Foundations of Blockchain

Karl Wüst and Arthur Gervais

Two computer science researchers, Karl Wüst and Arthur Gervais, proposed a decision model in the paper Do you need a Blockchain?, which was published in IACR Cryptology (https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/375). The model helps to decide between permissioned and permissionless blockchains when there are mutually mistrusting entities in the system.

Figure 11.7 depicts the flowchart for the blockchain decision model, which decides upon the suitability of blockchain in the use case and also helps to decide upon the type of blockchain. It suggests blockchain as a solution if the use case satisfies all of the following conditions:

• It needs to store the state
• There are multiple writers
• There is no online Trusted Third Party ...