| CODE | DLT5400 | ||||||
| TITLE | DLT Implementation and Internals | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | In this study-unit students will be exposed to issues of distributed ledger technologies, their design and implementation. This study-unit will investigate a selection of DLT platforms potentially including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Hyperledger, Substrate/Polkadot, COSMOS, and others. The study-unit will cover the following topics: - An overview of the various concepts that DLTs are built on; - A study of the underlying algorithms required for distributed ledger technologies (DLT); - DLT internal data structures; - DLT consensus algorithms (including proof of work, proof of stake and others); - Virtual machine design and implementation; - An overview of the enabling cryptographic algorithms used and their application within a DLT; - DLT protocols; - Design considerations and trade-offs; - Practical hands-on development of a DLT implementation. Study-Unit Aims: The aim of this study-unit is to provide students with a detailed understanding of distributed ledger technologies with particular emphasis on how they are designed, implemented and provide a smart contract decentralised application platform. The study-unit aims to enable students to define, design and implement the various components that make up a DLT implementation and compare various approaches to implementing such components. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Given desired properties of a distributed ledger the students will be able to define and justify the ideal characteristics and approaches to use in such a DLT implementation; - Analyse various implementation characteristics and propose ideal implementation techniques and algorithms to use in designing and implementing a DLT platform; - Describe how each component in a DLT works to achieve a distributed ledger and further explain how each component internally works. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Design a DLT platform and its main components, and thereafter implement a DLT platform; - Set up their own platform and test smart contracts on their own DLT platform; - Identify scenarios whereby different approaches to implementing a DLT are best suited. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Song, J. (2019). Programming Bitcoin: Learn how to Program Bitcoin from Scratch: O/Reilly. - Antonopoulos, A. M. (2017). Mastering Bitcoin: Programming the Open Blockchain: O'Reilly. - Li, X. (2016). Advanced Design and Implementation of Virtual Machines: CRC Press. Supplementary Readings: - Paar, C., & Pelzl, J. (2014). Understanding Cryptography: A Textbook for Students and Practitioners: Springer. - Antonopoulos, A. M., & Wood, G. (2018). Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and DApps: O'Reilly. Further research papers of state-of-the-art challenges and solutions pertaining to Distributed Ledger Technologies design and implementation will be provided. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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