Final Exam: Blockchain Application Developer

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

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  script smart contract compilation and define the types of output required, including bytecode and ABI
  

  write a simple Hello World smart contract using Solidity
  

  recognize the characteristics of the Ethereum blockchain network and how it records transaction data in a transparent and verifiable manner
  

  write simple test cases using Mocha, group them into a test suite, and describe a common set of actions to run before each test case
  

  recall what constitutes a blockchain and how they can be used to store a sequence of records
  

  install the MetaMask extension for the Chrome browser
  

  use JavaScript and Mocha to define a process for deploying a smart contract to a private Ethereum network
  

  use the solc compiler to compile a smart contract to generate Ethereum bytecode
  

  list the features of the Solidity programming language
  

  connect to an already deployed contract using the Ethereum JavaScript API and invoke its methods
  

  use Ganache to provision a private Ethereum network and deploy your smart contract to it
  

  work with Mocha to call a function on a deployed contract and test its return value
  

  write a script to deploy a smart contract to a private Ethereum network
  

  describe the functions of smart contract bytecode, opcodes, and ABI in interacting with a contract
  

  work with the miner API to begin mining blocks and earning ether as part of mining rewards
  

  recognize the role of the Ethereum Virtual Machine for running smart contract code
  

  recognize the functions of branch and extension nodes in a Merkle Patricia trie
  

  identify the role of digital signatures in authentication and non-repudiation of transactions while also ensuring their integrity
  

  identify the details required when invoking transactions in the Ethereum network
  

  describes at a high level what the process of mining involves and the role of Ethereum's cryptocurrency - Ether
  

  describe the purpose of the MetaMask client for Ethereum and the techniques it uses to connect to an Ethereum network
  

  outline the concept of gas in Ethereum and the role of the gas price and gas limit fields in a transaction
  

  create a private blockchain network using the Geth CLI and connect to it as a node
  

  recognize the role of mining nodes in the Ethereum network and the define the concept of gas which is used to measure the complexity of transactions
  

  recognize the role of cryptographic hashing in blockchain networks to ensure the immutability of transaction data
  

  invoke a transaction on your deployed contract using the Remix interface and set transaction parameters in Metamask
  

  recall the use of the Ethereum state in verifying the sender's Ether balance to ensure they possess the funds being transferred in a transaction
  

  invoke a transaction with a smart contract by calling a function that changes the state of the contract
  

  identify the flaws in the proof of work algorithm and how the proof of stake algorithm can address them
  

  recall the benefits of storing transaction data as a chain of blocks such as quicker consistency checks and faster lookups
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  identify the characteristics of full, light, and archive nodes in Ethereum
  

  identify the roles of solc-js and the Remix IDE for developing smart contracts written in the Solidity language
  

  define Ethereum-specific terms such as mining, ether, and smart contracts
  

  identify the different networks available to test out smart contracts and describe their unique features
  

  outline the steps involved verifying transactions initiated in the Ethereum network
  

  connect a new node to the private Ethereum network and add it as a peer of the existing node
  

  identify the two types of Ethereum accounts - externally owned and contract - and the data that is needed for each of them
  

  describe the trie data structure that is used to represent associative arrays and distinguish it from its space-optimized version, the Patricia trie
  

  install the official Ethereum Wallet application and describe the UI options available
  

  code a simple, smart contract and deploy it to the Rinkeby network using the Ethereum Wallet UI
  

  describe the need for smart contracts to eliminate the need for a trusted third party in many transactions
  

  outline the technique of sequencing records by breaking them up into blocks and arranging those blocks in a chain
  

  recognize the role of an Ethereum client and list the different Ethereum clients
  

  outline the proof of work algorithm and the work which miners need to do to claim mining rewards
  

  write the code for a constructor in your smart contract and deploy it to Ethereum
  

  use the Ethereum Wallet app to interact with a deployed smart contract by passing to it the contract address and ABI
  

  recognize the difficulty in finding the proof of work nonce and why it can only be found by trial and error
  

  code, deploy and interact with a smart contract that includes a constructor which takes in an argument
  

  use the Chrome console and your file system to clean up unneeded contracts and accounts from your Ethereum Wallet
  

  top up your Ethereum account with some ether on the Rinkeby network by making a social media post
  

  use the Geth console to access the various management APIs such as personal, admin, and miner
  

  describe the role of the transaction nonce in preventing replay attacks
  

  validate a token transfer operation in a smart contract by checking the token balance of the transaction initiator
  

  describe the role of miners in picking up initiated transactions and then ordering and verifying them
  

  recall the fundamentals of blockchain technology such as the storage of records across a sequence of blocks
  

  recall when a miner can claim mining rewards and how the other nodes in the Ethereum network will validate its claim
  

  use the MetaMask client to transfer ether from your account in MetaMask to the one in Ethereum Wallet
  

  work with Geth to connect as a node to the Rinkeby test network and deploy your smart contract there
  

  call the functions defined in your deployed smart contract using the Ethereum Wallet interface
  

  interact with a contract deployed on the Rinkeby test network and track the mining of your transactions