---
id: basics-intro-blockchain
title: Blockchain
keywords:
  - intro
  - blockchain
  - cryptocurrency
  - 101
  - zilliqa
description: Blockchain Basics
---

---

## What is Blockchain?

Blockchain is a **distributed ledger** that is **immutable**. It is a
**ledger** in the sense that it is a global accounting system that keeps track
of balance (and other data) of each account. It is **distributed** as it is not
maintained by a single entity but rather by a distributed network of
independent machines who are given the incentive to do so. It is **immutable**
in the sense that it is not easy to change the chronological history of changes
made to the ledger.

## Other Key Benefits

Blockchains have some key properties that make them a powerful technology:

### 1. Decentralization

Since the ledger is maintained by a decentralized network of machines that is
open for anyone to join, it cannot be shutdown making blockchains resistant to
any external control and censorship.

### 2. Permissionless

Due to the public nature of blockchains, anyone (with sufficient resources)
can join the network to maintain the ledger and can make use of the network.
There is no need to get permission from any central entity making it open for
anyone and everyone.

### 3. Public verifiability

The entire chronological history is public for anyone to review. This provides
transparency, trust and auditability allowing anyone to re-create the current
state of the system from the historical data.