Upgrading My Open Source Proof of Work Blockchain with Advanced Features

Introduction

As the blockchain world evolves, staying ahead of technological advancements is critical. The recent update to my open-source Proof of Work blockchain introduces significant improvements aimed at boosting functionality, enhancing security, and optimizing performance. Here’s a detailed exploration of these upgrades, emphasizing their impact and utility in modern blockchain applications.

1. Smart Contract Integration

Implementation Highlights:

• Smart Contract Execution Environment: We’ve introduced a dedicated environment for safely executing smart contracts written in Python. This allows the blockchain to execute complex business logic beyond simple value transfers.
• Contract Storage in Transactions: Each transaction can now carry a contract_code field containing the Python code to be executed. This expands the capabilities of transactions, enabling a wide range of operations and interactions.

def execute_contract(self, transaction):
    data = json.loads(transaction.data) if transaction.data else {}
    context = {
        'sender': transaction.sender,
        'recipient': transaction.recipient,
        'amount': transaction.amount,
        'data': data…