Ethereum's classification of blockchain
Ethereum is a new and open blockchain platform, which allows anyone to build and use decentralized applications running through blockchain technology in the platform. Like bitcoin, Ethereum is neither controlled nor owned by anyone - it's an open source project created by many people around the world
Different from bitcoin protocol, Ethereum is very flexible and adaptable. It's very easy to create new applications on the Ethereum platform. Anyone can use the applications on the platform safely
Ethereum is a programmable blockchain. It does not give users a series of preset operations (such as bitcoin trading), but allows users to create complex operations according to their own wishes. In this way, it can be used as a platform for many types of decentralized blockchain applications, including but not limited to cryptocurrency
in a narrow sense, Ethereum refers to a series of protocols that define a decentralized application platform. The core of Ethereum is Ethereum virtual machine (EVM), which can encode any complex algorithm. In computer science terminology, Ethereum is "Turing complete.". Developers can use the existing JavaScript and python as the model of other friendly programming languages to create applications running on the Ethereum simulator
like other blockchains, Ethereum also has a peer-to-peer network protocol. Ethereum blockchain database is maintained and updated by many nodes connected to the network. Each network node runs the Ethereum simulator and executes the same instructions. Therefore, people sometimes call Ethereum "world computer"
this massive parallel operation throughout the Ethernet network is not to make the operation more efficient. In fact, this process makes computing on Ethereum slower and more expensive than on traditional computers. However, each Ethereum node runs Ethereum virtual machine in order to maintain the consistency of the whole blockchain. The consistency of decentralization makes Ethereum have high fault tolerance, zero downtime, and can keep the data stored on the blockchain unchanged and anti censorship
Ethereum platform has no characteristics and value. Like programming languages, it's up to entrepreneurs and developers to decide what to use. However, it is clear that some application types benefit more from the functions of Ethereum than others. Ethereum is especially suitable for those applications that automatically interact directly between points or promote group coordination activities across networks
for example, coordinate the application of point-to-point market, or the automation of complex financial contracts. Bitcoin enables indivials to exchange money without the help of financial institutions, banks or governments. The impact of Ethereum may be more profound
in theory, any complex financial activities or transactions can be automatically and reliably carried out on Ethereum with coding. In addition to financial applications, any application scenario with high requirements for trust, security and persistence, such as asset registration, voting, management and Internet of things, will be affected by Ethereum platform on a large scale
although the pow mining mechanism is adopted, the block out mechanism of Ethereum is different from that of bitcoin. Due to the short block time of Ethereum, Ethereum is easy to form isolated blocks. Isolated blocks refer to the blocks that are not on the longest chain. Bitcoin's isolated blocks have no block rewards, but in Ethereum, isolated blocks can be referenced. The referenced isolated blocks are called "Uncle blocks", and their packaged data will also be recorded in the blockchain. Unlike bitcoin, Ethereum's TERT block has a reward, and each TERT block can get a reward of 4.375 Ethernet coins at most
Ethereum is a programmable and Turing complete blockchain development platform, which is equivalent to a decentralized global computer. In a programming system, there are usually some virtual machines to compile and execute. Java has JVM. In Ethereum, there is also Ethereum's virtual machine EVM, which can execute any complex algorithm code. Developers can use existing programming languages such as JavaScript or Python to create their own applications on Ethereum. Through Ethereum's virtual machine, you can easily issue digital assets, write smart contracts, set up and run decentralized applications, and set up decentralized autonomous organizations
eth is also known as the internal fuel of Ethereum. Unlike currency digital assets, Ethereum is not only used for transfer, but also for payment of smart contracts
in order to prevent the Ethereum blockchain from being full of junk contracts and junk applications, and to establish and run smart contracts on Ethereum, you must use eth to pay for smart contracts. For example, when you transfer your newly created digital assets on the Ethereum blockchain, you need to use eth to pay the handling fee instead of your newly created digital assets.
Blockchain 1.0 era usually refers to the development stage of blockchain application represented by bitcoin from 2009 to 2014. They are mainly committed to solving the problem of decentralization of currency and means of payment; After 2014, developers pay more and more attention to solve the technical and scalability problems of bitcoin. At the end of 2013, vitalik buterin released Ethereum white paper "Ethereum: next generation smart contract and decentralized application platform", which introced smart contract into blockchain and opened the application of blockchain outside the currency field, thus opening the era of blockchain 2.0< The so-called smart contract is actually a kind of computer contract that can be automatically executed based on prescribed trigger rules. It can also be regarded as a digital version of traditional contract. It was proposed by interdisciplinary legal scholar and cryptography researcher Nick Szabo more than 20 years ago. This technology was once not used in the actual instry because of the lack of programmable digital system and related technologies, until the emergence of blockchain technology and Ethereum provided a trusted execution environment for it
compared with bitcoin, Ethereum is a complete scripting language of Turing, which supports developers to create and publish arbitrary decentralized applications on the platform. Since its birth, there have been more than 200 decentralized applications based on Ethereum in the world
the chief researcher of bitwindow blockchain said: in the era of blockchain 2.0 represented by Ethereum, blockchain technology has graally expanded from the field of currency and payment to the field of finance. With the development of technology and the wider application of blockchain, the era of blockchain 3.0 beyond the monetary and financial fields will be around the corner. This article is excerpted from bitwindow. China's professional blockchain and digital currency instry analyzes the media, and adheres to a neutral, objective and dialectical attitude to understand and interpret the latest trends of blockchain and digital currency
From the current mainstream blockchain projects, blockchain projects are mainly divided into four categories: the first category: currency; The second is platform; The third category: application category; The fourth type: asset token
currencies mainly act as the "exchange media" in the field of blockchain assets, and the exchange media refer to general equivalents, such as gold and silver bills in the past< (currency exchange on trading blockchain assets)
platform projects refer to the establishment of technical platforms to meet the needs of various blockchain application development, which can rece the threshold of application development on blockchain
application projects cover a wide range of fields, including finance, social networking, games, property rights protection, etc., and are also the fastest growing fields of blockchain assets
asset token project refers to the blockchain mapping of physical assets, that is, the physical assets on the chain. At present, there are no more than 10 varieties
01 currency
the first category is currency project, which is also the earliest blockchain project. Currency projects mainly include bitcoin and lightcoin. In addition, there is another kind of asset with the characteristics of anonymity. Its main functions include protecting the privacy of both sides of payment while realizing payment. The well-known ones are dash, monero and zcash. Currency is mainly used as the "exchange medium" in the field of blockchain assets. The exchange medium is the general equivalent you use to exchange goods. For example, gold, silver and silver bills can be used as the exchange medium in the past. At present, there are more than 2100 types of digital assets in the world, and the number of currency blockchain projects has increased rapidly recently. As of June 2018, bitcoin is still the largest market value
02 platform type
the second type is platform type blockchain project. The main function of platform type blockchain project is to establish a technical platform to meet the technical requirements of various blockchain application development; In short, platform applications allow developers to directly issue digital assets and write smart contracts on the blockchain. Smart contract is a computer program running on the blockchain database, which can be automatically executed under the conditions of its source code setting
for example, you develop a smart contract based on the house rent protocol on the blockchain. When the owner receives the rent, it will trigger the automatic execution and give the security key of the apartment to the tenant
the main function of platform blockchain projects is to establish the underlying technology platform, so that developers can do application development on the underlying technology platform. A considerable number of platforms are still in the development state. As of June 2018, Ethereum has the largest market value
03 application
the third category is application blockchain projects. Application projects are blockchain projects based on blockchain development platform (such as Ethereum), which can solve many problems in various fields of the real economy
for example, augur, Golem, vechain, omisego, which provides asset exchange and transfer services. Using blockchain technology, these projects can better solve the problems of trust and cross-border circulation. At the same time, using smart contracts and tokens on the blockchain, they can better realize automatic execution and greatly improve the efficiency of social and economic activities. Application blockchain projects cover a wide range of fields, including finance, social networking, games, property rights protection and so on. It is also the field with the fastest market value increment of blockchain projects at present
04 asset token
the fourth category is the asset token blockchain project. Asset token refers to linking the blockchain assets to physical assets such as gold and US dollars, which is the blockchain mapping of physical assets. As of February 2018, there are no more than 10 varieties. The typical representatives are usdt against US dollars, digix Dao against gold, Digix each token represents 1 gram of Gold Certified by the London Bullion Market Association. Asset token has the advantages of convenient transaction and safekeeping. First of all, asset token is more convenient for transaction. Because blockchain assets can be split, it has better liquidity
for example, at present, real estate needs to be transferred as a whole. If the real estate can be token, it can be split and purchased, which is more convenient for transaction. Secondly, the token of physical assets is more concive to custody. Gold is easy to wear out and cause losses in physical transactions, but there is no need for physical transfer after the token of physical assets, which is more concive to the custody of physical assets
according to the access mechanism, blockchain can be divided into three categories: public chain, private chain and alliance chain. Other types of blockchains may be born in the future
the public chain is open and transparent. Any indivial or group in the world can send transactions on the public chain, and the transactions can be effectively confirmed by the blockchain. Everyone can compete for bookkeeping rights. Bitcoin blockchain is a typical representative of public chain
the alliance chain is semi open. It is a blockchain used within a group or organization. Several nodes need to be designated as bookkeepers in advance. The generation of each block is decided by all preselected bookkeepers. Other nodes can trade, but they have no bookkeeping rights
the private chain is completely closed. Only the blockchain technology is used for bookkeeping, and the bookkeeping right is not open, and only internal transactions are recorded, which are exclusively enjoyed by companies or indivials.
1 - Open blockchain
2 - Collaborative blockchain
3 - private blockchain.
blockchain 1.0 mainly refers to bitcoin. Blockchain 2.0 extends to all assets, while blockchain 3.0 goes beyond currency, finance, even commerce, and all areas of our lives, including politics, social relations, ecation, medical care, etc. According to the prediction and conception of people in the instry, the era of blockchain 3.0 will be realized in the next five years. At that time, blockchain will be recognized and accepted by all the public like the Internet, thus completely subverting our lives
McKinsey has submitted a technical report on blockchain to the Federal Insurance Advisory Committee of the United States. The report calls 2009-2016 the "Dark Age" and believes that all blockchain solutions ring this period are based on bitcoin, and the new era of blockchain will begin in 2016. At that time, the application of blockchain will become unprecedented. Applying an original sentence in McKinsey report: Based on the current development speed of blockchain, we believe that blockchain solutions may realize their full potential in the next five years.