If you want to know about Blockchain, a 6-week course created by IBM  and designed for developers who are new to Blockchain began on December 4 on the Coursera Platform. 

IBM Blockchain essentials for developers introduces some of the common challenges facing business networks and how a new approach to recording and processing transactions that uses blockchain technology can solve some of these challenges.

When you finish this course, you should understand: 

• Blockchain and distributed ledger systems in a business environment
• Important concepts and key use cases of blockchain for business
• How assets can be transferred in a blockchain network
• The structure and benefits of using Hyperledger Composer, which is an open source project and a suite of high-level abstractions for business networks
• How to use Hyperledger Composer to model and build a simple business network
• The components and structure of Hyperledger Fabric, which is a blockchain framework that uses containers to host smart contracts called chaincode that comprise the application logic of the system
• Blockchain solution components, such as wallets, ledgers, participants, consensus, security, and smart contracts
• Key considerations and responsibilities of those who help to build, model, run, and maintain a blockchain business network: Developers and Administrators
• Methods to arrive at consensus
• Tools and applications that you can use to interact with the network

The first part of this course covering basic consists of short videos and readings interspersed with quiz questions to consolidate your learning and for this no programming skills are required.

As the course progresses there are also four labs which demonstrated how transfer assets, model, build, and programmatically interact with a blockchain network for which you'll need to a basic understanding of object-oriented programming and how to use the command line. It's also helpful, but not required, that you can write code in JavaScript. 

• Lab 1: Use the web-hosted Hyperledger Playground
  Composer to transfer assets in a car auction network.
  
  
• Lab 2: Model a simple network by using Hyperledger Composer. (Note: This lab only works on a Mac)
  
  
• Lab 3: Build a simple application that queries and updates the ledger by using chaincode.
  
  
• Lab 4: Build your own network.

The course is IBM-centric and as one review  puts it:

"advertisement for IBM, but it's informative"

Even so, it seems a quick and attractive way to learn about a new and relevant technology. 

Unlike other Coursera courses which only provide full access to the course to those who purchase the course, for this one students have access to all the course materials including graded quizzes without any payment. If you want a certificate, however, that's available at a cost of $49.

More Information

IBM Blockchain essentials for developers 

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