Blockchain Protocols and Distributed Applications

# Blockchain Protocols and Distributed Applications

1. [Introduction](#introduction)

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## Introduction to Blockchain

**Blockchain Protocols and Decentralized Applications**

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### Course Logistics

**GitHub OER:**
- https://cs-pub-ro.github.io/blockchain-protocols-and-distributed-applications/

**Moodle:**
- https://curs.upb.ro/2025/course/view.php?id=1887

**Schedule:**
- **Lecture:** Thursday: 18:00-20:00 - PR705
- **Practical Sessions:** Thursday: 16:00-18:00 - PR705, 20:00-22:00 - PR705

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### Course Structure

- **Lectures:** Theoretical understanding of blockchain concepts
- **Practical Sessions:** Hands-on experience with blockchain tools and development
- **Projects:** (Collaborative) projects to build real-world blockchain applications
- **Assessments:** Hands-on assignments
- **Guest Lectures:** Insights from industry experts and blockchain professionals
  - MultiversX
  - Solana
  - TBD

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### Team

- **Costin Carabaș** - costin.carabas@upb.ro
- **Bianca Ialangi** - bianca.ialangi@stud.acs.upb.ro
- **Cristian Paris** - cristian.paris@stud.acs.upb.ro
- **Andrei Baltariu** - andrei.baltariu@stud.acs.upb.ro

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### Curriculum Overview

| Week | Lecture | Practical |
|------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | Introduction | Setup & First Transaction |
| 2 | Bitcoin - Blockchain V1 | First Transaction & CLI |
| 3 | Ethereum - Blockchain V2 | Fungible Tokens & NFT |
| 4 | Consensus Mechanisms | Smart Contracts (1) |
| 5 | Blockchain Protocols (BFT) | Smart Contracts (2) |
| 6 | MultiversX vs Solana - Blockchain V3 | Smart Contracts (3) |
| 7 | VM | dApps |
| 8 | Privacy and Security in Blockchain | dApps |
| 9 | Scaling | Projects brainstorming |
| 10 | Fungible & NFT & Use Cases | Projects brainstorming |
| 11 | Tokenomics | DeFi (1) |
| 12 | DeFi | DeFi (2) |

*subject to change*

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### Course Objectives

- Understand the fundamental principles of blockchain technology
- Differentiate between various blockchain protocols and their use cases
- Develop and deploy smart contracts on platforms like MultiversX and Solana
- Analyze the security and privacy aspects of blockchain applications
- Explore tokenomics and its impact on decentralized finance
- Build decentralized applications (dApps) integrating blockchain features

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### Focus

- **Science & Technology of Blockchain**
- **Not about:** hype, investment, trading, getting rich

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### Getting Started

**Prerequisites:** 
- Basic understanding of computer science and programming

**Tools You'll Use:** 
- **Wallets:** MultiversX Wallet, Solflare, MetaMask
- **Development Environments:** Visual Studio Code, Solana Playground, Remix
- **Blockchain Platforms:** Ethereum, MultiversX, Solana

**Setup:** @ first practical session

**Expectations:** 
- Active participation in lectures and practical sessions
- Completion of assignment and project
- Engagement in discussions and collaborative learning

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### What is Web3?

**The Evolution of the Internet:**

1. **First Era (1990-2005):** Open protocols that were decentralized and community-governed. Most value accrued to users and builders.

2. **Second Era (2005-2020):** Siloed, centralized services. Most value accrued to a handful of large tech companies.

3. **Third Era (2020+):** Web3 - combines the decentralized, community-governed ethos of the first era with the advanced, modern functionality of the second era.

*Source: https://cdixon.mirror.xyz/0GBv9WRI-LQE6F4r2gGczG6AVeFlNuvt3HETHZ5A93U*

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### Web3 Architecture

![Web3 Architecture](media/web3_architecture.png)

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### Web3 Ecosystem

![Web3 Ecosystem](media/web3_ecosystem.png)

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### Blockchain

**Network that:** 
- No one owns it
- Anyone can use it

**Use cases:** 
- **Money:** Bitcoin
- **Computer:** Ethereum
- **Filesystem:** Filecoin
- **Exchange:** Uniswap

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### Why Blockchain Matters

- **Trustless Transactions** - No need for intermediaries
- **Enhanced Security** - Cryptographic principles ensure data integrity
- **Transparency** - All transactions are publicly recorded
- **Efficiency** - Streamlined processes reduce costs and time
- **Innovation** - Enables new business models and applications

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### Bitcoin & Pizza

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### The First Bitcoin Transaction

**May 18, 2010, 12:35:20 AM**
*"I'll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas.. like maybe 2 large ones so I have some left over for the next day. I like having left over pizza to nibble on later."*

**May 21, 2010, 07:06:58 AM**
*"So nobody wants to buy me pizza? Is the bitcoin amount I'm offering too low?"*

**May 22, 2010, 07:17:26 PM**
*"I just want to report that I successfully traded 10,000 bitcoins for pizza."*

*Source: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=137.msg1195*

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### Bitcoin - Medium of Exchange

**May 22, 2010:**
- $41 total
- $20.50 per pizza

**October, 2025:**
- $1,000,000,000 total
- $550,000,000 per pizza

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