Blockchain Key Terminologies list - Cheat Sheet by DaveLee

1. Blockchain
Blockchain is an incredible technology that lies at the core of crypto­cur­rencies and other amazing decent­ralized applic­ations. In simple terms, it acts like a digital ledger spread across multiple computers or nodes.It keeps track of transa­ctions and verifies them without relying on any central authority.

2. Crypto­cur­rency
Crypto­cur­rency is a form of virtual or digital currency that operates on the principles of the blockchain networks. These currencies leverage crypto­gra­phics to ensure safe and secure transa­ctions, all while contro­lling the creation of new units.

3. Distri­buted Ledger
Picture this: a database that's not locked up in some single, big vault. That's a distri­buted ledger for you! It's a decent­ralized database distri­buted across multiple partic­ipants or locations, ensuring transp­arency and integrity. Blockc­hains are the perfect example of distri­buted ledgers, offering a transp­arent, trustable, and tamper­-proof record of all transa­ctions.

4. Node
Nodes are like the backbone of a blockchain network. They are individual computers or devices that partic­ipate in the network by mainta­ining a copy of the entire blockchain and validating transa­ctions. Nodes work together to achieve consensus and keep the network secure.

5. Consensus Algorithm
Consensus algorithms are the secret sauce that makes blockchain networks tick! They serve as the referees of the system, ensuring that all the players (nodes) agree on what's legit and what's not. You've got Proof of Work (PoW), where miners flex their comput­ational muscles to solve puzzles and reach agreement, and Proof of Stake (PoS), where validators get to the front of the line based on the number of coins they've got in their pockets.

6. Mining
Mining is the heart and soul of blockchain networks. It's like a race, where miners use their computers to solve tough math problems. The first one to crack the code gets to add a new block to the blockchain and scores rewards in the form of shiny new crypto­cur­rency.

7. Smart Contract
Smart contracts are self-e­xec­uting contracts with predefined rules written into code. They automa­tically execute and enforce the terms of the agreement when specific conditions are met. Smart contracts eliminate the need for interm­edi­aries and provide trustless automa­tion.

8. Wallet
A crypto­cur­rency wallet is your safe haven, where you store, send, and receive your digital coins. There are softwa­re-­based ones (online, desktop, or mobile) and more robust hardwa­re-­based wallets that you can physically hold.

9. Public Key Crypto­graphy
Who doesn't love secrets and keys? Public key crypto­graphy is like a magic lock and key system. You've got a pair of keys: a public key you share with others, so they can send you secret messages, and a private key that you keep hush-hush to unlock those encrypted messages.

10. Private Key
Your private key is like the ultimate VIP pass in the crypto world. Guard it with your life! It's your secret ticket to access and control your digital wealth. With this key, you're the boss of your crypto­cur­ren­cies, and nobody else gets a say.

11. Public Key
The public key is like your digital address where everyone can send you virtual gifts (crypt­ocu­rre­nci­es!). It's created from your private key, and you can freely share it without any worries. Just make sure you don't mix it up with the private one!

12. Hash Function
Hash functions are like superh­eroes, protecting the integrity of the blockc­hain. They're these clever math wizards that turn data into unique, fixed-size codes called hashes. Even the tiniest change in data results in a completely different hash, so you know when something fishy's going on.

13. Block
Picture blocks like treasure chests in a never-­ending adventure. Each block is a container filled with precious verified transa­ctions. It has a unique ID, a time stamp, a list of transa­ctions, and a special reference to the previous block. Together, they create a grand chain of blocks—the blockc­hain!

14. Merkle Tree
Merkle trees are ingenious data structures that organize transa­ctions in a tree-like manner. Each leaf node represents a transa­ction, and each non-leaf node is the hash of its children. Merkle trees enable efficient verifi­cation of data integrity in the blockc­hain.

15. Fork
A fork happens when a blockchain splits into two or more separate chains, often due to disagr­eements in the community or protocol upgrades. There are temporary forks, while soft and hard forks result in permanent diverg­ence. Soft forks are also backwards compat­ible.

16. Immutable
The immuta­bility of the blockchain is a crucial feature ensuring that once a transa­ction is recorded, it cannot be altered or deleted. This attribute enhances transp­arency and fosters trust in the system, as all transa­ctions remain perman­ently stored and visible to all partic­ipants.

17. Decent­ral­ization
Decent­ral­ization is one of the core principles of blockchain techno­logy. It refers to the distri­bution of power and decisi­on-­making across a network of nodes instead of relying on a single central authority.

18. 51% Attack
A 51% attack is a hypoth­etical situation where a single entity gains control of over 50% of the network's comput­ational power. This could allow the attacker to manipulate transa­ctions or double­-spend coins, underm­ining the security of the blockc­hain.

19. Intero­per­ability
Intero­per­ability is the key to unlocking the full potential of blockchain techno­logy. It refers to the seamless commun­ication and data-s­haring between different blockchain networks. This capability opens up avenues for collab­oration and innova­tion, as assets and inform­ation can flow freely between otherwise discon­nected blockc­hains.


20. Tokeni­zation
Tokeni­zation involves converting real-world assets, like property rights or physical goods, into digital tokens on a blockc­hain. These tokens represent ownership or value and can be securely and transp­arently traded or transf­erred.


21. Gas
In the context of blockchain networks such as Ethereum, gas is a unit of measur­ement repres­enting the comput­ational power required to perform a transa­ction or execute a smart contract. Users pay gas fees as an incentive for miners­/va­lid­ators to process their transa­ctions effici­ently and promptly.

22. Token Standards
Token standards define the rules and functi­ona­lities that a token should adhere to on a blockchain network. For instance, ERC-20 is a widely used standard on Ethereum, governing the behavior of fungible tokens, while ERC-721 governs non-fu­ngible tokens (NFTs).

23. ICO (Initial Coin Offering)
An ICO is a fundra­ising method where new crypto­cur­rencies or tokens are sold to investors in exchange for establ­ished crypto­cur­rencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. ICOs were popular in the early days of blockchain projects but have since faced regulatory challenges in some regions.

24. DApp (Decen­tra­lized Applic­ation)
A DApp is an applic­ation that runs on a decent­ralized network, such as a blockc­hain. Unlike tradit­ional apps, DApps leverage the blockc­hain's decent­ralized nature, offering transp­arency, security, and censorship resist­ance.

25. DAO (Decen­tra­lized Autonomous Organi­zation)
A DAO is an organi­zation that operates through rules encoded as smart contracts on a blockc­hain. DAOs allow for decent­ralized decisi­on-­making and govern­ance, where stakeh­olders can vote on proposals to influence the organi­zat­ion's actions.

26. On-chain and Off-chain Transa­ctions
On-chain transa­ctions occur directly on the blockc­hain, where each transa­ction is recorded and visible to all partic­ipants. Off-chain transa­ctions happen outside the blockc­hain, enabling faster and more scalable transa­ctions, albeit at times requiring trusted interm­edi­aries.

27. Private Blockchain
A private blockchain is a closed or permis­sioned network where access is restricted to authorized partic­ipants. It is often used by enterp­rises seeking the benefits of blockchain technology while mainta­ining control over data and partic­ipants.

28. Public Blockchain
Public blockc­hains are open and permis­sio­nless networks, allowing anyone to join, partic­ipate in consensus, and read or write data. Examples like Bitcoin and Ethereum exemplify these platforms where transp­arency and decent­ral­ization are core princi­ples, making them accessible to a broad user base.

29. Sidechain
Sidechains represent separate blockc­hains running alongside the main blockchain and interc­onn­ected to it. They serve as experi­mental enviro­nments for implem­enting new features and scalab­ility solutions without compro­mising the security of the main chain.

30. Lightning Network
The Lightning Network emerges as a secondary solution for scaling blockc­hains, facili­tating faster and more cost-e­ffe­ctive transa­ctions by processing them off-chain. Smart contracts underpin this network, ensuring security while enhancing the overall capacity of the blockc­hain.

31. Gas Limit and Gas Price
In Ethereum, the gas limit denotes the maximum amount of gas that a block can consume. Meanwhile, the gas price refers to the amount of crypto­cur­rency paid per unit of gas, which incent­ivizes miners to process transa­ctions effici­ently and prioritize those with higher gas fees.

32. Oracles
Oracles are data feeds that provide external inform­ation to a smart contract on a blockc­hain. They enable smart contracts to interact with real-world data, making them more versatile and enabling various use cases, such as decent­ralized finance (DeFi) applic­ations.

33. Scaling Solutions
Blockchain networks face challenges with scalab­ility, which refers to their ability to handle a large number of transa­ctions. Various scaling solutions, like sharding, state channels, and layer-2 protocols, aim to address these limita­tions and improve blockchain throug­hput.

34. Web3.0
Web3.0 refers to the next generation of the internet, where decent­ralized techno­logies like blockchain play a central role. It envisions a more user-c­entric, open, and trustless internet, where users have greater control over their data and digital assets.

35. Immutable Ledger
The immuta­bility of a blockchain ledger ensures that once data is recorded on the blockc­hain, it cannot be altered, deleted, or tampered with. This feature enhances the security and reliab­ility of the data stored on the blockc­hain.

36. Token Economy
A token economy is an ecosystem built around a blockchain platform where various tokens are used to represent and exchange value. These tokens can serve as currency, governance rights, access tokens, or even represent real-world assets.

37. Zero-K­now­ledge Proofs (ZKPs)
Zero-k­now­ledge proofs are crypto­graphic protocols that allow one party to prove knowledge of specific inform­ation to another party without revealing the actual inform­ation itself. ZKPs are used for privac­y-p­res­erving transa­ctions and identity verifi­cation on blockc­hains.

38.Cro­ss-­Chain Intero­per­ability
Cross-­chain intero­per­ability represents a remarkable advanc­ement that facili­tates seamless commun­ication and intera­ction between distinct blockchain networks. This breakt­hrough enables the smooth transfer of assets or data across different blockc­hains, fostering collab­oration and expanding the overall utility of blockchain techno­logy.

39.Token Standards (e.g., ERC-1155)
In addition to well-known token standards like ERC-20 and ERC-721, there are other notable standards such as ERC-1155, which allows for the creation of both fungible and non-fu­ngible tokens within a single smart contract. The gaming and digital collec­tibles industries have widely embraced this standard for its flexib­ility and effici­ency.

40. Atomic Swaps
Atomic swaps allow for direct peer-t­o-peer exchange of crypto­cur­rencies across different blockchain networks without the need for interm­edi­aries like exchanges. They ensure trustless and secure cross-­chain transa­ctions.

41. Signature Schemes (e.g., ECDSA, EdDSA)
Signature schemes are crypto­graphic algorithms used to create and verify digital signat­ures. ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) and EdDSA (Edwar­ds-­curve Digital Signature Algorithm) are examples widely used in blockchain networks.

42. Fork Choice Rule
The fork choice rule is the algorithm that determines which blockchain version will be considered the valid chain in the event of a fork. In Proof of Work systems, the longest chain is generally chosen, while Proof of Stake networks use various mechanisms to decide the canonical chain.

43. Gas Token
Gas tokens are special tokens that can be created and burned to store or release gas on the Ethereum network. Users can use gas tokens to optimize gas costs during periods of low network activity and save on transa­ction fees.

44. Sybil Attack
The Sybil attack remains a signif­icant concern in the realm of cybers­ecu­rity. In this malicious attack, advers­aries create numerous fake identities or nodes to gain unwarr­anted control or influence over a network. Decent­ralized networks are partic­ularly suscep­tible to Sybil attacks, posing a threat to their integrity and security.

45. Plasma
Plasma is a framework for creating scalable and secure off-chain solutions for blockc­hains. It enables the creation of child chains that can process transa­ctions more quickly and later reconcile the data back to the main chain.

46. DAO Attack
A DAO attack occurs when malicious actors exploit vulner­abi­lities in a decent­ralized autonomous organi­zat­ion's smart contracts to steal or manipulate funds. The most famous example is the "DAO hack" in 2016, which led to a conten­tious hard fork resulting in Ethereum and Ethereum Classic.

47.Ring Signature
Ring signatures represent a fascin­ating crypto­graphic technique that empowers a user to sign a message on behalf of a group or "­rin­g" of users, while cleverly concealing the actual signer's identity within the group. This technique finds valuable applic­ations in enhancing privacy and anonymity within certain blockchain use-cases.

48.Sel­f-S­ove­reign Identity
Self-s­ove­reign identity introduces a compelling concept where indivi­duals are granted complete control and ownership over their digital identi­ties. Thanks to the ingenious applic­ation of blockchain techno­logy, we can now achieve secure and decent­ralized identity management solutions, putting the power back into the hands of users themse­lves.

49. HSMs in Blockchain
Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) are specia­lized, tamper­-re­sistant hardware devices designed to manage and protect crypto­graphic keys. In the blockchain world, they offer an additional layer of security for private keys, ensuring that transa­ctions and wallet accesses are secure. HSMs also play a role in safegu­arding the infras­tru­cture of blockchain networks, enhancing resilience against breaches, thefts, and unauth­orized access.

50. Decent­ralized Finance (DeFi)
Decent­ralized Finance, commonly known as DeFi, represents a set of financial protocols and services built on blockchain platforms, especially Ethereum. Unlike tradit­ional financial systems, DeFi operates without interm­edi­aries like banks or brokers. Instead, it uses smart contracts to create progra­mmable, transp­arent, and open-s­ource financial instru­ments. Popular DeFi applic­ations include lending platforms, decent­ralized exchanges, and stable­coins. Through DeFi, users can lend, borrow, trade, and invest in a decent­ralized ecosystem, fostering greater financial inclus­ivity and sovere­ignty.


Blockchain technology is vast and rapidly evolving, with new termin­ologies and advanc­ements emerging regularly. Staying curious and keeping up with the latest develo­pments will help you stay ahead in this exciting and transf­orm­ative space.