Homework on Soft and Hard Forks - Questions

[john_coraline]

1. A hardfork makes previously invalid blocks valid
   A softfork makes previously valid blocks invalid

2. Increasing and updating security or add new functions.

3. You might split the community and it also reduces the security since a hash power split occurs as well. Therefore there might be glitches in the new update that wasn’t expected.

[Stas_Simon]

1. hard fork makes previously invalid blocks valid soft fork makes previously valid blocks invalid.
2. if you need to increase the size of your blocks.
3. reducing the hash power

[jsd]

1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?

Softfork makes previously valid fork in valid and hardfork does the opposite.

2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?

New set of rules.

3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?

Community split, hash power split (security risk).

[Sonic]

1. There are many differences.
   Hardfork permanently splits the chain even if 1 node doesnot update & requires all nodes to agree 100%
   Softfork gradually merges the chain back again if majority (51%) accepts the update

2. To generate new currency & perform clear upgrade.

3. Split chain, inflation(due to new currency) & reduced hashing power/security.

[Calle_Jansson]

1. Hard fork updates makes changes to the rule set that increases the possibility, where soft fork updates makes changes where current set of rules can still be valid.

2. A hard fork update would be done if consensus has to be changed to increase the block creation.

3. One risk is that the hashing power of the network decreases because miners move over to another chain.

[ADABOY]

1. A soft fork is an update to the consensus protocol that makes previously valid blocks invalid. Blocks adhering to the new protocol will still be accepted by the old protocol. Old blocks will still be accepted by miners adhering to old protocols but their chain will be disregarded as long as there are more than %50 of the miners adhering to the new protocol.
   A hard fork is an update to the consensus protocol that makes previously invalid blocks valid. Blocks adhering to the new protocol will NOT be accepted by the old Protocol which will result in a hard fork of the block chain that will continue forever. Respectively a new coin will have to be made for the new fork.
2. There is a disagreement in the community among rules of consensus. The New rules proposed would not fit inside the parameters of the old protocol.
3. You would lose hashpower making the network less secure. You would divide the community.

[Nev]

• What is the difference between a softfork and a hard-fork?
  Softfork makes previous valid blocks invalid and needs majority only and hardfork does the opposite requiring 100% agreement.

• What are some of the reasons why you would do a hard-fork?
  To expand the size of the block, to create new currency with new validations/rules

• What are some of the risks with performing a hard-fork?
  Splitting the community and potentially making the network weaker due to lower hashpower as they separate

[Yesyes21]

1- Soft forks makes a valid blocks invalid while hard forks makes invalid blocks valid.

2- When consensus rules changes.

3- It split your hash and community mean less security reduces.

[CryptoRealNews]

1. Softfork is more like a change (voted by >50% of miners/community) to some part of the chain protocol or rules. A hardfork is where proposed changes are not fully accepted but a part of the community still want it, so the chain breaks off into a whole NEW Blockchain splitting off completely from the original block chain that continues as it was.

2. One reason to hardfork: To create a whole new separate coin / blockchain that is based on the original but accommodates the new vision or attributes/rules configuration that the original blockchain is not prepared to change.

3. Hardfork risks: Lowering of hash power, unstable code, less security, split community

[wjohnson8]

1. softfork makes previously valid blocks invalid, and hardfork makes previously invalid blocks valid.

2. You would consider a hard fork if you needed to change the consensus alg.

3. You could split the community thus weakening the network.

[figurin]

1. Soft fork reduces the size of a block mB as to a Hard fork increases the blocks mB
2. to create a bigger block Mb and if the consensus needed to be changed .
3. the hash power will be split and a would create a security problem in the blocks

[Jippo13]

1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
   A Soft Fork is a contraction of rules where previous valid blocks are invalid.
   A Hard Fork is an expansion of rules were previous invalid blocks are valid.

2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
   If you do an update, it is a clear that you will be on a new chain. This is also a democratic type of update which might be because of future vision and a cnsensus has been reached for the rules between the nodes.

3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
   This could split/divide the community and reduce the security due to reduced hash power.

[pascaldeb]

1 hard fork make previous unvalid blocks valid, you expands the rules; soft fork make previous valid block unvalid, a contraction of the rules

2 you want a new community, you want a new currency

3 the hash power goes down, so sucurity goes down!

[Joey]

@ivan

• What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
• What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
• What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?

1. hardforks makes previous invalid tx valid. softfork makes previous valid tx invalid.
2. you want to update the ruleset outside the current ruleset
3. splitting the chain making 2 different currencies. splitting the community, redusing the security by splitting the minepower.

[SGB]

1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
   Both fork types change the consensus rules for validating blocks. A softfork tightens the consensus rules: rule changes mean some blocks that were valid are now invalid. Hardforks are the opposite; rules are expanded: so some blocks that were previously invalid are now valid.

2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
   Allows for a democratic change to a network. Nodes have a clear choice to update or not

3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
   The community and hash power is likely to be split. A reduced hash power in turn reduces security and performance of the network.

[Enrique]

1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
   A hardfork are updates of rules that split the chain and turn invalid blocks valid, while softforks are updates of rules that do not split the chain and make certain valid blocks invalid.
2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
   To make a new currency and a new community
3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
   Reduce security because of splitting the hash power

[Matgas]

1. Hard fork: makes previous invalid block valid; Soft fork: makes previous valid block invalid
2. update on the consensus rules, to build a new currency
3. community gets split in half, security/hashpower is lower, new currency,

[Andre_Niederkofler]

1. A Softfork is a fork, that happens because the ruleset gets diminished (ie the blocksize requirement shrinks), it will eventually be discarded because the nodes prefer the longest Blockchain in terms of proof of work. It only needs 51% of the Hashpower to avoid a lasting fork. A Hardfork is a fork (Blockchain split) that splits the Blockchain into two versions (because the Ruleset gets expanded). It makes previously invalid blocks valid. The nodes that wont update the consensus rules will play by the old rules and wont accept the new blocks. If they dont update they will now run their own version of the blockchain.

2. To update the consensus rules. Or if the community has a different vision (new currency)

3. Splits the community, splits the hashpower (less security)

[Filippo]

1. Softfork makes a previously valid block invalid(contraction of the rule set). Hardforks makes a previously invalid block valid(expansion of the rule set).
2. A change in consensus.
3. Having a split chain, a divided community, but above all a split hash power. A split hash power leads to a reduction in safety because the miners are divided into the various chains.

[Kalx1]

1. Hard fork makes previously invalid blocks valid and soft fork makes valid blocks invalid.
2. One benefit is increasing the performance of the blockchain.
3. A less secure network because the hash power has been split.