Bitcoin transactions and all othe crytocurrencies are recorded in a public ledger, or blockchain. However, unlike traditional records, this ledger is not maintained by a central entity or single data center. Instead, it is stored in thousands of private computers, or "nodes," that are connected to the global blockchain. Each computer is given a copy of the ledger file, and each member of the network has its own copy of it. This ensures that the ledger is 100% secure.
The Bitcoin system relies on the distributed nature of the network to keep track of transactions. The distributed nature of the system allows legitimate updates to synchronize across copies in a matter of seconds. This means that if one or more systems fail, the rest of the network will continue functioning as before. A cryptographic protocol called proof of work is used to verify the information in the chain of blocks. This prevents fraud and other forms of misinformation, and the entire system is completely transparent.
A blockchain is a network of computers that maintains a publicly accessible record of transactions. The system that runs a blockchain keeps copies of each transaction in sync with one another. This prevents hacker attacks because it makes it impossible to change the history of the ledger. The security of the blockchain makes it impossible for one user to alter the history of a transaction by pretending to be an authorized member of the network.
The blockchain was developed to solve the transparency issue with typical accounting and other issues that plagues fiat currency. It is an open, transparent, and self-verifying system. Because it is a public ledger, every transaction is completely transparent. Anyone can view the public keys of any given transaction. As a result, if someone hacks into the chain, they would have to attack all of these devices at once. It is a decentralized system that is a solution to this problem.
A blockchain has no central server. Every block on the blockchain must contain an answer to a complex mathematical problem. This problem is solved by solving an irreversible cryptographic hash function. The algorithm generates random numbers and uses them to solve the problem. This process can take a long time, and it is unlikely that one computer will solve it in one year. In contrast, a typical computer might only need 10 minutes to solve a block.
In short, the blockchain is a system that stores all transactions. The word "blockchain" comes from two words: "chain of blocks" and "blockchain". A block is a set of information that is registered on a network. Each block is linked to its predecessors and succeeding blocks. All participants in the network have access to this chain of data, which is public. This way, a transaction is verified by any computer that has access to the system. To learn more about the blockchain there are some great videos explaining how everything works over at yumyumcrypto.com