The bitcoin whitepaper is the most influential technical document of the digital age. In just 9 pages, Satoshi Nakamoto solved the 'double-spend' problem that had plagued digital currencies for decades.
- Release Date: October 31, 2008
- Author: Satoshi Nakamoto
- Official Source: Download PDF
Adam Back & Reference 6
The bitcoin whitepaper contains eight critical references. Reference number six is to Adam Back's 1997 paper, "Hashcash - A Denial of Service Counter-measure."
Satoshi used Back's Hashcash algorithm as the foundation for Bitcoin mining. This connection is a primary reason why many researchers, including those in the recent NYT satoshi investigation, believe Adam Back is the most likely candidate for Satoshi.
Transactions
Defines an electronic coin as a chain of digital signatures. Each owner transfers the coin to the next by digitally signing a hash of the previous transaction.
Timestamp Server
The solution to the double-spending problem. By hashing a block of items and widely publishing the hash, Satoshi proved the data existed at the time.
Proof-of-Work
The heart of the system. Based on Hashcash, it requires a CPU to do specific work to create a block, making it expensive to alter history.