There’s a lot of excitement about blockchains and cryptocurrencies mixed with a lot of skepticism and pessimism, but advances in the foundations underlying blockchains are undisputable. The goal of this course is to weave an overview of prominent blockchains systems with key technical advances the field has instigated.
The course will weave the following topics. An introduction to public blockchain platforms, Bitcoin and Ethereum and their core mechanisms. Commonly observed use-cases on Bitcoin and Ethereum like Altcoins, Stablecoins, and DeFi. Concurrency and privacy aspects underlying blockchain technology, including foundations of distributed systems, applied cryptography and privacy methods underpinning blockchains. Incentive mechanisms, like gas, mining, and staking. Emerging challenges and solutions in scaling blockchains such as rollups (optimistic and pessimistic), and paradigms surrounding MEV (maximal extractable value).