This guide provides an overview of the Ethereum Yellow Paper, which is a technical specification document for the Ethereum blockchain.
Overview
The Ethereum Yellow Paper is a foundational document that outlines the core concepts and protocols of the Ethereum network. It is written in English and serves as a reference for developers and researchers working with Ethereum.
Key Concepts
- Smart Contracts: Self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into lines of code.
- Gas: The unit of measure used to charge for computation on the Ethereum network.
- State: The data stored on the Ethereum blockchain, which includes accounts, balances, and contract storage.
Structure
The Yellow Paper is divided into several sections, each covering different aspects of the Ethereum protocol:
- Preliminaries: Provides an introduction to the Ethereum system and its terminology.
- Formal Specification: A formal mathematical description of the Ethereum virtual machine (EVM).
- Proofs of Work: Explains the consensus mechanism used by Ethereum.
- Inter-Block Communication: Describes the communication between blocks on the Ethereum network.
Resources
For further reading on Ethereum, you might want to check out our Ethereum White Paper.
Conclusion
The Ethereum Yellow Paper is an essential resource for anyone looking to understand the inner workings of the Ethereum blockchain. Whether you're a developer, researcher, or just curious about the technology, it's worth a read.