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Bitcoin relies on Proof of Work (hashing) to control the writing to a central repository (the blockchain). It also relies on a set of rules for these updates, and defines what happens if a conflict is found (longest chain wins)

Using that as an example for my question:

  • What are some architectural examples of different distributed lock and/or update mechanisms suitable for P2P networks? (I'm looking for descriptions of software design suitable to this project, not software products)

  • What key logic or rules are fundamental to that decentralized "database"?

makerofthings7
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Bitcoin, Bittorrent, TOR, and a lot of Amazon's infrastructure (the decentralized bits) all run using something called Distributed Hash Tables.

Honestly, I don't understand it well enough to explain it well enough. Steve Gibson did a pretty good summary of it a while back if you have 30 minutes to listen.

Link.

Jpatrick
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