Blockchain Programming

Some clarification in response to student feedback

We'll discuss asymmetric encryption. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able to explain asymmetric encryption and how it enables secure internet communication.

In which the connection between asymmetric encryption and digital signatures is explored. At the end of this lecture, you'll know the connection between asymmetric encryption and digital signatures. You'll know why digital signatures cannot be mimicked. 

The connection between digital signatures and cryptocurrency becomes clear. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able to explain why digital signatures are essential for cryptocurrency. 

A brief note on coding assignments for this course. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able to explain test-drive development and you'll know how we'll set up assignment for the course. 

A reminder about Python version 3 (not 2.7!) and instructions on installing and using pip. Skip this section if already you have Python 3.x and the cryptography Python module.

Here are instructions for installing the cryptograpy module, in case you learn better by reading it. https://cryptography.io/en/latest/installation/

Your first assignment. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able tell whether your functions for digitally signing and verifying statements is correct. Pause at the end of this lecture to work on your first assignment. 

Remember, documentation for RSA digitial signatures, including useful code examples for key generation, signing and verifying, can be found here:

https://cryptography.io/en/latest/hazmat/primitives/asymmetric/rsa/

The solution to your assignment in which we learn that instructors make mistakes, too. Don't start this lecture until you've made a good attempt at completing the assignment yourself.

At the end of this lecture, you'll be generating public-private key pairs and signing and verifying digital signatures with your own python code.

Our final lecture on digital signatures. You'll about the Python "bytes" type. You'll be able to convert between bytes and strings in Python and you Signatures module will be able to handle either bytes or ordinary text strings.

Hash functions and what makes them useful. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able to list and describe the characteristics of a good cryptographic hash function

Testing your knowledge of hash functions and their requirements in crytography

Hashing with Python. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able to compute the SHA-256 hash of a string using Python

Blockchain basics. At the end of this lecture, you'll be able to describe a blockchain, how it is secured by a hash function, and why it's hard to change history recorded on a blockchain.

Testing your knowledge of transactions

Test your knowledge of proof-of-work mining

Some sign-posting to let you know where we are and where we're headed next.