Block
mining · blockchain · security
A batch of valid transactions added to a blockchain, linked to the previous block by a cryptographic hash.
A block is a data structure that records a set of transactions and metadata. Each block references the previous block, creating an ordered chain back to the genesis block.
In proof-of-work networks, miners assemble transactions, search for a valid proof of work, and broadcast the block. Nodes verify the block against consensus rules before accepting it and building on top of it.
Block size, block interval, propagation speed, and validation cost affect throughput, fees, decentralization, and reorg risk. Larger blocks can carry more transactions, but nodes must still be able to download, validate, and relay them reliably.
Related terms
Blockchain
→A distributed ledger made of cryptographically linked blocks that record transactions under shared consensus rules.
concept · blockchain · technology
Mining
→Proof-of-work block production in which miners build candidate blocks and search for a header hash below the network target.
mining · proof-of-work
Transaction
→A serialized state transition that a blockchain can validate, relay, and include in a block.
blockchain · technical
Block Reward
→The subsidy and transaction fees a proof-of-work block is permitted to assign to its miner.
mining · distribution