- What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork? A SF makes previously invalid forks valid and a HF makes previously valid forks invalid.
- What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork? To change block height or the consensus protocol.
- What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork? A HF can split the community, reduce hash power and weaken the currency.
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- Soft fork narrows the rule set for the consensus, while the hard fork increases the rule set.
- Use a hard fork: you need a clear split, done in democratic way (only the nodes that update are the ones that wanted it).
- Donāt use a hard fork: you donāt want to split community, and lower the hashrate of the network (it means lowering the network security level).
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1- Hard Fork can make previously Invalid Blocks Valid
Soft Forks can make Valid blocks Invalid
2- To create a new Currency using the same Blockchain
3- Split (reduce) Hash power
Less security
Smaller community
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Answer 1:
A soft fork is a contraction of the consensus rule set while a hard fork expands it. A soft fork need > 50% of hash power to make the rest of the network follow, whereas a hard fork need everyone to follow to not end up with different chains.
Answer 2:
To expand the consensus rule set for some technical reasons.
Answer 3:
Security split between chains.
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In a soft fork the update makes previously valid blocks invalid. In a hard fork it is vice versa, the update makes previously invalid blocks valid.
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Because everybody can choose on which chain they want to be on, after an update it is clear that there are two chains with a common past. That a new currency is created could also be something positive.
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When you do a hard fork you split the chain, the community and the hash power, which reduces security.
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1- a hardfork makes previously invalid blocks valid and a softfork does the opposite
2- its democratic, a clear update
3- the hashrate becomes split over the 2 chains, making it less secure and the community also becomes split
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1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
A softfork happens when there is an update to the consensus rules that makes previous blocks invalid. Think of it as a contraction to the rule set to determine if a block is valid. A hardfork is basically the opposite. An update makes previous blocks valid. Think of it as an expansion to the rule set.
2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
Itās democratic. Nodes donāt have to update the rule set. They can stick to the old rules if they want to. And itās clear to to all parties what happens if you donāt update.
3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
The chain is split along with the community and hash power. Security can be reduced as miners leave the main chain.
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- we can say hard fork is when previously invalid block valid while soft fork is the opposite. another term for hard fork is expansion while the soft fork is contraction.
- some of the reasons for hard forks are changes in updates, changes in consensus rules, set all nodes to update and above all clear and democratic.
- split the chain, split the community, split the hash power, and create new currency.
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a hardfork is an update that makes a previousl invalid block valid. A softfork is an update that makes previously valid blocks invalid. In the case of a hardfork, both blockchains are allowed to continue.
2. You could do a hardfork for security upgrages, add functionality, or intentionally create a new currency
3. When you split the blockchain and the old chain cannot recognize the new chain, you can have duplication in sepnding and decreased security from splitting the mining.
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- A hard fork is an expansion of the rule a soft fork is a contraction of the rule set.
- A change in consensus
- It will reduced security and split the hash power of the network.
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What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
A soft fork makes previously valid blocks invalid whereas a hardfork makes previously invalid blocks valid -
What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
To change the consensus rules to make larger blocks valid with the view that the new chain and currency will be better -
What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
A hard fork will split the community and the chain, resulting in a split of the hash power, this means that both chains could be less secure.
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We will need a hardfork in the future. About an integer overflow for the timestamp. (I think itās called the W2038 bug)
So we at least need a hardfork in about 80years to fix this. And you never know wich emergency update we need in the future. But in case of a serious bug, Iām sure in those cases, we will get everyone to update the hardfork.
- What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
The way they have on the block been created on the blockchain network. - What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
Democratic ,clear update 100 % for all nodes - What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
-Splitting the chain
-splitting the community
splitting the hash power and lowering the network security
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If everyone updates, then thereās no fork, right? 
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A hardfork increases the parameters for blocks such as increasing valid block size and softforks decrease the parameters for blocks like decreasing the valid block size. Softforks can make previously valid blocks invalid and hardforks can make previously invalid forks valid.
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A hardfork can be used to decrease the restrictions of the network. Any changes on the new chain would be invalid on the old one. Users of the new chain can use it to essentially create a new coin.
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The risk would be the loss of hash power on the original chain. It can cause the community to be split. Security also loosens a bit.
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There is technically a hard fork, but if everyone updates (where itās obvious to update by everyone) there will be no split in the community, nor a new blockchain with a new token.
If for example 10 miners do not update. Thatās no issue, because you also need users willing to use their few full nodes in the same network of the miners that did not update.
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Hard fork makes previously invalid blocks valid by expanding the consensus rule set. Soft fork makes previously valid blocks invalid by contracting the rule set.
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Hard fork is needed, if new functionality or features are created, that canāt be done withing the parameters of the old rule set.
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There is danger of community splitting into two camps with two separate blockchains. If that happens, the hash power is reduced.
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- A hard fork is caused by an update that makes previously invalid blocks valid. A soft fork is caused by an update that makes previously valid blocks invalid.
- A hard fork is a clear update. It is more democratic. The nodes can follow the old rules if they choose.
- The risk is in splitting the chain and the community, split hash power lowers the security.
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- A softfork is a contraction of the rule set ( valid forks are invalid), a hardfork is an expansion of the rule set (invalid blocks are then valid).
- To have a clear Update.
- When a hardfork has occurred the chain will then split causing:
- The community to split.
- The minors to split therefor the hash power will also split reducing the security in the net.
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- A soft fork (as the word says) has softer consequences for the network where a soft fork would be seen as a tightening of the protocol and a hard fork could be seen as a widening.
- A hard fork by nature has much bigger consequences as it actually splits the network into two parts (those that have upgraded and those that have not. A hardfork could be required when a major upgrade of the protocol is needed
- Harfork by nature splits the network and therefore also the hash power of all systems that are part of the network (therefore reducing itās stability and security
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