A presentation at THAT Conference in in Round Rock, TX, USA by Ben Greenberg
@HummusOnRails
Layer What?? Explaining the Architecture of Blockchain
Hi 👋, I’m Ben Former BBS Sysop and current Head of Developer Relations at Fuel Network and Principal Consultant at Yalla, DevRel LLC. → @HummusOnRails
Our Journey Together ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Blockchain 101 Network Structure Consensus Mechanisms Smart Contracts dApps Blockchain Layers @HummusOnRails
Blockchain 101 @HummusOnRails
What is a blockchain? It’s a chain of blocks @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
What can be sent? A blockchain can transmit any form of digital data, including but not limited to monetary transactions, smart contracts, images, documents and more. @HummusOnRails
What’s in a block? A block contains a block header (with metadata such as the previous block’s hash, a timestamp, and a nonce), a Merkle tree root hash representing the transactions included in the block, and a set of individual transaction records. @HummusOnRails
What’s in a block? @HummusOnRails
Down the rabbit hole…
Down the rabbit hole… @HummusOnRails
Who validates? Blockchain nodes are individual computers that validate and store a copy of the entire ledger, ensuring the integrity and consistency of the distributed network. @HummusOnRails
How are blocks validated? Blocks are validated through a consensus mechanism, where nodes verify transaction integrity and collectively agree on the block’s legitimacy. @HummusOnRails
What happens next? Once validated, a block is added to the blockchain as a permanent record and then propagated to all network nodes to ensure a consistent and updated ledger across the system. @HummusOnRails
Finally… After a block is added to the blockchain, the transactions within it are executed, updating user accounts and data, and triggering any relevant events or actions defined in smart contracts. @HummusOnRails
Network Structure What is a node? @HummusOnRails
Your computer. @HummusOnRails
Your phone. @HummusOnRails
Your toaster. @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
Full Nodes These nodes maintain a complete copy of the blockchain ledger and validate each block and transaction according to the consensus rules of the network. @HummusOnRails
Light Nodes These nodes do not store the entire blockchain but instead hold only essential information. They rely on full nodes for more detailed information, making them more suitable for devices with limited resources. @HummusOnRails
Archive Nodes These nodes store the entire blockchain ledger, including historical states, which is beyond the requirements of a full node. They are useful for retrieving historical blockchain data. @HummusOnRails
RPC Nodes Nodes that provides an interface for interacting with the blockchain to send commands or requests, such as querying the current state of the blockchain, sending transactions, or invoking smart contract functions. @HummusOnRails
Down the rabbit hole…
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) RPC enables remote execution of functions and procedures in a distributed network, allowing clients to call server-side procedures with local-like simplicity, streamlining data exchange and system integration for developers. @HummusOnRails Down the rabbit hole…
You can run your own node. @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
Why run your own node? Query rate limiting No third party dependency @HummusOnRails
Consensus Mechanisms @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
Game theory. @HummusOnRails
Two players choose to be either aggressive “hawks” or passive “doves”. Both choose hawk, they both face high costs due to conflict. Hawk against dove, the hawk wins big, the dove gets nothing. Both as doves, they share a moderate reward. @HummusOnRails
Down the rabbit hole… Nash Equilibrium occurs when participants cannot benefit by changing their decision unilaterally, creating a state of stable, mutual strategy. @HummusOnRails
Players in “The Game” - Validators Delegators Transactors Developers Node Operators Governance Participants - Miners - Investors @HummusOnRails
Down the rabbit hole…
Byzantine Fault Tolerance Byzantine Fault Tolerance is a system property that allows a distributed network to reach consensus and maintain functionality, even when some nodes fail or act maliciously, ensuring consistent and reliable protocol execution among participants. @HummusOnRails Down the rabbit hole…
@HummusOnRails
Blockchain Trilemma Sc ala b ty uri c Se ility Decentralization @HummusOnRails
Proof of Work Proof of Work (PoW) necessitates solving cryptographic hash puzzles through brute-force computation, ensuring blockchain security and consensus by tethering block validation to CPU-intensive mining efforts. @HummusOnRails
Complete Hash Function Find Hash Value < Difficulty Target Broadcast Solution to All Nodes Nodes Verify Validity a. Correct Transaction Set b. Hash Below the Target 5. Block is Appended to Chain @HummusOnRails
Proof of Stake A stake-weighted selection process for block validation, where validators are chosen based on the amount they commit to stake. Validators risk losing their stake for dishonest behavior. (In Delegated Proof of Stake, stakeholders vote to elect a limited number of delegates to perform validation, optimizing for faster consensus and improved network throughput.) @HummusOnRails
Proof of Authority A consensus model where a limited number of pre-approved validators, identified through rigorous verification, create and validate blocks, offering a low-latency, energy-efficient mechanism @HummusOnRails
How do the different mechanisms address the Blockchain Trilemma? @HummusOnRails
Smart Contracts @HummusOnRails
Are you a Full Stack Developer? @HummusOnRails
The smart contract is the backend of your application … with some differences. @HummusOnRails
How do you write a Smart Contract? @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
Solidity Solidity is a statically-typed, contract-oriented programming language for writing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain, featuring syntax similar to JavaScript. @HummusOnRails
Rust Rust is a systems programming language gaining popularity in smart contract development for its emphasis on safety, speed, and concurrent processing capabilities. @HummusOnRails
Sway Sway is a statically-typed, Rust-inspired domain-specific language designed for smart contract development, focusing on safe, parallelizable operations and optimized for high-throughput and efficient execution. @HummusOnRails
Decentralized Applications (dApps) @HummusOnRails
Have you heard of React? … or Vue? @HummusOnRails
Then, you can build your own dApp. @HummusOnRails
A decentralized application is a smart contract + a frontend @HummusOnRails
React Hooks Docs @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
Smart Contract && Frontend == dApp @HummusOnRails
Blockchain Layers @HummusOnRails
@HummusOnRails
Layer 1 Layer 1 is the blockchain protocol itself, encompassing consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work or Proof of Stake, and is responsible for the network’s primary transaction processing, security, and data integrity. @HummusOnRails
Layer 2 A secondary framework or protocol that is built on an underlying blockchain to enhance scalability and transaction throughput, utilizing solutions like rollups. @HummusOnRails
Down the rabbit hole…
What is a rollup? A solution that aggregates and processes multiple transactions into a single batch, significantly enhancing throughput and efficiency while maintaining the underlying blockchain’s security guarantees. @HummusOnRails Down the rabbit hole…
Optimistic Rollups Execute transactions off-chain with presumed validity, batching them for on-chain verification, enhancing throughput with a fraud-proof system for retrospective dispute resolution, which allows network participants to challenge and rectify invalid transactions after they are processed. @HummusOnRails Down the rabbit hole…
ZK-Proof Rollups Leverage zero-knowledge proofs to batch and validate multiple off-chain transactions in a single on-chain proof, ensuring data integrity and privacy. @HummusOnRails Down the rabbit hole…
But, wait… What is a zero-knowledge proof?
Privacy-preserving cryptographic proof technique @HummusOnRails
Hybrid Proving Bridging the gap between Optimistic and ZK Rollups. This approach blends single-round fraud-proving models with ZK proofs. @HummusOnRails Down the rabbit hole…
Layer 3 The application layer, utilizing the underlying layers for secure, trustless transaction processing and application logic execution. @HummusOnRails
Conclusion @HummusOnRails
After our journey together, you are now officially a… @HummusOnRails
Blockchain Expert @HummusOnRails
ok, not really … but you do have a good foundation! 👏 @HummusOnRails
Continue your learning journey @HummusOnRails
● Mentorship programs ● Dedicated learning opportunities ● Networking events ● Exclusive swag @HummusOnRails
THANK YOU Questions? Comments? Hummus Recipes? @HummusOnRails
Credits ● ● ● ● ● http://bbslist.textfiles.com/619/ - Free Thinker BBS listing https://bytecellar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/BBSing_image.jpg - Picture of BBS on monitor https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/mastering-bitcoin/9781491902639/ch07.html - Block contents https://www.flaticon.com - Icons used in slides https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/d/d7/xkcd_stack.png - XKCD cartoon @HummusOnRails
While the why and the why not of blockchain has been widely discussed and debated, many still grapple with understanding its underlying architecture. This session is not aimed at explaining the philosophical or socio-economic motivations behind blockchain; instead, it ventures deep into the core structure and components that form this technology. Blockchain is often a maze of complex terminologies and concepts for both the uninitiated and those somewhat familiar with it. This talk aims to be your compass, guiding you through the intricate paths and introducing you to the core concepts within: - Consensus Mechanisms: Understand the heart of every blockchain which ensures all players are in agreement. Dive into Proof of Work, Proof of Stake, and more, learning how they ensure trust in a trustless environment. - Layers: From base layers that form the foundation of blockchains to second-layer solutions that scale and extend their functionalities. Explore how these layers interact and come together to form a cohesive system. - Protocols: These are the rules of the game. Learn about the different protocols that dictate how data is added and verified, ensuring the security and stability of the entire network. - dApps (Decentralized Applications): Beyond simple transactions, blockchains host applications with no central authority. Delve into how dApps are built, deployed and used. - Smart Contracts: Discover the self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code lines. Understand their role in automating and ensuring trust in various processes on the blockchain. - Nodes: Grasp the significance of these essential components that store, spread, and maintain the blockchain, ensuring its decentralization. By the end of this session, attendees will have a comprehensive understanding of the architectural nuances of blockchain technology. Whether you are interested in blockchain, started working with it already or hate it, this session will give you more knowledge on the architecture that powers them and make you a more informed member of the tech community.
The following resources were mentioned during the presentation or are useful additional information.
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