A Comprehensive Survey on Blockchain Technology: Consensus Algorithms, Data Storage Mechanisms, and Architectures

Weihang Feng

doi:10.54254/2755-2721/2025.CH23272

Research Article

Open access

Published on 19 May 2025

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Feng,W. (2025). A Comprehensive Survey on Blockchain Technology: Consensus Algorithms, Data Storage Mechanisms, and Architectures. Applied and Computational Engineering,156,26-33.

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A Comprehensive Survey on Blockchain Technology: Consensus Algorithms, Data Storage Mechanisms, and Architectures

Weihang Feng *^,1,

¹ Tongji University, No. 4800, Cao'an Highway, Jiading District, Shanghai, China

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/2025.CH23272

Abstract

Blockchain technology has become a significant paradigm which has been utilized to transform various industries and applications. Its decentralized, transparent, and secure nature has led to widespread adoption in diverse fields such as finance, healthcare, supply chain management, and the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper presents a comprehensive survey of blockchain technology, focusing on three key aspects: consensus algorithms, data storage mechanisms, and blockchain architectures. We provide a detailed overview of various consensus algorithms, including Proof of Work (PoW), Proof of Stake (PoS), Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), Proof of Authentication (PoAh), and Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), discussing their mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and challenges. Furthermore, we explore different data storage mechanisms, such as on-chain, off-chain, and hybrid storage, analyzing their implications for scalability, security, and efficiency. We also delve into various blockchain architectures, including single, dual, and multi-blockchain architectures, examining their suitability for different applications. This survey provides a holistic understanding of blockchain technology, highlighting its potential, challenges, and future directions. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, developers, and practitioners interested in exploring and leveraging the capabilities of blockchain.

Keywords

Blockchain, Consensus Algorithms, Data Storage Mechanisms, Blockchain Architectures, Proof of Work, Proof of Stake, Delegated Proof of Stake, Proof of Authentication

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Cite this article

Feng,W. (2025). A Comprehensive Survey on Blockchain Technology: Consensus Algorithms, Data Storage Mechanisms, and Architectures. Applied and Computational Engineering,156,26-33.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of CONF-SEML 2025 Symposium: Intefrating AI into Software Engineering

Conference website: https://www.confseml.org/chicago.html

ISBN：978-1-80590-129-7(Print) / 978-1-80590-130-3(Online)

Conference date: 14 February 2025

Editor：Jie Zhang, Marwan Omar

Series: Applied and Computational Engineering

Volume number: Vol.156

ISSN：2755-2721(Print) / 2755-273X(Online)

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