https://github.com/brakmic/coin-platform-2
A minimalist cryptocurrency platform designed to explore and demonstrate the core concepts of blockchain technology
https://github.com/brakmic/coin-platform-2
blockchain blockchain-technology
Last synced: 11 months ago
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A minimalist cryptocurrency platform designed to explore and demonstrate the core concepts of blockchain technology
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/brakmic/coin-platform-2
- Owner: brakmic
- License: mit
- Created: 2024-11-12T10:07:09.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-11-12T15:23:44.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-08-23T12:10:02.944Z (11 months ago)
- Topics: blockchain, blockchain-technology
- Language: C++
- Homepage:
- Size: 9.68 MB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Coin Platform 2
Welcome to **Coin Platform 2**, a minimalist cryptocurrency platform designed to explore and demonstrate the core concepts of blockchain technology. This project aims to provide a simplified yet functional implementation of a blockchain network, including consensus mechanisms, networking, cryptography, and storage systems.
## Table of Contents
- [Coin Platform 2](#coin-platform-2)
- [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents)
- [Introduction](#introduction)
- [Motivation](#motivation)
- [Project Structure](#project-structure)
- [Overview](#overview)
- [Components](#components)
- [Building the Project](#building-the-project)
- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
- [Setup Instructions](#setup-instructions)
- [Detailed Component Descriptions](#detailed-component-descriptions)
- [Common Utilities](#common-utilities)
- [Cryptography Module](#cryptography-module)
- [Networking Module](#networking-module)
- [Storage Module](#storage-module)
- [Time Chain](#time-chain)
- [Value Chain](#value-chain)
- [Consensus Mechanisms](#consensus-mechanisms)
- [Node Implementation](#node-implementation)
- [Configuration](#configuration)
- [Tools](#tools)
- [Running the Node](#running-the-node)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [License](#license)
## Introduction
Coin Platform 2 is a simplified blockchain platform that implements a dual-chain architecture:
- **Time Chain**: A chain that keeps track of time and provides a global time reference for the network.
- **Value Chain**: A chain that handles transactions and maintains the ledger of account balances.
By separating time tracking from transaction processing, the platform aims to simplify consensus mechanisms and improve scalability.
## Motivation
The primary motivation behind Coin Platform 2 is educational. It serves as a learning tool for developers interested in understanding how blockchain systems work under the hood. By providing a clean and straightforward codebase, the project allows developers to:
- Explore the implementation of consensus algorithms.
- Understand networking between nodes in a decentralized network.
- Learn about cryptographic operations essential to blockchain technology.
- Experiment with storage solutions for blockchain data.
- Build and run their own minimal cryptocurrency network.
## Project Structure
### Overview
The project is organized into several modules, each responsible for a specific aspect of the platform's functionality. Here's a high-level view of the directory structure:
```
coin_platform2/
├── CMakeLists.txt
├── build/
├── cmake/
├── config/
├── src/
│ ├── CMakeLists.txt
│ ├── common/
│ ├── config/
│ ├── consensus/
│ ├── cryptography/
│ ├── main.cpp
│ ├── networking/
│ ├── node/
│ ├── storage/
│ ├── time_chain/
│ └── value_chain/
├── tests/
├── third_party/
└── tools/
```
### Components
- **common**: Contains utility functions and type definitions used throughout the project.
- **config**: Handles configuration parsing and management.
- **consensus**: Implements consensus mechanisms for both Time Chain and Value Chain.
- **cryptography**: Provides cryptographic functionalities like key generation, hashing, and signing.
- **networking**: Manages peer-to-peer networking, including connection handling and data transmission.
- **node**: Represents the node implementation that ties all components together.
- **storage**: Deals with data persistence for blockchain data.
- **time_chain**: Implements the Time Chain, which tracks time blocks.
- **value_chain**: Implements the Value Chain, which processes transactions.
- **tools**: Contains utility tools like key generators and genesis block creators.
## Building the Project
### Prerequisites
Ensure you have the following installed on your system:
- **C++17 Compiler**: GCC or Clang with C++17 support.
- **CMake (>=3.10)**: For building the project.
- **OpenSSL**: Required for cryptographic functions.
- **Git**: To clone the repository and manage submodules.
### Setup Instructions
1. **Clone the Repository**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/brakmic/coin-platform-2.git
cd coin-platform-2
```
2. **Initialize and Update Submodules**
The project relies on some third-party libraries included as submodules.
```bash
git submodule update --init --recursive
```
3. **Build the Project**
Create a `build` directory and compile the source code using CMake.
```bash
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
```
This will compile the main executable `coin_platform2` along with necessary libraries.
4. **Generate Genesis Blocks**
Before running the node, you need to generate the genesis blocks.
- **Generate a Private Key**
```bash
./tools/keygen/keygen
```
Save the generated private key securely; you'll need it in the next step.
- **Generate Genesis Blocks**
```bash
./tools/genesis_generator/genesis_generator
```
Replace `` with the private key obtained from the previous step. This will create `genesis_blocks.hpp` in `src/common/`.
5. **Rebuild with Genesis Blocks**
After generating the genesis blocks, recompile the project to include them.
```bash
cd build
make clean
make
```
## Detailed Component Descriptions
### Common Utilities
Located in `src/common/`, this module includes:
- **types.hpp**: Defines common types like `Hash`, `PublicKey`, `PrivateKey`, etc.
- **utilities.hpp/cpp**: Provides utility functions for logging, time retrieval, and byte manipulation.
- **genesis_blocks.hpp**: Contains the serialized genesis blocks and their hashes.
### Cryptography Module
Located in `src/cryptography/`, this module handles cryptographic operations:
- **cryptography.hpp/cpp**: Implements hashing functions and key derivation.
- **schnorr_signature.hpp/cpp**: Provides functions for Schnorr signature creation and verification.
The module uses `secp256k1` library for elliptic curve operations.
### Networking Module
Located in `src/networking/`, this module manages network communications:
- **network_manager.hpp/cpp**: Handles peer connections, data transmission, and message handling.
- Uses [Asio](https://think-async.com/Asio/) for asynchronous networking.
### Storage Module
Located in `src/storage/`, this module is responsible for data persistence:
- **storage_interface.hpp**: Defines the interface for storage operations.
- **file_storage.hpp/cpp**: Implements file-based storage for blockchain data.
Blocks are stored on disk in a simple format, making it easy to inspect and debug.
### Time Chain
Located in `src/time_chain/`, this module implements the Time Chain:
- **time_block.hpp/cpp**: Defines the structure and serialization of a time block.
- **time_chain.hpp/cpp**: Manages the chain of time blocks.
The Time Chain provides a global time reference, which is essential for synchronizing events across the network.
### Value Chain
Located in `src/value_chain/`, this module implements the Value Chain:
- **transaction.hpp/cpp**: Defines the structure and verification of transactions.
- **value_block.hpp/cpp**: Defines the structure and serialization of a value block.
- **value_chain.hpp/cpp**: Manages the chain of value blocks.
The Value Chain handles transaction processing and maintains the ledger of account balances.
### Consensus Mechanisms
Located in `src/consensus/`, this module implements consensus algorithms for both chains:
- **consensus_interface.hpp**: Defines a generic interface for consensus mechanisms.
- **time_chain_consensus.hpp/cpp**: Implements consensus logic for the Time Chain.
- **value_chain_consensus.hpp/cpp**: Implements consensus logic for the Value Chain.
Consensus is achieved through a simplified stochastic process, determining which node is eligible to produce the next block.
### Node Implementation
Located in `src/node/`, this module brings all components together:
- **node.hpp/cpp**: Implements the node logic, including initialization, event handling, and main loops.
The node manages both the Time Chain and Value Chain, handling incoming messages, producing blocks, and broadcasting transactions.
### Configuration
Located in `src/config/`, this module handles application configuration:
- **config.hpp/cpp**: Parses command-line arguments and provides configuration settings to other components.
### Tools
Located in `tools/`, this directory contains utility programs:
- **keygen**: Generates a new private key.
- **genesis_generator**: Creates the genesis blocks using a provided private key.
## Running the Node
After building the project and generating the genesis blocks, you can run the node:
```bash
./coin_platform2 --port 8001 --role dual
```
Command-line options:
- `--port `: Specifies the port on which the node listens.
- `--role
Example of running two nodes on the same machine for testing:
```bash
# Terminal 1
./coin_platform2 --port 8001 --role dual
# Terminal 2
./coin_platform2 --port 8002 --role dual
```
The nodes will attempt to connect to each other based on predefined logic in the `main.cpp` file.
## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Feel free to submit issues or pull requests to improve the project.
When contributing, please:
- Follow the existing code style.
- Write clear commit messages.
- Ensure that the project builds without errors.
## License
This project is open-source and available under the [MIT License](LICENSE.md).