Chain
So far we have understood the two main parts of a blockchain. The first is the distributed ledger, meaning a shared record that everyone holds. The second is the blocks, meaning the boxes where data is stored.
Now the question is: how are these boxes connected? This is where the chain comes in.
To understand the chain, consider the same club example. Remember, every month’s expenses are kept in a separate box. Suppose we have three boxes labeled January, February, and March.
These boxes are not simply placed on a shelf. Instead, they are tied together with a strong cord. One end of the cord is attached to the January box, the other end to the February box, and another cord connects February to March.
This is not an ordinary cord. It is a digital cord that exists inside each box. Every new box contains a special digital identity of the previous box. For example, inside the February box, there is a certificate number of the January box. Inside the March box, there is the certificate number of the February box.
The biggest advantage is that if someone tampers with the first box, its digital identity changes. As soon as it changes, the certificate number inside the second box becomes incorrect. Then the third box also becomes invalid because it is linked to the second one.
Meaning, modifying just one box breaks the entire chain. This digital cord not only connects the boxes but also protects them. This cord and this chain are what give blockchain its name.
Now that the boxes are securely linked, the next question is: how is it decided when a new box should be created and how it should be added to the chain? This is where the concept of consensus mechanism comes in.
Please share. Thank you.
Farid MSD
