will come in handy.
Table of Contents
- Blockchain 101
- Decentralization
- Symmetric Cryptography
- Asymmetric Cryptography
- Consensus Algorithms
- Bitcoin Architecture
- Bitcoin in Practice
- Smart Contracts
- Ethereum Architecture
- Ethereum in Practice
- Tools, Languages, and Frameworks for Ethereum Developers
- Web3 Development Using Ethereum
- The Merge and Beyond
- Hyperledger
- Tokenization
- Enterprise Blockchain
- Scalability
- Blockchain Privacy
- Blockchain Security
- Decentralized Identity
- Decentralized Finance
- Blockchain Applications and What’s Next!
- Alternative blockchains
Eth –
I have read all editions of this book. This new edition has all the latest updates related to layer 2, zero-knowledge proofs, privacy, scalability, DeFi and even decentralized identity, which is not usually covered in any other book on blockchain. I have read through all the new chapters in this book so far and have learned a lot, I highly recommend this book.
Shritesh –
The book “Mastering Blockchain” provides a comprehensive guide that delves into the transformative potential of blockchain technology. Authored by Imran Bashir who is a software developer and solution architect, this book presents a thought-provoking exploration of how blockchain can revolutionize various industries and reshape the way we conduct business and interact with one another.The first two chapters provide an understanding of the technology’s concepts and explain all the critical topics in the subsequent chapters. It covers from the history of blockchain and key cryptography concepts to an in-depth explanation of the architecture of major blockchains like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Hyperledger. It also covers how developers can create their blockchain-based applications by using various tools and frameworks available today.Throughout the book, the authors emphasize the importance of blockchain’s decentralized nature and its potential for creating a more transparent, secure, and inclusive society. They address concerns related to scalability, energy consumption, and regulatory frameworks, providing a holistic view of the technology’s possibilities and limitations.In conclusion, “Mastering Blockchain” is a must-read guide in blockchain that will leave you inspired and eager to be part of the transformative journey toward a decentralized future. Whether you are a technology enthusiast, a business professional, or simply curious about the potential of blockchain, this book is a remarkable guide that will expand your horizons and leave a lasting impression.
Shanthababu Pandian –
Blockchain technology is a major buzzword in the current digital industry. I found this book to cover the inner workings of blockchain, from cryptography to DeFi and NFTs. It consists of massive 23 chapters where all the new beginners and practitioners can explore blockchain end-to-end and get super benefits out of it.Let me share my views hereChapters: 1-5: The author gets started with the outline of the growth of blockchain technology and how the distributed systems with CAP and PACELC theorem and the various ideas that supported the invention of Bitcoin and blockchain are good starting points. The author puts the gears and starts with blockchain terminology, structure, functionality, benefits, features, and types this is the very basis for building your understanding of blockchain technology don’t miss this chapter and digest this before you move on.As we know, decentralization concepts have been used in many domains for a long time. The author has given excellent the basic idea of decentralization, its methodology, ecosystem, and best practices in terms of Decentralized applications (DApps) aspects. The must-read part is a comparison between centralized and decentralized systems.The author’s detailed notes on symmetrical and asymmetric cryptography with in-depth concepts and mathematical approaches are incredible and learners can visualise with neat sketches – some of them from his contributions are – services provided by cryptography, cryptographic primitives, hash functions, ECC, RSA, digital signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs.Discussion on “Consensus Algorithms” is important and the author registering the significance of Consensus Algorithms, analysis and design, its classification and guidance to choosing algorithms are notable.(Ch 1-5 is absolutely important to put a strong base for learners, So take time and read all the concepts to understand clearly, this is my suggestion)Chapters: 6-10: we could see the author’s immersive efforts and interest in sharing his knowledge of blockchain learners in intense in Bitcoin and Ethereum Architecture and its practices along with a discussion on the different components, protocols, algorithms, and languages used for these technologies like Solidity, Geth and MetaMask.Chapters: 11-15: The author has provided a very detailed view of various tools, languages, and frameworks for Ethereum developers along with sample code specifications, development and deployment process “Solidity language”, “Ganache UI”, “Truffle”,” Web3 Development Using Ethereum” and element of Hyperledger projects and design architecture. Explicit exploration of tokenization in terms of blockchain tokens, their types, and the process of tokenization along with its standards.Chapter: 16-23: Since the opportunity for blockchain is increasing dramatically the use case as well is going to grow faster, so enterprise blockchains require one, the author handled this well in answering many questions for learners from architecture, solutions, factors, and requirements and comparing enterprise blockchain versus public blockchain. Scalability, Privacy and Security are major components in any technology implementation, and the author covered them precisely by adding methods to improve blockchain scalability and privacy protocols for privacy on the blockchain.The author connected the blockchain with IoT and its implementation with classical examples and IoT components is a special gift for learners to understand how blockchain-based IoT will work and of course, he connected with AI as well.Overall … I can give 4.5/5.0 for this. Certainly, a special effort from the author is really much appreciable.-Shanthababu PandianArtificial Intelligence and Analytics | Cloud Data and ML Architect| Blockchain Consultant | Scrum Master |National and International Speaker | Blogger |
Arden –
This book gives a great insight into Defi and Blockchain in general. This great technical book gives us technical knowledge on Blockchain cryptography, Defi, and NFTs. It talks about the most disruptive technology revolutions anyone has seen in the world of finance. I am a finance major and one of the topics taught is Defi this book helped me explore Defi in a deeper sense.
Gil –
Aprovado!
Excelente livro para um assunto extenso. Se você é um desenvolvedor, vai precisar de algum outro material, mas como introdução (mais de 700 páginas) é um ótimo começo. Os conceitos são bem apresentados e a quarta edição está relativamente bem atualizada para um tema que muda a cada dia. Recomendo.
Andrew Masse –
Everything you need to know about blockchain
The author makes extremely complex topics approachable. It helps to have some experience with Bitcoin or Ethereum, cryptography, databases and basic networking, but it isn’t required. All the background you need is presented methodically if you start on page 1. One thing I particularly enjoyed is the author’s optimism about the technology while staying realistic about real world use cases and problems. If you really want to understand what blockchains are but aren’t sure where to start, this is it.
eva –
muy interesante, muy completo el temario
muy interesante, muy completo el temario y bien escrito
Rajat Yadav –
Very good book for a detailed deepdive into blockchain network and algorithm flows.
This is a great book if you want to go into blockchain development. Even if you want to understand deeper without going into development. This is like a bridge between theory and practical and helps you understand how blockchain and consensus works from an algo pov. Go for it.
Alan Bernardo Palacio –
Thorough and Informative Guide to Blockchain
This book is a well-rounded resource that takes readers on a comprehensive journey through the world of blockchain technology. Starting from the basics, Chapter 1 provides a solid foundation by explaining distributed computing concepts that underpin blockchain. Chapters 2 and 3 delve into decentralization and symmetric cryptography, respectively, shedding light on their roles in the blockchain ecosystem. The inclusion of real-world examples in Chapter 4 makes the complex topic of asymmetric cryptography more accessible.The book’s strength lies in its wide coverage, which includes not only technical aspects but also practical applications. Chapter 8’s in-depth exploration of smart contracts and Chapter 9’s detailed breakdown of Ethereum’s architecture are noteworthy highlights. Furthermore, the book doesn’t shy away from addressing challenges; Chapter 17’s discussion on scalability and Chapter 18’s exploration of blockchain privacy are insightful.However, there’s room for improvement. Some chapters, such as Chapter 5 on consensus algorithms, could benefit from more relatable scenarios to aid understanding. Also, the online chapter about alternative blockchains feels like an afterthought and could be integrated better.Overall, this book serves as a valuable reference for both beginners and experienced individuals looking to understand the intricate world of blockchain. Its coverage of topics like decentralized finance, smart contracts, and even emerging trends like decentralized identity makes it a commendable resource.