# Invoke this skill for blockchain fundamentals
Skill("blockchain-basics", topic="consensus", depth="intermediate")

import hashlib

def verify_merkle_proof(leaf: bytes, proof: list, root: bytes) -> bool:
    """Verify a Merkle proof for inclusion"""
    current = leaf
    for sibling, is_left in proof:
        if is_left:
            current = hashlib.sha256(sibling + current).digest()
        else:
            current = hashlib.sha256(current + sibling).digest()
    return current == root

import hashlib
import struct

def calculate_block_hash(header: dict) -> bytes:
    """Calculate Bitcoin-style block hash"""
    data = struct.pack(
        '<I32s32sIII',
        header['version'],
        bytes.fromhex(header['prev_block']),
        bytes.fromhex(header['merkle_root']),
        header['timestamp'],
        header['bits'],
        header['nonce']
    )
    return hashlib.sha256(hashlib.sha256(data).digest()).digest()[::-1]

from eth_account import Account
from eth_account.messages import encode_defunct

message = encode_defunct(text="Hello")
address = Account.recover_message(message, signature=sig)

[Beginner] → Hash Functions → Digital Signatures → Transactions
    ↓
[Intermediate] → Merkle Trees → Consensus → Network Layer
    ↓
[Advanced] → BFT Protocols → Sharding → Cross-chain

# Unit test template
def test_merkle_root():
    txs = [b"tx1", b"tx2", b"tx3", b"tx4"]
    root = build_merkle_root(txs)
    assert len(root) == 32
    assert verify_merkle_proof(txs[0], get_proof(0), root)