A Survey on Blockchain Foundations and Applications

Abstract

Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative force across a multitude of sectors, offering decentralized, transparent, and tamper-proof solutions to conventional problems in data management, finance, supply chain, healthcare, and beyond.Initially popularized through cryptocurrencies, blockchain has since evolved into a broader infrastructure supporting smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps), and Web3 ecosystems.This survey provides a comprehensive overview of blockchain technology, outlining its fundamental principles including distributed ledgers, consensus mechanisms, cryptographic security, and decentralization.We critically examine various blockchain architectures such as public, private, and consortium blockchains, and explore their relative strengths and limitations.The paper further delves into current trends, emerging use cases, scalability challenges, interoperability issues, and security concerns.By synthesizing recent academic and industry developments, this survey aims to provide researchers and practitioners with a holistic understanding of blockchain's capabilities, current limitations, and future directions.