Homework on Soft and Hard Forks - Questions

Blockchain and Bitcoin 101
#904
  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    S F - the new chain will still find the old chain valid,
    H F - old chain is not accepted
  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    Change of consensus rules
  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    split community, create new currency
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#905
  1. A hard fork makes invalid blocks valid, a soft fork makes previous valid blocks unvalid
  2. when you want to change the rules
  3. a hardfork causes a chain split, with lower security
#906
  1. A softfork is a fork that makes previously valid blocks invalid because the new rules are in line with the previous ones , and a hardfork makes previously invalid blocks valid because the new rules do not fit into the previous ones.
  2. If the new rules do not fit into the previous ones.
    3.The risk is that the new rules will not be accepted by the majority.
#907

A hardfork is an update to the consensus that makes previously invalid blocks valid, while softforks essentially make the opposite occur by making previously valid block invalid.

A hardfork is beneficial when you want to expand the rule set of a blockchain, with a a clear update and it is also democratic. If 100% of the nodes update, there will not be an actual fork, but just an update to the consensus.

Risks would be a split of the chain and community, and also a split in the hash power, which would lead to lower security.

#908

  1. Hark forks changes the current rule set while Soft forks still maintain rule

  2. Add functionality to network that can’t be done inside the current spec.

  3. The network could split with the community not agreeing on the changes.

#909
  1. A hard fork update makes previous invalid blocks are valid. A soft fork update makes previously valid blocks are invalid.
  2. A hard fork is a result of a consensus rules change.
  3. The risk would be to split the chain, and make network less secure network.
#910

  1. The hard fork makes previously invalid blocks valid, the soft fork makes previously valid blocks invalid

  2. you do not agree with the consensus rules

  3. It would split the hash power leading to lower security

#911
  1. A hard fork makes previously invalid transactions valid by expanding the rule set while the soft fork makes previously valid transactions in valid by contracting the rule set.
  2. To try and increase the permitted block size of the transaction allowing for faster processing and increased transaction speed of, say BTC.
  3. A hard fork splits hashing power across two separate chains which reduces the security of the blockchain.
#912

  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    softwrok represent a reduction in consensus rules while hardforks are an expansion. hardfork end up with a fork everytime there is not 100% of the network updated while softfork can avoid a fork just with 50% of the network

  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    you want to leave both the old version and the new one alive, leave everyone to chose from which side to take,

  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    it splits community which could lead to a lower use of the coin, and it splits the hashpower which lead to a less secure blockchain

#913

  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork? Soft fork makes previously valid blocks invalid and hard fork makes invalid blocks valid.
    A softfork block size has limit from 1mB to 500kB and a hardfork block size has a limit from 1mB to 2mB.

  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork? It is a clear and a democratic decision.

  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork? It can split the chain, split the communities and the hash power.

#914
  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    A softfork are forks coming from updates that make previously valid block now invalid (contraction of the current rule set); while a hardfork are forks coming from updates that make previously invalid block now valid (i.e expansion the current rule set).
  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    expansion of the blockchain requires the expansion of the consensus rule, which may cause hardfork.
  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    A hardfork may split the chain, and/or split community.
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#915

Softfork reduces the existing set of rules and previous valid blocks becomes invalid.
Hardfork expands the existing set of rules and previous invalid blocks becomes valid

To change the consensus rules

Ending up with a split community

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#916

  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    A hard fork makes invalid blocks valid and a soft fork makes valid blocks invalid.

  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    Differing opinions in how the current chain should operate. If there is a consensus to increase the block size in the current chain would be an example.

  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    When miners are split on their respective forks, mining hash power is split and security is more vulnerable. There is also a split in community and a split in the chain and as such, 2 separate chains emerge.

1 Like
#917

  1. A soft fork involves constriction of the rule set, while a hard fork expands the ruleset. Hard forks cause chain splitting, hash power splitting etc, while soft forks do not.

  2. If you want to create true separation for the nodes that do not update, you would do a hard fork. Hard forks allow for the non updated nodes to continue running their chain with the previous ruleset. It is a bit more “democratic” since nodes truly have a choice of whether to switch or not.

  3. When you do a hard fork, one big risk is that you can I’ll lose hash power since all the nodes that don’t update will no longer be contributing to the mining of the new chain. Another risk is that the community will split, and this could create instability and dilution of the strength of either chain.

#918
  1. HF Expand the rules, SF shrink the rule.
  2. to make the chain bigger in term of block size. to accommodate some opinions that will create other chain.
  3. Split the chain, new currency, split community,
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#919

  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    A soft fork is a contraction of the set of rules, while a hard fork is an expansion of the set of rules. A hard fork causes a chain split, but a soft fork does not.

  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    If you want to introduce new rules that are not coherent with the current rules, for example, increase the block size, a hard fork is the way to achieve it.

  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    The biggest risk of a hard fork is security issues. By splitting a blockchain, you also split the hashing power, thus making both of the blockchains less secure. Also, you split the community. Here the worse part is that the both communities might start fighting with each other.

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#920

  1. The difference between a soft fork and hard fork is that a soft fork contracts the rules, making previously valid blocks invalid, whereas a hard fork expands the rules and makes previously invalid blocks valid.

  2. To change the consensus in the protocol. For example changing the block size.

  3. Split the community into two camps. Decrease the hash power and therefore the security of the network as the new chain is created.

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#921

A hard fork is an expansion of the rule set while a soft fork is a contraction of the rules.

its a clear update, it is arguably more democratic and a new currency can be created through the update.

firstly the community can be split in half and just like the community the blockchain will also be split into two versions. Hash power is also cut in half leaving the blockchain more vulnerable.

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#922

  1. the difference between softfork and harfork:
    Hardfork is an expansion of existing consensus and Softfork is its construction.
    Hardfork will split the chain and comunity, sfotfork will keep the chain and the community united.
    Hardfork will have clear update, softfork create a confusion as the minority will be forced to follow a new update without being updated.

  2. Hardfork is a solution to change group consensus.

  3. the risk involved in Hardfork is the security du to the reduction of hash power. Hardfork can reduce the number of participants in the network compared to the initial chain .

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#923

1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
a. In a softfork, previously valid blocks become invalid (e.g. maximum block-size goes from 1MB down to 500 kB) -> non-updated nodes on the network will still be able to validate blocks
b. In a hard-fork previously invalid blocks become valid (e.g. maxiumum block-size goes from 1MB to 2MB) -> this usually causes a chain to split
2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
a. You want to establish a new currency
b. There are major design flaws with the current protocol you and parts of the community might want to improve on
c. Justin Sun buys your blockchain to stage a hostile takeover, so you start your own rebellion by hard forking that blockchain
3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
a. You split the chain & community
b. You reduce the available hash power on the network and along with it security

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