Abstract:

Blockchain technology is rightly considered a revolution on the scale of the Internet and the invention of the printing press. In this course, we will review and implement key components of the technology, including P2P network infrastructure, advanced data structures (linked lists, Merkle trees, etc.), consensus algorithms, and cryptography.

Blockchain brings a breath of fresh air with many new paradigms: in law (defining and creating smart contracts), in governance (building Decentralized Autonomous Organizations - DAOs), in software development (building Decentralized Applications - dApps), and more. An overview of these topics will make it clear why this is a massive revolution.

The first groundbreaking application of Blockchain was Bitcoin. Due to its limitations, alternative cryptocurrencies featuring innovative concepts emerge frequently.

In the second part of the course, we will explore the Ethereum infrastructure breakthrough as an execution environment that combines cryptocurrencies with smart contracts, eliminating the need for central regulators. In this section, we will write, deploy, and debug smart contracts.

The third part of the course will focus on building decentralized applications (dApps) on top of the Blockchain, synthesizing and integrating the previous course modules. Topics will include supporting AI agents over the web using crypto networks, the DeFi market, and quantum computing threats alongside the paradigm shifts in crypto networks designed for post-quantum resilience.