This article provides an introduction to blockchain technology, and explains the differences between permissioned and permissionless networks. It also helps readers choose the right approach for their blockchain-based projects. Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger (DLT) that is based on cryptographic protocols, is resistant to tampering, provides great security, is driven by network consensus, and allows data to be transmitted and stored in a peer-to-peer (P2P) fashion. Research is still being carried out on the potential of blockchain technology, yet it is commonly accepted that it has big implications in a wide variety of markets, including business-to-business scenarios, financial services, healthcare, and more.
