A blockchain is a decentralized, distributed, and usually public, digital list of records called blocks that are used to record transactions. The blocks are linked together using cryptography across many computers so that any involved block cannot be altered retroactively, without the alteration of all subsequent blocks.
The blocks hold batches of valid transactions that are hashed and encoded. Each block includes the cryptographic hash of the prior block in the blockchain, linking the two thus forming a chain of linked blocks. This iterative process confirms the integrity of the previous block, all the way back to the initial block, which is known as the genesis block.
Found this article interesting? Follow Brightwhiz on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to read and watch more content we post.