((("bitcoin", "benefits of", id="BCbasicbenefits0")))((("decentralized systems", "bitcoin as")))I first stumbled upon bitcoin in mid-2011. My immediate reaction was more or less "Pfft! Nerd money!" and I ignored it for another six months, failing to grasp its importance. This is a reaction that I have seen repeated among many of the smartest people I know, which gives me some consolation. The second time I came across bitcoin, in a mailing list discussion, I decided to read the whitepaper written by Satoshi Nakamoto to study the authoritative source and see what it was all about. ((("digital currencies", "bitcoin vs. others")))I still remember the moment I finished reading those nine pages, when I realized that bitcoin was not simply a digital currency, but a network of trust that could also provide the basis for so much more than just currencies. The realization that "this isn't money, it's a decentralized trust network," started me on a four-month journey to devour every scrap of information about bitcoin I could find. I became obsessed and enthralled, spending 12 or more hours each day glued to a screen, reading, writing, coding, and learning as much as I could. I emerged from this state of fugue, more than 20 pounds lighter from lack of consistent meals, determined to dedicate myself to working on bitcoin.
((("bitcoin", "benefits of", id="BCbasicbenefits0")))((("decentralized systems", "bitcoin as")))I (Andreas) first stumbled upon Bitcoin in mid-2011. My immediate reaction was more or less "Pfft! Nerd money!" and I ignored it for another six months, failing to grasp its importance. This is a reaction that I have seen repeated among many of the smartest people I know, which gives me some consolation. The second time I came across Bitcoin, in a mailing list discussion, I decided to read the whitepaper written by Satoshi Nakamoto and see what it was all about. ((("digital currencies", "bitcoin vs. others")))I still remember the moment I finished reading those nine pages, when I realized that Bitcoin was not simply a digital currency, but a network of trust that could also provide the basis for so much more than just currencies. The realization that "this isn't money, it's a decentralized trust network," started me on a four-month journey to devour every scrap of information about Bitcoin I could find. I became obsessed and enthralled, spending 12 or more hours each day glued to a screen, reading, writing, coding, and learning as much as I could. I emerged from this state of fugue, more than 20 pounds lighter from lack of consistent meals, determined to dedicate myself to working on Bitcoin.
Two years later, after creating a number of small startups to explore various bitcoin-related services and products, I decided that it was time to write my first book. Bitcoin was the topic that had driven me into a frenzy of creativity and consumed my thoughts; it was the most exciting technology I had encountered since the internet. It was now time to share my passion about this amazing technology with a broader audience.
Two years later, after creating a number of small startups to explore various Bitcoin-related services and products, I decided that it was time to write my first book. Bitcoin was the topic that had driven me into a frenzy of creativity and consumed my thoughts; it was the most exciting technology I had encountered since the internet. It was now time to share my passion about this amazing technology with a broader audience.
=== Intended Audience
((("intended audience")))This book is mostly intended for coders. If you can use a programming language, this book will teach you how cryptographic currencies work, how to use them, and how to develop software that works with them. The first few chapters are also suitable as an in-depth introduction to bitcoin for noncoders—those trying to understand the inner workings of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
((("intended audience")))This book is mostly intended for coders. If you can use a programming language, this book will teach you how cryptographic currencies work, how to use them, and how to develop software that works with them. The first few chapters are also suitable as an in-depth introduction to Bitcoin for noncoders—those trying to understand the inner workings of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
=== Why Are There Bugs on the Cover?
@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Although ants form a caste-based society and have a queen for producing offsprin
Nature demonstrates that decentralized systems can be resilient and can produce emergent complexity and incredible sophistication without the need for a central authority, hierarchy, or complex parts.
((("decentralized systems", "benefits of")))Bitcoin is a highly sophisticated decentralized trust network that can support myriad financial processes. Yet, each node in the Bitcoin network follows a few simple mathematical rules. The interaction between many nodes is what leads to the emergence of the sophisticated behavior, not any inherent complexity or trust in any single node. Like an ant colony, the Bitcoin network is a resilient network of simple nodes following simple rules that together can do amazing things without any central coordination.((("", startref="BCbasicbenefits0")))
((("decentralized systems", "benefits of")))Bitcoin is a highly sophisticated decentralized trust network that can support myriad financial processes. Yet, each node in the Bitcoin network follows a few simple rules. The interaction between many nodes is what leads to the emergence of the sophisticated behavior, not any inherent complexity or trust in any single node. Like an ant colony, the Bitcoin network is a resilient network of simple nodes following simple rules that together can do amazing things without any central coordination.((("", startref="BCbasicbenefits0")))
=== Conventions Used in This Book
@ -51,19 +51,17 @@ This icon indicates a warning or caution.
=== Code Examples
((("code examples, obtaining and using", id="codeuse00")))The examples are illustrated in Python, C++, and using the command line of a Unix-like operating system such as Linux or macOS. All code snippets are available in the GitHub repository (https://github.com/bitcoinbook/bitcoinbook[https://github.com/bitcoinbook/bitcoinbook]) in the _code_ subdirectory of the main repo. Fork the book code, try the code examples, or submit corrections via GitHub.
All the code snippets can be replicated on most operating systems with a minimal installation of compilers and interpreters for the corresponding languages. Where necessary, we provide basic installation instructions and step-by-step examples of the output of those instructions.
Some of the code snippets and code output have been reformatted for print. In all such cases, the lines have been split by a backslash (\) character, followed by a newline character. When transcribing the examples, remove those two characters and join the lines again and you should see identical results as shown in the example.
All the code snippets use real values and calculations where possible, so that you can build from example to example and see the same results in any code you write to calculate the same values. For example, the private keys and corresponding public keys and addresses are all real. The sample transactions, blocks, and blockchain references have all been introduced in the actual Bitcoin blockchain and are part of the public ledger, so you can review them on any Bitcoin system.
All the code snippets use real values and calculations where possible, so that you can build from example to example and see the same results in any code you write to calculate the same values. For example, many of the private keys and corresponding public keys and addresses are real. The sample transactions, blocks, and blockchain references are all part of the actual Bitcoin blockchain, so you can review them on any Bitcoin system.
=== Using Code Examples
This book is here to help you get your job done. In general, if example code is offered with this book, you may use it in your programs and documentation. You do not need to contact us for permission unless you’re reproducing a significant portion of the code. For example, writing a program that uses several chunks of code from this book does not require permission. Selling or distributing a CD-ROM of examples from O’Reilly books does require permission. Answering a question by citing this book and quoting example code does not require permission. Incorporating a significant amount of example code from this book into your product’s documentation does require permission.
((("attribution")))We appreciate, but do not require, attribution. An attribution usually includes the title, author, publisher, and ISBN. For example: “_Mastering Bitcoin_ by Andreas M. Antonopoulos (O’Reilly). Copyright 2017 Andreas M. Antonopoulos, 978-1-491-95438-6.”
((("attribution")))We appreciate, but do not require, attribution. An attribution usually includes the title, author, publisher, and ISBN. For example: “_Mastering Bitcoin_ by Andreas M. Antonopoulos and David A. Harding (O’Reilly). Copyright 2023 Andreas M. Antonopoulos, 978-1-491-95438-6.”
((("open source licenses")))Some editions of this book are offered under an open source license, such as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/[CC-BY-NC], in which case the terms of that license apply.
@ -122,28 +120,33 @@ Follow us on Twitter: link:$$http://twitter.com/oreillymedia$$[]
Watch us on YouTube: link:$$http://www.youtube.com/oreillymedia$$[]
[role="pagebreak-before"]
=== Contacting the Author
=== Contacting the Authors
You can contact me, Andreas M. Antonopoulos, on my personal site:
You can contact Andreas M. Antonopoulos on his personal site:
link:$$https://antonopoulos.com/$$[]
Information about _Mastering Bitcoin_ as well as the Open Edition and translations are available on:
Many thanks to all my patrons who support my work through monthly donations. You can follow my Patreon page here:
Many thanks to all of Andreas's patrons who support his work through monthly donations. You can follow his Patreon page here:
link:$$https://patreon.com/aantonop$$[]
Information about _Mastering Bitcoin_ as well as Andreas's Open Edition and translations are available on:
link:$$https://bitcoinbook.info/$$[]
You can contact David A. Harding on his personal site:
link:$$https://dtrt.org/$$[]
=== Acknowledgments for the first and second editions
_By Andreas M. Antonopoulos_
((("acknowledgments", id="acknowledge0")))This book represents the efforts and contributions of many people. I am grateful for all the help I received from friends, colleagues, and even complete strangers, who joined me in this effort to write the definitive technical book on cryptocurrencies and bitcoin.
It is impossible to make a distinction between the bitcoin technology and the bitcoin community, and this book is as much a product of that community as it is a book on the technology. My work on this book was encouraged, cheered on, supported, and rewarded by the entire bitcoin community from the very beginning until the very end. More than anything, this book has allowed me to be part of a wonderful community for two years and I can't thank you enough for accepting me into this community. There are far too many people to mention by name—people I've met at conferences, events, seminars, meetups, pizza gatherings, and small private gatherings, as well as many who communicated with me by Twitter, on reddit, on bitcointalk.org, and on GitHub who have had an impact on this book. Every idea, analogy, question, answer, and explanation you find in this book was at some point inspired, tested, or improved through my interactions with the community. Thank you all for your support; without you this book would not have happened. I am forever grateful.
@ -166,15 +169,37 @@ I owe my love of words and books to my mother, Theresa, who raised me in a house
Thank you all for supporting me throughout this journey.
=== Acknowledgements for the third edition
=== Acknowledgments for the third edition
The introduction to the non-interactive schnorr signature protocol by
first describing the interactive schnorr identity protocol in
<<schnorr_signatures>> was heavily influenced by the introduction to the
subject in Borrommean Ring Signatures (2015) by Gregory Maxwell and
_By David A. Harding_
The introduction to the non-interactive schnorr signature protocol that
starts with first describing the interactive schnorr identity protocol
in <<schnorr_signatures>> was heavily influenced by the introduction to
the subject in Borrommean Ring Signatures (2015) by Gregory Maxwell and
Andrew Poelstra. I am deeply indebted to each of them for all of their
freely-provided assistance over the past decade.
Invaluable technical reviews on drafts of this manuscript were provided
by Jorge Lesmes, Olaoluwa Osuntokun, René Pickhardt, and Mark "Murch"
Erhardt. In particular, Murch's incredibly in-depth and insightful
review, and his willingness to evaluate multiple iterations of the same
text, have elevated the quality of this book beyond my highest
expectations.
I also owe a debt of gratitude to Jimmy Song for suggesting me for this
project, to my co-author Andreas for allowing me to update his
bestselling text, to Angela Rufino for guiding me through the O'Reilly
authorship process, and to all of the other staff at O'Reilly for making
the writing of the third edition a pleasant and productive experience.
Finally, I don't know how I can thank all of the Bitcoin contributors
who have helped me on my journey--from creating the software I use, to
teaching me how it works, to helping me pass on what little knowledge
I've gained. There are too many of you to list your names, but I think
of you often and know that my contributions to this book would not have
been possible without all that you've done for me.
David A. Harding
9 months ago