Most people have already heard of the internet buzzword Blockchain, but not everybody understands how it actually works. We’ll cover what blockchain technology is and how it functions.
What is Blockchain?
Consider it as a register that cannot be manipulated or modified according to a user’s desires. Blockchain is literally a chain of blocks. When we say“block” and “chain” in this context, we are actually talking about digital information (the “block”) stored in a public database (the “chain”).
“Blocks” on the blockchain are made up of digital pieces of information. Specifically, they have three parts:
- Blocks store information about transactions like the date, time, and dollar amount of your most recent purchase from Amazon. (NOTE: This Amazon example is for illustrative purchases; Amazon retail does not work on a blockchain principle)
- Blocks store information about who is participating in transactions. A block for your splurge purchase from Amazon would record your name along with Amazon.com, Inc. Instead of using your actual name, your purchase is recorded without any identifying information using a unique “digital signature,” sort of like a username.
3. Blocks store information that distinguishes them from other blocks.
Much like you and I have names to distinguish us from one another, each block stores a unique code called a “hash” that allows us to tell it apart from
Technically speaking, a blockchain is an ever-growing list of records called blocks which are linked using cryptography. Cryptography is a process that encrypts and secures data communication to prevent third-parties from reading private messages. Blockchain technology is most commonly used by cryptocurrencies
How blockchain works
A blockchain is simply a chain of blocks that contains information. Each block has a cryptographic hash of the previous block, a timestamp, and transaction data.
Although the design is simple, it is this design that makes Blockchain invulnerable to data tampering.
Blockchain technology is an open distributed ledger that can record transactions of two parties securely and efficiently. As it is distributed, Blockchain is typically managed by a peer-to-peer network working simultaneously together to solve complex mathematical problems in order to validate new blocks. Once recorded, the data in any given block cannot be updated retroactively without changing all subsequent blocks, which requires the confirmation of the majority in the network. This is the main reason why blockchain technology is secure and not susceptible to hacking.
Is Blockchain Secure?
Blockchain technology accounts for the issues of security and trust in several ways. First, new blocks are always stored linearly and chronologically. That is, they are always added to the “end” of the blockchain.
After a block has been added to the end of the blockchain, it is very difficult to go back and alter the contents of the block. That’s because each block contains its own hash, along with the hash of the block before it. Hash codes are created by a math function that turns digital information into a string of numbers and letters. If that information is edited in any way, the hash code changes as well.
Blockchain’s Practical Application
Bank Use
Most likely, no industry stands to benefit from integrating blockchain into its business operations more than banking. Financial institutions only operate during business hours, five days a week. That means if you try to deposit a check on Friday at 6 p.m., you likely will have to wait until Monday morning to see that money hit your account. Even if you do make your deposit during business hours, the transaction can still take one to three days to verify due to the sheer volume of transactions that banks need to settle. Blockchain, on the other hand, never sleeps.
Use in Cryptocurrency
Under the central authority system, a user’s data and currency are technically at the whim of their bank or government. If a user’s bank collapses or they live in a country with an unstable government, the value of their currency may be at risk. These are the worries out of which Bitcoin came into being.
Healthcare Uses
Health care providers can leverage blockchain to securely store their patients’ medical records. When a medical record is generated and signed, it can be written into the blockchain, which provides patients with the proof and confidence that the record cannot be changed. These personal health records could be encoded and stored on the blockchain with a private key, so that they are only accessible by certain individuals, thereby ensuring privacy.
Property Records Use
If you have ever spent time in your local Recorder’s Office, you will know that the process of recording property rights is both burdensome and inefficient. Today, a physical deed must be delivered to a government employee at the local recording office, where is it manually entered into the county’s central database and public index. In the case of a property dispute, claims to the property must be reconciled with the public index.
Use in Smart Contracts
A smart contract is a computer code that can be built into the blockchain to facilitate, verify, or negotiate a contract agreement. Smart contracts operate under a set of conditions that users agree to. When those conditions are met, the terms of the agreement are automatically carried out.
Supply Chain Use
Suppliers can use blockchain to record the origins of materials that they have purchased. This would allow companies to verify the authenticity of their products, along with health and ethics labels like “Organic,” “Local,” and “Fair Trade.”
Conclusion
Gradually, blockchain technology is changing the way we trade, opening new opportunities for individuals and businesses and, aside from its applications in financial services, will become the basis for numerous businesses across industries.
We’re pretty sure that in the right hands, nearly any business idea that’s built on technology can benefit from a blockchain.
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