Blockchain Terms Dictionary

ABI (Application Binary Interface) –An interface between two binary program modules, often one program is a library and the other is being run by a user

Bitcoin – The first and most popular cryptocurrency based off the decentralized ledger of a blockchain

Casper – Consensus algorithm that combines Proof Of Work and Proof Of Stake. Ethereum is going to use casper as a transition to proof of stake.

Coin – Representation of a digital asset built on a new blockchain.

CRUD – Creative, retrieve, update, delete.

Decentralized – The concept of a shared network of dispersed computers (or nodes) that can process transactions without a centrally located, third-party intermediary.

EOA – Externally Owned Account

Gas (Ethereum) – Measures how much work an action takes to perform in Ethereum

Github – A web based hosting service for version control using git.

51% attack – A situation in which a majority of miners in the blockchain launch an attack on the rest of the nodes (or users). This kind of attack allows for double spending. 

Blockchain (Public) – A mathematical structure for storing digital transactions (or data). In an immutable, peer-to-peer ledger that is incredibly difficult to fake and yet remains accessible to anyone.

CDN (Content Delivery Network) –Allows for a quick transaction of assets needed to load internet content (html, js, css, etc).

Composer CLI – Hyperledger Fabric command line allowing for administrative tasks.

Cryptographic Hash Function – A function that returns a unique fixed-length string. The returned string is unique for every unique input. Used to create a “digital ID” or “digital thumbprint” of an input string. 

Digital Asset – Any text or media that is formatted into binary source

ERC – Ethereum request for comments strandard

Genesis Block – The initial block within a blockchain

Golang (Google Language) – Created by google in 2009, Golang is a programming language based on C

Altcoin – Any cryptocurrency that exists as an alternative to Bitcoin.

Business logic layer – A part of code that determines the rules when doing business

Centralized – Maintained by a central authoritative location or group

Composer Rest Server – Generated a rest server and associated API from a deployed blockchain

dApps – Decentralized applications

Digital Sigrnature – A mathematical scheme used for presenting the authenticity of digital assets

Ethereum– Blockchain application that uses a built-in programming language that allows users to build decentralized ledgers modified to their own needs. Smart contracts are for validating transactions in the ledger

Gossip Protocol – A gossip protocol is a procedure or process of a computer-computer communication that is based on the way social networks disseminate information or how epidemics spread. It is a communication protocol. 

API– Application programming interface (part of a remote server that sends requests and receives responses)

Business network card – Provides necessary information for a user, entity or node to connect a blockchain business network.

Chaincode – A program that initializes and manages a ledgers state through submitted applications. It is the HyperLedger Fabric equal to Smart Contracts. 

Consensus – When a majority of participants of a network agree on the validity of a transaction. 

DdoS Attacks – A denial-of-service attack is a cyber attack in which the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or a network resource unavailable to its intended users by temporarily or indefinitely disrupting services of a host connected to the internet.

Enum – Short for “enumeration” – a fixed list of possible values. The list of US states could be considered an enum.

Fork – Alters the blockchain data in a public blockchain.

Governance – The administration in a blockchain company that decides the direction of the company.

Hard Fork – Alters the blockchain data in a public blockchain. Requires all nodes in a network to upgrade an agree on the new version.