Blockchain is sooo Easy
Explained Easily: Blockchain as Data Storage
NB: Blockchain, strictly for lazy beginners
Introduction to Blockchain as Data Storage
“Blockchain as data storage.” This is the statement we are going to address in this article.
In our day-to-day activities, we deal in all forms of data handling; from transferring text messages, watching videos, and storing pictures. Through all these data activities, one thing is sure, we store data in our mobile devices and computer systems.
For easy access to these stored data, we need to organize these data in data structures. Each of these data structures possesses features that distinguish them.
Some of these data structures store data in tables, some as graphs, and some in blocks.
Blocks?
Does this word sound familiar? Exactly. Blockchains are made up of connected blocks. This means this statement: blockchain as data storage is accurate.
First and foremost, before heading on, what is blockchain technology?
What is a Blockchain Technology (Simply Explained)?
Blockchain technology deals with how digital data is uploaded, stored, organized, and transferred amongst computer systems.
In summary, blockchain technology deals with the handling of digital data.
Before we explain digital data, it would be best to understand what data means.
What is Data?
Data are simply words.
- words we write down as text or numbers,
- words we speak,
- Words we turn into images, audio, or videos.
Data is everything and anything that describes our interactions with one another and the world at large.
To get a more structured meaning of what data is, let’s reshape this explanation…
Data are organized pieces of information concerning anything structured into any format (text, numbers, images, audio, videos) and stored on physical or digital objects.
With this description, we get the point that data can be classified into two types.
Data based on format:
Data is divided into five (5) types based on this classification.
Numerical data: data is represented in the form of numbers. Examples of numerical data are phone numbers and mathematical solutions.
Text data: data stored in the form of alphabets and phrases. Examples of text data are your names and an attendance list.
Alphanumeric data: data that is created from both numbers and alphabets. Examples of alphanumeric data are receipts and bank statements.
Audio data: Data that is represented in the form of speech. Examples of audio data are call recordings and music.
Image data: data that is read in the form of pictures. Examples of image data are random pictures you take of yourself, pets, or household objects.
Video data: Data that is created in motion formats. Examples are movies and camera records.
Fun question: Can all form of digital data be stored on a blockchain?
Fun Answer: Data of all formats can be stored on a blockchain. This is why tweets, images, videos, and transactions can be recorded on a blockchain.
NB: This statement validates the blockchain as data storage gist.
Data based on storage:
Data can either be stored physically or digitally.
Physical data: data of all formats stored on physical objects like paper, physical phone books, and physically given academic certificates are referred to as physical data.
Digital data: data of all formats stored on electronic devices such as phones and computers are called digital data.
Fun facts
Are you aware that physical data are converted to digital data when uploaded into computers.
Digital data are what gets stored on blockchains. This points to the validity of the statement blockchain as data storage.
Let’s recap before we head into a deeper explanation of digital data.
- Blockchain technology deals with data handling.
- Data can be in the form of text, numbers, audio, videos, and images.
- Data are either stored on physical objects or electronic devices.
- Data stored on electronic devices are our main focus in this article.
What is Digital Data?
Digital data are data stored on computers. They are also described as data that computers can read.
For example: when you type your name into a laptop, the typed text is called digital data.
Digital data could represent a piece of information like a singular name of an individual or a group of information like a record of students’ names in a classroom.
What are computers?
Computers are electronic devices that record, store and process digital data.
How are digital data stored on computers?
Digital data are stored and organized on data structures called databases.
What are databases?
A database is an organized digital data collection stored on computers.
Types of databases
There are many types of databases. Database store different forms of digital data depending on the format and use of these data.
Relational database: Relational database store data linked to one another in tabular format (i.e., rows and columns). An example of a relational database is academic results.
Non-relational database: Non-relational database stores unstructured data (i.e., data that are not linked to each other. An example of data that can be stored in a non-relational database is an attendance list of an event.
Distributed Database: This database stores data in multiple locations on different parts of a computer or various computer systems.
Fun question: Is blockchain a type of distributed database?
Fun answer: Blockchains possess features of a distributed database because blockchains are stored on multiple computers. This is why blockchain is described as type of distributed database.
Graph database: This database stores and shows relationships amongst data with graph models.
Document database: Designed to store organized data (information) documents. Document databases store data in a different way than tables (rows and columns).
Hierarchal database: A hierarchical database is a data structure that stores data in a tree-like manner. An example of a Hierarchal database is Merkle Tree.
Fun fact
The Merkle tree-like data structure is the data structure used to organize data into blocks on the blockchain.
NB: This points at the validity of the statement, “blockchain as data storage.”
Blockchain as Data Storage: True or False
Earlier, we described blockchain technology as a technology that deals with the upload, record, and transfer of data.
When you compare this definition with other databases, do they behave similarly?
Yes, they do.
Does this validate our agreement to this statement: Blockchain as data storage.
Yes, the statement blockchain as a type of data storage is valid.
In conclusion
Blockchain can be categorized as a unique database because any data structure that stores information is classified as a database. And blockchain deals with the upload, storage, and transfer of digital data. This is why the statement “blockchain as data storage” is valid.
At the end of this article, these are what you learnt.
- Blockchain technology deals with data handling.
- Blockchains simply stores digital data of any format.
- blockchain is a special type of database.
If you are interested in how Satoshi Nakamoto created blockchain technology, check out this fun 2 minutes video.
In our next article, we will describe the creation of blockchain technology with respect to the technologies that built it and how these technologies were joined to create a unique blockchain database.
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