Easy Blockchain

This project is a simple implementation of a blockchain in Python. It demonstrates the basic concepts of blockchain technology, including blocks, hashing, and chain integrity.

Features

• Creation of a blockchain with a genesis block
• Adding new blocks to the chain
• Calculation of SHA-256 hashes for each block
• Validation of the blockchain's integrity
• Simple demonstration of chain tampering detection

Requirements

• Python 3.6+

No additional libraries are required as this project only uses Python's standard libraries (hashlib and time).

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/simonedimeglio/easy-blockchain.git
   

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd easy-blockchain
   

Usage

Run the script using Python:

python simple_blockchain.py

This will create a blockchain, add some sample blocks, print the blockchain, and demonstrate the validation process.

Understanding the Code

Block Class

The Block class represents a single block in the blockchain. Each block contains:

• index: A unique identifier for the block's position in the chain
• previous_hash: The hash of the previous block, creating the chain link
• data: The data stored in the block (e.g., transaction details)
• timestamp: The time when the block was created
• hash: A SHA-256 hash of the block's contents

Blockchain Class

The Blockchain class manages the entire chain of blocks. It includes methods to:

• Create the genesis block (the first block in the chain)
• Add new blocks to the chain
• Validate the integrity of the entire chain

Key Concepts Demonstrated

1. Hashing: Each block's hash is created from its contents, ensuring data integrity.
2. Chaining: Each block references the previous block's hash, creating a tamper-evident chain.
3. Validation: The is_chain_valid() method checks the integrity of the entire blockchain.

Extending the Project

This simple implementation can be extended in several ways:

1. Implement a proof-of-work system
2. Add digital signatures for transactions
3. Create a decentralized network of nodes
4. Implement a consensus mechanism

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

Contributing

Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome!

Author

Simone Di Meglio

• GitHub: @simonedimeglio