Book excerpt: Explore the beacon chain, Ethereum's PoS consensus, and the upcoming merge of Eth1 and Eth2, along with the challenges of scaling Ethereum, and an overview of L1 and L2 scaling solutions Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Key Features Learn new development with Ethereum 2.0 and the planned merge of Eth1 and Eth2 Build, develop, and test end-to-end Ethereum dApps using Solidity, Node.js, and Web3 Setup private blockchains with Ethereum and delve into its wallets system Book DescriptionEthereum is a blockchain-based, decentralized computing platform that allows you to run smart contracts. With this book, you’ll discover the latest Ethereum tools, frameworks, wallets, and layer 2, along with setting up and running decentralized applications for the complete, end-to-end development experience. Learn Ethereum, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive overview of the Ethereum ecosystem, exploring its concepts, mechanisms, and decentralized application development process. You’ll delve into Ethereum's internals, technologies, and tools, including Ethereum 2.0 and the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), gas, and its account systems. You’ll also explore Ethereum's transition to proof of stake, L1/L2 scaling solutions, DeFi protocols, and the current marketplace. Additionally, you’ll learn about EVM-compatible blockchains, connectivity techniques, and advanced topics such as sharding, off-chain scaling, DAOs, Metaverse, and NFTs. By the end of this book, you’ll be well-equipped to write smart contracts and develop, test, and deploy DApps using various tools, wallets, and frameworks.What you will learn Understand blockchain, cryptocurrency, and architectures Explore decentralized finance protocols Grasp how EVM-compatible blockchain networks work Discover the latest developments in Ethereum Use Solidity and Web3 API fundamentals on blockchain frameworks Develop your own personalized cryptocurrency Build tailor-made smart contracts and NFT marketplace DApps Set up an Ethereum private chain Who this book is forThis book is for blockchain developers and architects looking to learn the Ethereum blockchain fundamentals and those who want to build real-world decentralized applications using Solidity. Basic knowledge of an object-oriented programming language such as JavaScript will be useful but not mandatory.