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Add P10 Forks notes #44

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c1e9a7d
feat: add file
howiezhao Sep 22, 2024
7d5bf84
add p10 notes
howiezhao Sep 22, 2024
2b3a513
Update forks.md
howiezhao Oct 13, 2024
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion README.md
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Expand Up @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ This course focuses on the fundamental concepts and implementation principles of
7. **Mining Difficulty**
8. **Mining**
9. **[Scripting](./src/BTC/scripting.md)**
10. **Forks**
10. **[Forks](./src/BTC/forks.md)**
11. **[Q&A](./src/BTC/Q&A.md)**
12. **Anonymity**
13. **Reflections on Bitcoin**
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16 changes: 16 additions & 0 deletions src/BTC/forks.md
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# P10 Forks

**Fork**: Originally there was one chain, but now it is divided into two chains. This is called a fork.

The possible reasons for the fork are:

- **State Fork**: A fork is caused by a disagreement about the current state of the Bitcoin blockchain. For example, if two nodes mine at about the same time, both nodes can publish blocks, and a temporary fork will occur.
- **Forking Attack**/**Deliberate Fork**: A forking attack is also a state fork, except that the disagreement in the fork attack is intentionally caused by humans.
- **Protocol Fork**: A fork is caused by a change in the Bitcoin protocol. To modify the Bitcoin protocol, a software upgrade is required. In a decentralized system, there is no way to ensure that all nodes upgrade the software at the same time. We assume that most nodes have upgraded their software, but a few nodes have not upgraded their software for various reasons, and a fork will occur at this time. According to the different contents of the protocol change, it can be divided into:
- **Hard Fork**: Hard fork is usually extensions of consensus rules. Hard fork is usually permanent and may create two parallel chains. For example, [BCH](https://bch.info) was created as a result of a hard fork.
- **Soft Fork**: Soft fork is usually tighten of consensus rules. Soft fork is usually temporary.

Let’s use the change in Bitcoin’s block size limit to understand hard forks and soft forks:

- Suppose we increase the block size limit of Bitcoin from 1M to 4M, and assume that most new nodes have upgraded their software, and a few old nodes have not upgraded their software. The new nodes will generate 4M blocks, and the old nodes will generate 1M blocks. The new nodes recognize the blocks generated by the old nodes, and the old nodes do not recognize the blocks generated by the new nodes. Since the new nodes account for the majority, two parallel chains will eventually be formed.
- Suppose we reduce the block size limit of Bitcoin from 1M to 0.5M, and assume that most new nodes have upgraded their software, and a few old nodes have not upgraded their software. The new nodes will generate 0.5M blocks, and the old nodes will generate 1M blocks. The new nodes do not recognize the blocks generated by the old nodes, and the old nodes recognize the blocks generated by the new nodes. Since the new nodes account for the majority, a chain will eventually be formed.