In this chapter, we will explore the original and best implementation of blockchain technology—cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is much more than just a blockchain application; it makes use of cryptographic primitives such as digital signatures to achieve asset management by using atomic events called transactions. Throughout this chapter, we will be familiarized with all the concepts required to understand how cryptocurrency is different from any of the traditional digital currencies.
In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
- The basics of Bitcoin
- Keys and addresses
- Transactions
- Mining and consensus
- Blockchain
- Blockchain networks
- The creation of a simple cryptocurrency application
Bitcoin was the first successful cryptocurrency to be deployed in a decentralized network. It is the best-known cryptocurrency to date due to its resilient software...
