Blockchain in Python
• A blockchain is a time-stamped decentralized series of
fixed records that contains data of any size is controlled
by a large network of computers that are scattered
around the globe and not owned by a single
organization.
• Every block is secured and connected with each other
using hashing technology which protects it from being
tampered by an unauthorized person.
• The data will be stored in JSON format which is very
easy to implement and easy to read.
• The data is stored in a block and the block contains
multiple data. Each and every minute multiple blocks
are added and to differentiate one from the other we
will use fingerprinting.
• The fingerprinting is done by using hash and to be
particular we will use the SHA256 hashing algorithm.
Every block will contain its own hash and also the hash
of the previous function so that it cannot get tampered
with.
• This fingerprinting will be used to chain the blocks
together. Every block will be attached to the previous
block having its hash and to the next block by giving its
hash.
• The mining of the new block is done by giving
successfully finding the answer to the proof of work. To
make mining hard the proof of work must be hard
enough to get exploited.
• After mining the block successfully the block will then
be added to the chain.
• After mining several blocks the validity of the chain
must be checked in order to prevent any kind of
tampering with the blockchain.
• Then the web app will be made by using Flask and
deployed locally or publicly as per the need of the user.
# Python program to create Blockchain
# For timestamp
import datetime
# Calculating the hash in order to add digital
fingerprints to the blocks
import hashlib
# To store data in our blockchain
import JSON
# Flask is for creating the web app and
jsonify is for displaying the blockchain
from flask import Flask, jsonify
Blockchain Class
class Blockchain:
# This function is created to create the
very first block and set its hash to "0"
def __init__(self):
self.chain = []
self.create_block(proof=1,
previous_hash='0')
# Function is created to add further blocks into the
chain
def create_block(self, proof, previous_hash):
block = {'index': len(self.chain) + 1,
'timestamp’:str(datetime.datetime.no
w()),
'proof': proof,
'previous_hash': previous_hash}
self.chain.append(block)
return block
# This function is created to display
the
previous block
def print_previous_block(self):
return self.chain[-1]
# Function for proof of work and used to successfully mine the block
def proof_of_work(self, previous_proof):
new_proof = 1
check_proof = False
while check_proof is False:
hash_operation = hashlib.sha256(
str(new_proof**2 -
previous_proof**2).encode()).hexdigest()
if hash_operation[:5] == '00000':
check_proof = True
else:
new_proof += 1
return new_proof
def hash(self, block):
encoded_block = json.dumps(block,
sort_keys=True).encode()
return hashlib.sha256(encoded_block).hexdigest()
def chain_valid(self, chain):
previous_block = chain[0]
block_index = 1
while block_index < len(chain):
block = chain[block_index]
if block['previous_hash'] != self.hash(previous_block):
return False
previous_proof = previous_block['proof']
proof = block['proof']
hash_operation = hashlib.sha256(
str(proof**2 -
previous_proof**2).encode()).hexdigest()
if hash_operation[:5] != '00000':
return False
previous_block = block
block_index += 1
return True
# Creating the Web App using flask
app = Flask(__name__)
# Create the objectof the class
blockchain
blockchain = Blockchain()
# Mining a new block
@app.route('/mine_block', methods=['GET'])
def mine_block():
previous_block =
blockchain.print_previous_block()
previous_proof = previous_block['proof']
proof = blockchain.proof_of_work(previous_proof)
previous_hash = blockchain.hash(previous_block)
block = blockchain.create_block(proof,
previous_hash)
response = {'message': 'A block is MINED',
'index': block['index'],
'timestamp': block['timestamp'],
'proof': block['proof'],
'previous_hash':
block['previous_hash']}
return jsonify(response), 200
# Display blockchain in json format
@app.route('/get_chain', methods=['GET'])
def display_chain():
response = {'chain': blockchain.chain,
'length':
len(blockchain.chain)}
return jsonify(response), 200
# Check validity of blockchain
@app.route('/valid', methods=['GET'])
def valid():
valid = blockchain.chain_valid(blockchain.chain)
if valid:
response = {'message': 'The Blockchain is
valid.'}
else:
response = {'message': 'The Blockchain is not
valid.'}
return jsonify(response), 200
# Run the flask server locally
app.run(host='127.0.0.1',
port=5000)
Output (mine_block):
{ "index":2, "message":"A block is MINED",
"previous_hash":"2d83a826f87415edb31b7e12b35949b9dbf702aee7e3
83cbab119456847b957c",
"proof":533, "timestamp":"2020-06-01 22:47:59.309000" }
Output (get_chain):
{ "chain":[{"index":1, "previous_hash":"0", "proof":1,
"timestamp":"2020-06-01 22:47:05.915000"},
{"index":2,
"previous_hash":"2d83a826f87415edb31b7e12b35949b9dbf702aee7e38
3cbab119456847b957c",
"proof":533,
"timestamp":"2020-06-01 22:47:59.309000"}], "length":2 }
Output(valid):
{"message":"The Blockchain is
valid."}
