No need to memorize blockchain types by heart — there are only three main ones. Three super relatable analogies and you’ll instantly get the differences:

1. Public Chain: The “public square dance” anyone can join

Whoever wants to join can join — no registration, no approval required. Just like the square dance in your neighborhood park: whether you know each other or not, anyone can jump in the circle or just stand and watch.

Bitcoin and Ethereum are classic public chains: no gatekeeper, no central organizer, literally anyone in the world can participate in bookkeeping, check the ledger, or even openly discuss it. The core is true decentralization — no single entity can shut it down.

Pros: completely decentralized, super resistant to attacks, no one can unilaterally control it. Cons: slow transaction speed, sometimes high fees, and all data is 100% public → weak privacy.

2. Private Chain: The company’s “private DingTalk group”

Who gets in, what they can see, what they can do — all decided by one single entity (usually the company boss). Exactly like your company’s DingTalk group: the boss can approve members, delete messages, or kick people out.

There’s basically no “decentralization” at all — at best it’s just “multi-device backup”. It’s still a centralized network controlled by one party.

Pros: lightning fast, cheap to run, excellent privacy — perfect for internal data. Cons: completely reliant on the controlling entity; if the operator changes or the company restructures, the whole chain can die overnight. Use cases: internal banking reconciliation, corporate financial records, HR data, etc.

3. Consortium Chain: The “KTV private room booked by industry big brothers”

The private room is co-rented by several industry players (companies/institutions). Core permissions are only in the hands of these few partners.

Want to join the network? You need approval from these big brothers first. Want to see core data? Only alliance members qualify. Want to change rules? No need for everyone’s vote — the big brothers just discuss and raise hands.

Typical examples: AntChain, BSN, most supply-chain finance and cross-border payment projects.

Pros: balances speed and security, much faster than public chains, better privacy, and you can still brag about “distributed collaboration”. Cons: depends on cooperation among members — if they fall out or someone quits, the network can stall.

One-sentence summary: Public chain = global square dance (freedom & openness); Private chain = boss’s living-room party (efficiency & privacy); Consortium chain = KTV room booked by a few bosses (multi-party collaboration).