Learn Python by Building a Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 : Getting Started

Introduction

What is Python?

Setting Up Python?

Writing our First Python Code

What is the Blockchain?

Course Outline

Python Alternatives

Understanding the Python Versions

How to Get the Most Out of This Course

Chapter 2 : Diving Into the Basics of Python

Module Introduction

Understanding the REPL and Data Types

Working with Variables

Working with Numbers

Using Operators

Understanding a “Special” Behavior when Working with Numbers

Working with Strings

Working with Lists

Adding Removing List Items

Preparing the Blockchain - The Theory

Installing our IDE

Using Functions to Add List Items

Accessing the Last List Item

Adding Arguments to Functions

Understanding the “return” Keyword

Using Default Arguments

Working with Keyword Arguments

Using the “input” Function

Avoiding Repetitive Code Execution

Understanding the Variable Scope

Exploring the Official Documentation

Adding Comments and Doc Strings

Structuring Multi Line Code in Python

Wrap Up

Chapter 3 : Working with Loops Conditionals

Module Introduction

Understanding Loops - Theory

Creating a “for” Loop

Creating a “while” Loop

Understanding Conditionals - Theory

Adding “if-else” to our Blockchain

Working with “elif”

Understanding “break” “continue”

Improving our Code with Loops Conditionals

Understanding Boolean Operators - “is” “in”

The “not” Keyword

Understanding “and” and “or”

Grouping Conditionals

What About “switch” in Python?

Verifying our Blockchain

Using Conditions inside the “while” Loop

Using “else” in Loops

Adding the “range” Function

Wrap Up

Chapter 4 : Understanding Complex Data Structures

Module Introduction

Understanding the Required Data Structure for our Blockchain

Working with Iterables

Choosing the Right Datastructure

Transactions with Dictionaries Tuples

Unpacking the Tuple

Mining Blocks

Hashing Previous Blocks

Understanding List Comprehensions

And What are Dict Comprehensions?

Combining List Comprehensions “if”

Improving the Blockchain Validation Logic

Managing a List of Participants in the Blockchain

Calculating Balances

Rewarding the Miners of our Blockchain

Verifying Transactions

Understanding Reference vs Value Copying.

Working with the Range Selector

Understanding Shallow vs Deep Copies

Comparing “is” “==”

Diving Deeper Into Iterable Methods

Understanding the “all” “any” Functions

Comparing Iterables

Wrap Up

Chapter 5 : Working with Functions Strings

Module Introduction

Comparing Strings Lists

Understanding the “format” Method

Escaping Characters

Formatting Strings Conveniently with “f”

Adding String Formatting to our Project

Understanding the “map” Function

Working with Lambda Functions

Reducing Lists

Unpacking Function Arguments

Fixing a Bug

Wrap Up

Chapter 6 : Working the Python Standard Library

Module Introduction

Exploring the Python Standard Library

Importing Packages - Theory

Importing “hashlib” to create a Unique Hash

Using Other Import Syntaxes

The “Proof of Work”

Adding the Proof of Work to our Blockchain

Including the Proof of Work in our Mining Function

Fixing a Hash Order Fault

Splitting Up our Code

Wrap Up

Chapter 7 : Working with Files

Module Introduction

Handling File Access

Reading Data from a File

Reading Multi-Line Content

Using the “with” Block Statement

Adding File Access to our Blockchain

Converting Strings into Python Objects

Storing Data with Pickle

Comparing Pickle JSON

Changing the Project Back to JSON

Why we need Proper Error Handling

Wrap Up

Chapter 8 : Handling Errors Debugging

Module Introduction

Finding Logical Errors with the Debugger

Finding Syntax Errors

Using “try” to Find Runtime Errors

Which Errors Should you Handle?

Adding Error Handlers to our Blockchain

Wrap Up

Chapter 9 : Object Oriented Programming

Module Introduction

What is Object Oriented Programming?

Understanding Classes

Creating a Class

Comparing Classes, Instances Dictionaries

Understanding Class Attributes

Constructor Instance Attributes

Printing Classes with Special Methods

Private Public Attributes

Understanding Inheritance

Planning Blockchain Classes

Adding a “Block” Class to the Blockchain

Saving Custom Class Objects via .json

Adding a “Transaction” Class

Inheritance in Action

Adding a “Verification” Helper Class

Initialising the “Node” Class

Turning the Blockchain into a Class

Adding a “Node” Class

Understanding “Instance” vs “Class” vs “Static Methods” “Attributes”

Using “Static” “Class” Methods on the “Verification” Class

Using Private Attributes in the Blockchain

Properties vs Attributes

Wrap Up

Chapter 10 : Modules

Module Introduction

Creating Packages - Module Bundles

The “pycache” Folder

Module Docstrings

Controlling Exports

Understanding Execution Context “name”

Why we need a Private Public Key Transaction Protection

Using Anaconda to Install Third Party Packages

Generating Keys with a Third Party Package

Connecting the Node the Wallet

Generating Keys on the Node

Saving Loading Keys to Files

Creating Transaction Signatures

Adding a Signature to our Transactions

Verifying Signatures

Improving the Verification Logic

Wrap Up

Chapter 11 : Adding HTTP with Flask

Module Introduction

HTTP Requests - The Basics

Understanding API-Endpoints/ URLs

Data Formats

Planning our API

Setting Up our Environment with Flask

Adding our First Route

Installing Postman

Adding a POST Request

Setting Up Routes to Manage our Wallet

Returning Funds

Adding Transactions

Fetching Open Transactions

Testing the Public Key

Adding a User Interface

Optional: Configuring our UI - Creating a Wallet

Optional: Configuring our UI - Loading a Wallet and Adding Mining Transactions

Exploring our UI

Wrap Up

Chapter 12 : The Node Network

Module Introduction

Adding Node Management Methods to the Blockchain

Setting Up Routes to Add Nodes

Adding a Remove Node Route

Adding “get_Nodes” to get all Nodes

Attaching a Node User Interface

Running Multiple Nodes

Sending Requests from within Python

Broadcasting Transactions - Adding the Function Route

Broadcasting Transactions - Testing Fixing Errors

Broadcasting New Blocks: Adding the Function Route

Broadcasting New Blocks: Informing the Peer Nodes

Broadcasting Transactions: Testing

Solving Conflicts

Understanding Consensus

Finding Conflicts

Implementing a Consensus Algorithm

Testing Consensus

Wrap Up

Chapter 13 : Next Steps and Course Roundup

Module Introduction

Don’t Forget PEP 8

Using PEP 8

Using Comments

Diving Deeper Into Python

Improving the Blockchain

Congratulations