Foundation of Blockchain
3 credits
Course focus
Progressive introduction to blockchain systems: decentralized networking, consensus, incentives, security, cryptography, and smart-contract execution, with synthesis via Bitcoin/Ethereum discussion and a course project.
Course content (modules)
- Foundations & framing: basics, use cases, 3-layer model (social/data/technical).
- Networking: P2P overlays, graphs, gossip; networks review.
- Consensus: BGP, double spending; Paxos, FLP, PoW vs PoS.
- Incentives: game theory + mechanism design in blockchain settings.
- Security: attack models (e.g., 51%, Sybil).
- Crypto + data layer: RSA concepts, ECC signatures; DHT basics.
- Execution: Turing completeness; Bitcoin opcodes; Ethereum/EVM, RPC.
- Advanced: ZKP; dApps intro.
- Capstone: project presentation + final test + project report.
Learning outcomes
- Explain architectures via social/data/technical lens and link to use cases.
- Analyze P2P/distributed behavior (overlays, gossip, graph properties).
- Compare consensus (Paxos/PoW/PoS) and limits (e.g., FLP).
- Reason for incentives and connect to security/liveness.
- Identify common attacks and mitigation concepts.
- Interpret crypto primitives (RSA concept, ECC, signatures).
- Explain Bitcoin vs Ethereum/EVM programmability and dApps.
- Deliver a coherent project report and presentation.
Evaluation format
- Assignment 1: 15%
- Assignment 2: 10%
- In-class quiz: 10%
- Midterm (take-home): 20%
- Project report: 20%
- Final test: 25%