From e94364cae77e5370691e03efd5bcad576ce84c28 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "judymcconville@roadrunner.com" Date: Mon, 1 May 2017 15:01:22 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Edited ch09.asciidoc with Atlas code editor --- ch09.asciidoc | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/ch09.asciidoc b/ch09.asciidoc index 6fc664a4..9751ad19 100644 --- a/ch09.asciidoc +++ b/ch09.asciidoc @@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ ((("bitcoin", "blockchain technology", id="BCblocktech09")))((("blockchain technology", "overview of")))The blockchain data structure is an ordered, back-linked list of blocks of transactions. The blockchain can be stored as a flat file, or in a simple database. The Bitcoin Core client stores the blockchain metadata using Google's LevelDB database. Blocks are linked "back," each referring to the previous block in the chain. ((("blocks", "block height")))The blockchain is often visualized as a vertical stack, with blocks layered on top of each other and the first block serving as the foundation of the stack. The visualization of blocks stacked on top of each other results in the use of terms such as "height" to refer to the distance from the first block, and "top" or "tip" to refer to the most recently added block. -((("blocks", "block hash")))Each block within the blockchain is identified by a hash, generated using the SHA256 cryptographic hash algorithm on the header of the block. Each block also references a previous block, known as the _parent_ block, through the "previous block hash" field in the block header. In other words, each block contains the hash of its parent inside its own header. The sequence of hashes linking each block to its parent creates a chain going back all the way to the first block ever created, known as the _genesis block_. +((("blocks", "block hash")))((("blocks", "genesis blocks")))((("blocks", "parent blocks")))Each block within the blockchain is identified by a hash, generated using the SHA256 cryptographic hash algorithm on the header of the block. Each block also references a previous block, known as the _parent_ block, through the "previous block hash" field in the block header. In other words, each block contains the hash of its parent inside its own header. The sequence of hashes linking each block to its parent creates a chain going back all the way to the first block ever created, known as the _genesis block_. Although a block has just one parent, it can temporarily have multiple children. Each of the children refers to the same block as its parent and contains the same (parent) hash in the "previous block hash" field. Multiple children arise during a blockchain "fork," a temporary situation that occurs when different blocks are discovered almost simultaneously by different miners (see <>). Eventually, only one child block becomes part of the blockchain and the "fork" is resolved. Even though a block may have more than one child, each block can have only one parent. This is because a block has one single "previous block hash" field referencing its single parent.