Originally

devised to serve as the nerve-center of bitcoin, blockchain

programming has come a long way. The brainchild of Satoshi Nakamoto

(the pseudonym used for the person or people who developed

bitcoin), the technology has today expanded into something bigger,

accomplished enough to be put to use in a gamut of potential

applications.

But before we dig into varied

applications of the blockchain, let’s understand what it exactly

is.

What is blockchain technology and how does it work?

A blockchain is an advancing chain

of records termed as ‘blocks,’ linked using cryptography. Each block

is constituted of transaction data, a timestamp, and a

cryptographic hash of the previous block. To understand it better,

you may consider it an open, distributed ledger that keeps stock of

transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable

manner.

View blockchain as a spreadsheet

cloned numerous times across a network of computers. The concept

envisages a spreadsheet that can be updated on any of these

computers by anyone with access. Understand this, and you have a

basic idea of blockchain programming.

Having a network that can be

reconciled continually has obvious advantages. As the database

isn’t stored in a single location, the records are really public

and easily verifiable. Thanks to the absence of a centralized

version, it’s practically impossible for a hacker to corrupt. Yet,

data is available with ease, as the data is hosted by a legion of

computers concurrently.

The conventional way of sharing

documents has a demerit – two people cannot work on the same record

simultaneously. Even banks block account access briefly when

executing money balances and transfers. Compare it to Google Docs

that gives access to all parties to the same documents at the same

time. Banking blockchain and other systems work like a shared

ledger.

Suppose there’re several legal documents that various parties

are working on. Passing them to each other after every modification

will make keeping track of version even harder. Blockchain

programming provides a solution by providing simultaneous access to

everyone involved, thus seamlessly streamlining the workflow.

Companies are taking additional steps to ensure robustness,

security, and auditability in their code when writing blockchain

protocols. Cardano Foundation, a

Switzerland-based blockchain and cryptocurrency organization,

worked with FP Complete to have an independent audit of Cardano blockchain

protocol. The objective of this collaboration is to standardize,

protect and promote the Cardano Protocol technology.

Blockchain Programming Languages

Several programming languages are used in the making of

blockchain – Haskell, C++, Java, Python, Ruby, and more. Haskell is

considered the hottest language these days for building blockchain

applications. Designed for safety, Haskell provides for mandatory

automated checks, ensuring the elimination of certain kind of

mistakes in the code. You get an entire programming toolchain that

enables you to create easy-to-maintain and safe code.

Prominent features of Haskell

include memory safety, ease of understanding code, and absence of

unwanted side-effects. The language facilitates code creation that

is explicit and covers all corner cases.

FP Complete is the world's top supplier of commercial-grade

tools and engineering for Haskell.

Blockchain and Cybersecurity

Blockchain technology has two prominent features –

• absence of control by any single entity

• no single point of failure

These features provide it with a built-in robustness regarding

cybersecurity. Like a self-auditing ecosystem, the network stays in

a state of consensus, automatically checking in with itself after a

set interval, thus making it impossible for anyone to sneak in.

Companies have embarked on innovative measures to enhance

cybersecurity. Here's some of these:

Keyless signature infrastructure (KSI):

Blockchains are used to create a Keyless Signature

Infrastructure (KSI), replacing the traditional Public Key

Infrastructure (PKI) that uses asymmetric encryption and a

repository of public keys maintained by a centralized Certificate

Authority (CA).

Password-less access:

REMME’s blockchain eliminates human factor from authentication,

enabling businesses to validate users and devices without a

password. This is achieved by decentralizing the system and

leveraging a distributed public key infrastructure for verification

purposes.

Chat security: Scattering of communication metadata throughout the distributed ledger reduces the risk of surveillance. Users

aren’t required to link to their email addresses or telephone

numbers, which enhances privacy.

Blockchain Programming Applications Beyond Cryptocurrency

Blockchain powers digital currencies to keep an ongoing and

continually growing record of monetary transactions, and does

more.

Here’re five blockchain programming applications used for

purposes other than cryptocurrency:

Secure medical records

Incompatible back-end systems and fragmented data trails have

been the norm in Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). Blockchain

facilitates smart contracts that lead to a decentralized content

management system (CMS) for your healthcare data. Convenient and

adaptable decentralized systems conceives an authentication log to

govern medical record access and provides auditability. The

system can be seamlessly integrated with a healthcare service

providers’ existing solution, enabling interoperability.

Make smart contracts In smart contracts, the code is recorded on the

blockchain. When a triggering event occurs, such as the start date

of a clause, the contract automatically executes the obligations according to the coded terms. Smart contracts, powered by decentralized blockchain, can be a major

disruption in various industries.

Fraud prevention in elections Blockchain can be effectively used for allaying fears

regarding voting machine fraud. This technology combines with

elliptic curve cryptography to create an open-source, secure

platform that is verifiable from end to end. Aid of refugees

Being a refugee can be a scary experience. They can rejoice now

as blockchain has been successfully employed for a

charitable cause for refugees. The United Nation's World Food

Programme (WFP) ran a project designed to direct resources to about

10,000 individuals when redeemable cryptocurrency-based vouchers

were issued to them. Refugees used the funds for purchasing

necessities like olive oil, pasta, and lentils.

Implementation of IoT

Blockchain can help build a new standard for the emerging

Internet of Things (IoT). The platform can register the identities

of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) and near-field communication (NFC)

chips, two core components of IoT that enable smartphones to

interact with other devices.

Summing Up

Use of blockchain extends cryptocurrency. The technology carries

a lot of promise for an array of useful applications that can

transform the world for the better. It’ll be interesting to watch

how the technology evolves in the future. Why not explore FP Complete’s experience with Blockchain?