Hash rate
mining · security
The number of proof-of-work hash attempts performed per second by mining hardware or an entire network.
- Also known as
- hashrate
1.network
Network hash rate estimates how many proof-of-work attempts miners perform each second. Higher sustained hash rate generally makes chain reorganizations more expensive, but security also depends on decentralization, miner incentives, liquidity, and the cost of renting or redirecting compatible hardware.
2.mining
For an individual miner, hash rate measures hardware speed. Profitability depends not just on raw hash rate, but also power cost, device efficiency, pool fees, uptime, block rewards, transaction fees, and market prices.
3.difficulty
Difficulty adjustment algorithms respond to hash rate changes to keep average block times near target. If hash rate rises, difficulty eventually increases; if hash rate falls, difficulty eventually decreases.
4.measurement
Hash rate is measured in hashes per second, commonly shown as KH/s, MH/s, GH/s, TH/s, PH/s, or EH/s. Network hash rate is usually estimated from recent blocks and difficulty rather than directly observed.
Related terms
Proof of Work (PoW)
→A consensus mechanism that makes block production require verifiable computational work.
mining · blockchain · consensus
Mining Difficulty
→Mining difficulty measures how hard it is to find a valid proof-of-work block and adjusts to keep average block times near target.
mining · security · blockchain
Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm (DAA)
→A DAA is the consensus rule that recalibrates mining difficulty so average block time stays near target as hash rate changes.
mining · consensus · blockchain
Hash
→A fixed-length digital fingerprint calculated from data.
cryptography · security
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