Raj - Foundations of Blockchain the pathway to cryptocurrencies and decentralized blockchain applications

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First published: January 2019

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ISBN 978-1-78913-939-6

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Koshik Raj is an information security enthusiast who holds a master's degree in computer science and information security. He has a background of working with RSA, a network security company. He has also worked as a senior developer in CoWrks, Bengaluru.

Koshik has been studying blockchain technology since he was introduced to Bitcoin while pursuing his master's. He is currently advising an educational start-up looking to implement blockchain technology in the education space. He is also setting up a blockchain incubation center for students and researchers in Bengaluru to aid mentorship and networking, and even the launching and marketing of their ideas.

Pranav Burnwal has a background in research and development and has been working with cutting-edge technologies for a good number of years now. The technologies he has worked with include blockchain, big data, analytics (log and data), cloud computing, message queues, NoSQL, and web servers. He has worked across various domains, including BFSI, HLS, FMCG, and automobiles, to name a few.

Pranav is an active community member in multiple communities, and the region head for Blockchain Education Network (BEN), a registered NGO and worldwide network of people working with blockchain. He has also organized multiple meetups and a start-up weekend in India.

Pranav has been an active trainer in the blockchain space for three exciting years, for audiences ranging from junior developers to senior VPs. This has also given him insights into how people understand new and complex technologies, which helped him frame the book in the best interests of the readers.

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Blockchain technology can be very intimidating when encountered for the first time. But in reality, the technology itself is just a combination of three popular concepts: cryptography, peer-to-peer networking, and game theory. Although these may seem complicated at first glance, a basic understanding of these three required concepts will help you to build a strong foundation that once you've completed, can be used as a cornerstone for understanding blockchain technology at an advanced level.

This book helps you to understand the concepts of blockchain technology, and introduces you to both cryptocurrency, as well as several blockchain platforms. It also gives an in-depth analysis of the potential and concerns of the technology so that blockchain can be adopted where its implementation actually adds value.

This book is designed for anyone who is looking to dive into the foundations of the blockchain technology space. Although this book builds a foundation for blockchain technology for beginners, it can also be used by blockchain developers as a quick reference guide and also to gain deeper insights on a few exciting topics of the technology.