Bitcoin
Bitcoin ($₿, BTC) is a digital currency that operates on a peer-to-peer network without a central authority like a bank or government. Its supply is capped at 21 million coins, making it a scarce asset.
How does it work?
Bitcoin runs on a technology called the blockchain. The blockchain is a public, distributed ledger that records every transaction. A global network of computers, known as "nodes," maintains this ledger. These nodes work together to verify and record transactions, which makes the system secure and hard to tamper with.
New bitcoins are created through a process called mining. Miners employ powerful computers to solve complex mathematical problems, allowing them to verify transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain. The first miner who solves the problem gets rewarded with new bitcoins.
The Impact
Bitcoin has challenged traditional finance by providing a quick and inexpensive way for international payments. It also offers financial inclusion for people without access to standard banking services. However, Bitcoin's value can fluctuate greatly, making it a risky investment. The mining process consumes a substantial amount of energy, raising environmental concerns.
JSON
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data format used to exchange information between different computer programs, especially on the web. It is straightforward, universal, and easy for both humans and machines to read.
Why It's Used?
JSON is popular because it is human-readable, lightweight, and works with many programming languages. Many different languages, like Python and Java, can easily use it to send and receive data. It's the most common method for applications to communicate over the internet.
The Structure
JSON organizes data into two basic structures.
- Objects: A collection of key/value pairs enclosed in curly braces {}. It's like a list where each item has a name (the key) and a corresponding value. For instance, {"name": "Alice"}.
- Arrays: An ordered list of values enclosed in square brackets []. For example, ["apple", "banana"].
JSON can serve various purposes, such as facilitating communication between apps and servers via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). For example, when you use a weather app, it often retrieves weather data from a server in JSON format.