Ethereum: How is a blockchain split resolved?

…see two separate blocks on the Ethereum blockchain, resulting in a conflict between two incompatible blockchains.

To solve this problem, the Ethereum consensus algorithm is designed to resolve such conflicts. Here’s how it works:

• Blockchain Split: When two or more miners create different blocks and broadcast them to the network, they are essentially competing for one goal: adding new blocks to the blockchain.

• Conflict Detection: The Ethereum network uses a distributed hash table (DHT), called a “chain hash”, to detect conflicts between incompatible blockchains. A hashhash is a data structure that associates each block in the blockchain with a corresponding ID on a different chain.

• Verification: When a new block is broadcast, it is checked by the network nodes to ensure that it meets certain criteria (e.g., it must be valid and all required transactions must be included). If the validation process fails, the block is discarded.

• Conflict Resolution

  : If two incompatible blocks are detected, the network uses the chain hash to resolve the conflict. This can happen in several ways:

• Hard Fork: In some cases, the network may choose to perform a hard fork, which means that all nodes in the network will be updated to use the new block and chain hash. This would create two separate blockchain branches, each with its own set of blocks.

• Soft Fork: Alternatively, the network may choose to perform a soft fork, where only specific nodes or groups of nodes are updated to use the new block and chain hash. This would allow for continued communication between nodes on different branches.

• Merge: If both conflicting blockchains reach a consensus, the two branches can be merged into a single blockchain.

Ethereum 2.0, also known as Serenity, is designed to eventually move from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-stake (PoS). This change would eliminate the need for mining and reduce energy consumption. To resolve conflicts in this case, Ethereum can use techniques such as:

• Ethereum Sharding: Splitting the blockchain into smaller shards, each with its own set of blocks and chain hash. Once two conflicting blockchains reach consensus on a shard, they can merge their blocks.

• Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS)

  : DPoS validators are selected based on the amount of cryptocurrency they have, rather than their mining power. This could reduce energy consumption while allowing for some level of conflict resolution.

In summary, resolving conflicts on a blockchain like Ethereum requires decentralized consensus mechanisms, distributed hash tables, and advanced verification processes. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative solutions emerge.

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