Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed ledger that maintains a continuously growing list of records, called blocks. These blocks are linked and secured using cryptography, making it extremely difficult to alter or tamper with the data stored on the blockchain. This makes blockchain technology an ideal solution for storing data that needs to be secure, transparent, and tamper-proof.
Storing data on the Ethereum blockchain provides several benefits, including immutability, decentralization, and accessibility. When data is stored on the Ethereum blockchain, it is stored in a secure, tamper-proof, and transparent manner, making it an attractive option for businesses and individuals looking to protect their sensitive information. The article focuses on discussing how to store data on Ethereum Blockchain.
What is Ethereum Blockchain?
Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain that allows the creation of decentralized applications with smart contract functionality. Ether is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum Blockchain Platform. Ethereum blockchain is a distributed ledger that maintains a continuously growing list of records, called blocks, which are linked and secured using cryptography.
- The Ethereum blockchain allows for the creation of decentralized applications, or dApps, and smart contracts that can be executed without the need for intermediaries.
- Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. These contracts are stored on the Ethereum blockchain and are executed automatically when certain conditions are met. Smart contracts can be used to store data in a decentralized manner on the Ethereum blockchain.
- Most importantly, data such as account balances are not stored directly in the blocks of the Ethereum blockchain. Only the root node hashes of the transaction trie, state trie, and receipts trie are stored directly in the blockchain. This is illustrated in the diagram below.
- It focuses on providing a platform for the seamless running of codes for any decentralized application.
- It allows miners to work to earn Ether.
- gas is another type of token that is used to pay the miners.
- Every smart contract for its execution requires a certain amount of gas to be sent to the miners to put it in the Blockchain.
Where is Data Stored on Ethereum Blockchain?
Data is stored on the Ethereum blockchain in blocks. Each block is made up of a series of transactions, and each transaction contains data that can be stored on the Ethereum blockchain.
- The data stored in these transactions can be anything from financial transactions, to the results of a smart contract execution.
- The data is stored on every node that participates in the Ethereum network, ensuring that it is secure and available to everyone.
What does Transaction Data Contain?
Transaction data on the Ethereum blockchain contains information about the transaction being executed, such as:
- Amount of Ether being sent.
- Address of the sender.
- Address of the recipient.
- Results of smart contract execution, including the output of the contract and any state changes that have occurred as a result of the execution.
How does Ethereum Store Data?
Ethereum stores data using a data structure called a trie (short for “Radix tree”). A trie is a tree-like data structure that is used to store data in a compact and efficient manner.
- In Ethereum, the trie is used to store the current state of the blockchain, including the balances of all accounts and the code and data of all smart contracts.
- Each node in the trie represents a single piece of data, and the root node represents the current state of the Ethereum blockchain.
- When a transaction is executed on the Ethereum blockchain, the trie is updated to reflect the changes in the state of the blockchain.
The three types of trie in the Ethereum Blockchain are:
- State Trie: State trie gets constantly updated and it consists of a key and a value for every account that is present in the Ethereum Account. The key is state trie is a 160-bit identifier.
- Storage Trie: Storage trie is the place where the smart contract is present. A 256-bit hash of the storage trie’s root node is stored in the global state trie as the storageRoot and every Ethereum account has its own storage trie.
- Transaction Trie: Every Ethereum block has its own transaction trie. Every block contains the transactions and the path of a particular transaction is via the index of where the transaction resides in the block. Only the root node hashes of the transaction trie, storage trie, and state trie are stored in the Blockchain.
How to Retrieve Stored Data from Ethereum?
Retrieving data stored on the Ethereum blockchain involves sending a request to an Ethereum node. The node will then search its local copy of the blockchain for the requested data and return the result to you.
- To retrieve data, you need to know the exact location of the data in the trie, which is determined by the hash of the data.
- One way to retrieve data from the Ethereum blockchain is by using web3.js, a JavaScript library for interacting with Ethereum nodes.
- With web3.js, you can send a request to an Ethereum node and retrieve the data stored in the blockchain.
To retrieve data from the Ethereum blockchain, you will need to do the following steps:
- Connect to an Ethereum node: You can connect to an Ethereum node by using a tool like web3.js.
- Determine the location of the data in the trie: The location of the data in the trie is determined by the hash of the data.
- Send a request to the Ethereum node: You can use web3.js to send a request to the Ethereum node, asking it to search its local copy of the blockchain for the data you are looking for.
- Retrieve the data: The Ethereum node will search its local copy of the blockchain and return the data to you.
Why Store Data on Ethereum?
There are several reasons why you might want to store data on the Ethereum blockchain, including:
- Immutability: Data stored on the Ethereum blockchain is immutable, meaning that it cannot be changed or deleted. This makes the Ethereum blockchain a secure and reliable place to store data.
- Decentralization: The Ethereum blockchain is decentralized, meaning that it is not controlled by any single entity. This makes it resistant to censorship and provides greater security for the stored data.
- Accessibility: Data stored on the Ethereum blockchain is accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, making it easy to share and collaborate on data with others.
- Smart Contracts: Data stored on the Ethereum blockchain can be used to execute smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement written directly into the code.
Database Software Solutions to Store Tries
In order to efficiently store and retrieve data on the Ethereum blockchain, a data structure called a trie (short for “prefix tree”) is used. Tries are a type of tree data structure that allows for efficient storage of key-value pairs, where the key is hashed and the value is stored at the leaf nodes of the trie.
To store the tries, a number of database software solutions have been developed specifically for the Ethereum blockchain. Some of the most popular solutions include:
- Parity TrieDB: Parity TrieDB is a high-performance database solution developed by the Ethereum Foundation. It is optimized for the specific needs of the Ethereum blockchain and can handle large amounts of data.
- RocksDB: RocksDB is an open-source, high-performance key-value store that has been used to store the tries on the Ethereum blockchain. It is widely used in the blockchain community and provides a number of features that make it well-suited for this use case.
- LevelDB: LevelDB is another open-source, high-performance key-value store that has been used to store the tries on the Ethereum blockchain. It is optimized for disk-based storage and provides fast access to data stored on disk.
These database solutions provide a secure, fast, and efficient way to store and retrieve data on the Ethereum blockchain. They are designed to handle the specific needs of the Ethereum blockchain and provide developers with a number of features that make it easy to build and deploy decentralized applications.
The use of trie data structures and database software solutions for storing tries on the Ethereum blockchain has proven to be a highly efficient and secure way to store data on the blockchain. These solutions provide developers with a number of benefits, including high performance, security, and ease of use, making them an attractive option for businesses and individuals looking to store data on the Ethereum blockchain
Examples of How Data can be Stored on Ethereum Blockchain
- Medical Records: Medical records can be stored on the Ethereum blockchain using contract storage. The data structure can be defined to store patient information, medical history, and treatment details. This information can then be securely stored on the blockchain, providing a transparent and secure solution for patient medical records.
- Supply Chain Management: Supply chain management can benefit from the use of Ethereum blockchain technology by storing data related to the origin, transit, and destination of goods. This information can be stored in IPFS and the IPFS hash can be stored on the Ethereum blockchain. This provides a secure and transparent solution for tracking the movement of goods throughout the supply chain.
- Identity Management: Identity management can be improved using the Ethereum blockchain. Personal information such as name, address, and government-issued ID numbers can be stored in contract storage. This information can be used to create a secure and decentralized solution for identity management, providing individuals with more control over their personal data.
There are many other ways that data can be stored on the Ethereum blockchain.
Conclusion
Storing data on the Ethereum blockchain provides several benefits, including immutability, decentralization, accessibility, and the ability to execute smart contracts. The Ethereum blockchain uses a data structure called a trie to store data in a compact and efficient manner. To retrieve data from the Ethereum blockchain, you can use web3.js to send a request to an Ethereum node and retrieve the data stored in the blockchain. There are several database software solutions that can be used to store tries, including Apache Cassandra, Amazon DynamoDB, and Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.