Orphan Summary
- An orphan in blockchain refers to a block that is not part of the main chain.
- Orphans occur due to simultaneous mining of blocks by different miners.
- They are also known as “stale blocks.”
- Orphans do not contribute to the longest chain and thus are disregarded by the network.
- They are important for understanding blockchain consensus mechanisms and network security.
Orphan Definition
An orphan, in the context of blockchain, is a block that is not included in the main blockchain. It occurs when two miners solve a block at nearly the same time, resulting in one block being added to the longest chain while the other is discarded. This discarded block is referred to as an orphan.
What Is An Orphan?
An orphan is a block that has been mined but is not part of the main blockchain.
This happens when two valid blocks are discovered simultaneously.
The network has to choose one block to add to the chain, leaving the other block orphaned.
Who Encounters Orphans?
Miners are the primary individuals who encounter orphan blocks.
When miners work on solving complex mathematical problems to add new blocks to the blockchain, they sometimes create blocks at the same time.
The entire network of nodes then decides which block becomes part of the main chain, leaving the other block as an orphan.
When Do Orphans Occur?
Orphans occur during the process of block mining.
It typically happens when two or more miners solve a block almost simultaneously.
The blockchain network then has to decide which block to accept, making the others orphans.
Where Are Orphans Found?
Orphans are found in blockchain networks that use proof-of-work consensus mechanisms, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
These blocks are not part of the main chain but can be found in the network’s transaction history.
They serve as a record of blocks that were mined but not included in the longest chain.
Why Are Orphans Important?
Orphans are important for several reasons.
They help in understanding the blockchain’s consensus mechanism and how the network achieves agreement on a single version of the truth.
Orphans also highlight the competitive nature of mining and the importance of network latency.
Furthermore, they contribute to the security and integrity of the blockchain by making it more difficult for malicious actors to alter the chain.
How Are Orphans Created?
Orphans are created when two or more miners solve a block at nearly the same time.
Both blocks are broadcast to the network, but only one can be added to the main chain.
The network of nodes evaluates the blocks and typically chooses the first block it receives or the block that extends the longest chain.
The block that is not chosen becomes an orphan and is discarded from the main chain.
