What is Smart Contract?

Self-executing code on a blockchain that automatically enforces agreement terms

A distributed ledger technology that records transactions in blocks linked chronologically and secured through cryptography

A permanent divergence requiring all nodes to upgrade to the new protocol

A computer that maintains a copy of the blockchain and validates transactions

What is Hash Function?

Cryptographic algorithm that converts input data into a fixed-size alphanumeric string

A backward-compatible upgrade that doesnt require all nodes to update

Fork definition

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Oct 04, 2025

Definition

A change in blockchain protocol rules that creates a divergence from the original chain

Forks can be contentious or planned; theyve led to new cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin Cash from Bitcoin, highlighting the community-driven evolution of blockchain protocols. Notable Forks: Bitcoin Cash (2017): Block size increase to 8MB. Ethereum Classic (2016): DAO hack response split. Bitcoin SV (2018): Further split from BCH. Fork Categories: Protocol upgrades, security fixes, feature additions, or ideological differences.

keywords

Core Blockchain Concepts

Related Terms

Smart Contract

Blockchain

Hard Fork

Node

Hash Function

Soft Fork