Blockchain
How chains record, agree and change, explained from the ground up.
Stories from the desk
Deep dive, 14 min read (sample)
A header, a list of transactions and a fingerprint of the block before it. We open one up and explain each part in plain words.
Explainer, 9 min read (sample)
Two ways for strangers to agree on one shared record: one spends electricity, the other locks up coins. How each works and what critics say.
Explainer, 6 min read (sample)
The computers behind a blockchain do different jobs. A short guide to who keeps a copy, who adds blocks and who checks them.
Brief, 4 min read (sample)
Sent to the wrong address? There is no support line on a public chain. Why reversals are so hard, and what people do instead.
Explainer, 7 min read (sample)
Soft forks, hard forks and why a disagreement about rules can split a network. Three past examples, described neutrally.
Desk editor
Sam Okafor
Blockchain desk (sample)
Software engineer turned writer; draws most of our diagrams.
Words to know
Token
A unit created by a smart contract on an existing blockchain, not a chain of its own.
Node
A computer that keeps a copy of the chain and checks new blocks against the rules.
Smart contract
A program stored on a blockchain that runs exactly as written when called.
Stablecoin
A token designed to track the value of a currency such as the dollar.
Our rule
We explain how crypto works and what the arguments are. We never tell you what to buy, sell or expect, and nobody pays us for coverage. Nothing on this site is financial advice.
The weekly explainer: one topic, explained in plain words, every Sunday morning (sample).