Throughput
performance · scaling
The rate at which a blockchain processes transactions or data over time, often measured in TPS or bytes per block.
1.definition
Throughput measures how much useful work a network completes in a period of time. For blockchains, that work may be simple transfers, smart contract calls, data blobs, or batched Layer 2 operations.
2.tradeoffs
Higher throughput is useful only if ordinary nodes can still validate and relay the chain. Designs that increase block size, shorten block times, or move activity to rollups must balance capacity against latency, bandwidth, storage, and decentralization.
Related terms
Transactions Per Second (TPS)
→A throughput metric showing how many transactions a network processes per second under defined conditions.
technical · scaling · performance
Block
→A batch of valid transactions added to a blockchain, linked to the previous block by a cryptographic hash.
mining · blockchain · security
Transaction
→A record submitted to a blockchain to make a payment or another permitted change.
blockchain · technical
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