IDFEInstitute of Digital Forensic Examiners
IDFE-BEEssentialsFree course

Blockchain Explorer

Reading a public blockchain with an explorer: blocks, transactions, fees, addresses, tokens and confirmations. Free, the entry point of the track.

Modules
1
Lessons
8
Length
About 3 h
Pace
Self-paced
Languages
EN · ES · PT
Free · about 3 hStart course

Before you start

Detailed prerequisites are published with the first lessons.

Recommended pathBEDFDA·CCBA·CFA recommendation, not a rule: every course and exam is open to anyone, in any order.

How to get the most from it

Short, regular sessions work better than one long read.

  1. 1
    Go in order

    Each lesson builds on the one before, and later modules refer back to earlier ones.

  2. 2
    One module per sitting

    A module is about 20 minutes of reading. Add 10 minutes for the checks and your notes.

  3. 3
    Read the Exam focus box first

    It says what the exam expects from that lesson, so you read with a purpose.

  4. 4
    Answer before you look

    Commit to an answer in each knowledge check, then read the explanation, even when you were right.

  5. 5
    Redraw the diagram

    Every lesson has one diagram that sums it up. If you can sketch it from memory, you have the lesson.

  6. 6
    The cases are fictional

    People and companies in the examples are invented, and some of them come back across lessons.

  7. 7
    Sign in and come back

    Your place is kept and finished lessons are marked, so short sessions add up.

Course content

1 module · 8 lessons · 44 min of reading. Each module shows the exam domains it prepares for.

01Reading a blockchain with public explorers8 lessons · 44 minExam domains 01 · 02 · 03 · 04 · 05

Prepares for: 01 Blocks and the chain (20%) · 02 Transactions and fees (25%) · 03 Addresses and wallets on-chain (20%) · 04 Tokens and smart contracts in explorers (20%) · 05 Confirmations, finality and verification (15%)

  1. 1.1What a block explorer shows you5 min
  2. 1.2Blocks, block height and the chain6 min
  3. 1.3Inside a Bitcoin transaction: inputs, outputs and change5 min
  4. 1.4Fees and the mempool6 min
  5. 1.5Addresses and wallets on-chain5 min
  6. 1.6Reading an Ethereum transaction6 min
  7. 1.7Tokens and smart contracts in explorers6 min
  8. 1.8Confirmations, finality and verifying a payment5 min

Exam blueprint

The official exam domains and the weights used to draw questions. The modules column shows where the course prepares you for each one.

DomainCourse modulesWeight
01Blocks and the chain20%
02Transactions and fees25%
03Addresses and wallets on-chain20%
04Tokens and smart contracts in explorers20%
05Confirmations, finality and verification15%
Total100%

Who it is for

Anyone starting out with blockchain who wants to read and check on-chain data with public explorers before moving on to DF.

Questions

Is the course really free?

Yes. Every lesson is free to read, with or without an account. You only pay if you decide to take the certification exam.

Do I need the course to take the exam?

No. The exam is independent and open to anyone. The course covers every exam domain, with the weights shown under Course content.

Do I get a certificate for finishing the course?

No. Finishing marks the course as complete in your account. The IDFE-BE credential comes only from passing the exam.

Which languages is it in?

English, Spanish and Portuguese. Switch at any time with EN · ES · PT at the top of the page.