Whats the difference between a blockchain and a distributed database?
Blockchain is the form of distributed ledger with a very specific technological application. It’s one that creates an unchangeable ledger of records that is maintained by a decentralized network, where all records are approved.
The most important difference to remember is that blockchain is just one type of distributed ledger. Unlike blockchain, a distributed ledger does not necessarily need to have a data structure in blocks.
Although blockchain is a sequence of blocks, distributed ledgers do not require such a chain. Furthermore, distributed ledgers do not need proof of work and offer better scaling options.
Removing the intermediaries from the equation is what makes the concept of distributed ledger technology so appealing. A distributed ledger is merely a type of database spread across multiple sites, regions, or participants.