Teachers:

• Jérémie Decouchant (TU Delft, coordinator)
• Johan Pouwelse (TU Delft)
• Stefanie Roos (TU Delft)
• Marc Makkes (VU Amsterdam)

Lab assistants:

• Bulat Nasrulin (Delft)
• Satwik Prabhu Kumble (TU Delft)

Contents:

Blockchain is a unique technology in its combination of potentially very wide applicability and its foundation in fundamental concepts of computer science. There is seemingly no limit to the set of applications proposed for the blockchain, ranging from fintech through passports to humanitarian aid. On the other hand, blockchain technology is closely tied to fundamental topics such as consensus and scalability in distributed systems. The last several years have seen a flurry of activity in attempts to develop and apply blockchain technology and in research on variations and improvements of the blockchain supporting the original bitcoin cryptocurrency.  This course consists of

1.       Lectures on

• blockchain technology from an engineering perspective
• the fundamental notions of consensus in distributed systems and state machine replication that underly blockchain technology
• the usage of blockchain technology to create alternatives to central platforms such as Youtube, eBay, Airbnb, and Uber for connecting people, facilitating transactions, and creating trust
• scalability of blockchains, sidechains and payment channels, and
• the applicability and limitations of blockchains for resource constraint devices with issues such as bootstrapping new clients, dealing with large blockchains for devices with limited storage, and off-chain

2.  A lab assignment on the design and implementation of blockchain that has to be performed in groups of two students and that has to be          completed with a 3-page report.