Homework on Soft and Hard Forks - Questions

Blockchain and Bitcoin 101
#965
  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    A softfork makes previously valid blocks invalid (contraction) whereas a hardfork makes previously invalid blocks valid (expansion)
  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    It is a clear rule change that ensures all participants can abide by and is democratic. It does create a new currency
  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    Will split the chain and the community and introduces security issues as hashing power is split
1 Like
#966
  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    A softfork decreases the hash rate limit a hardfork increases the limit
  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    A change in consensus
  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    The network could split.
#967

A soft fork doesn’t decrease the hash rate because everyone can still mine the same blockchain. In a hardfork, where not everyone updates, some miners and users can split off on a separate blockchain, so it can decrease the overall hashrate

#968

1.hard forks need 100% agreement soft 51%
2.making updates new rules protocol change
3.may not get everyone to agree.

1 Like
#969

  1. Soft fork, makes blocks that were previously Valid now invalid. hard fork, makes blocks that were previously invalid now valid

  2. To expand the rule set of network increasing networks ability, to upgrade protocol

  3. Reduces the security of the network, splits the community

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#970
  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?

A softfork will make a previously valid block invalid.
A hardfork will make a previously invalid block valid.

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

A change in consensus.

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

Theres a risk of splitting the community. And a risk to security because of a split in hash power.

1 Like
#971

1, A hard fork is the expansion of the rule set by the protocol to include more transaction types that were previously invalid. Soft Fork makes it contract so less transaction types are allowed by the protocol rules.
2. If the current protocol rules impeded the performance of the blockchain because they are too restrictive. If you want to create a new currency or if you want to split the community because there are two mindsets on how the blockchain should be running.
3. If too much of the community leaves the Hash rate drops significantly from the original blockchain. If hash rate drops it become more vulnerable to a 51% Attack,

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#972

  1. A soft fork contracts the rule set while a hard fork expands the rule set. A soft fork makes previously valid blocks invalid. A hard fork makes previously invalid blocks valid.

  2. A hardfork is a clear,democratic update.If you want to split the blockchain and create a new coin, you do a hardfork.

  3. The risks of performing a hardfork are that you split the chain, the community and the hash power. Therefore the security decreases and the significance of the blockchain can go down.

1 Like
#973
  1. Softfork is a contraction of the rule set whereas hardfork is an expansion of the rule set.
  2. Change in the consensus.
  3. Split in hash power and community.
#974

Bro you confused me there, a soft fork means that it goes for example from 1.0 to 0.5 limit then how can I add the block when it has a 1.0 all have to mine for 0.5 right?

1 Like
#975

The old node is still running under the normal consensus rules. Only upgraded nodes have stricter rules.

2 Likes
#976

Aha I see. Thanks for the answer. :smiley:

1 Like
#977

Can you give an example in which a blockchain would need a hard fork?

1 Like
#978

Yes. This will cause the chain to split, which would decrease the security for both networks. It would create 2 coins and the blockchains might be susceptible to a form of an attack called “replay attack”.

1 Like
#979

Hi Diego.

Think of it like this.

We take the current bitcoin block size of 1mb and we want push an update for the blocks to be 0.5mb. You as a miner are now confronted with 2 choices. Accept the update or don’t. Since this is a contraction of the rules (soft fork), even if you don’t accept the chain will not be split in any way. Why? Because even before the update you could have always mined blocks below 0.5mb. Because you could have always mined below 0.5mb there is no way for the chain to split. Now this kind of a soft fork makes no sense as no one would want to accept it.

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#980

With a hard fork, there will exist a new chain running alongside the previous (original) chain and makes the invalid blocks valid. The hard fork will also result in forcing an update of the protocols on a miner to write new valid blocks.
Whereas a soft fork makes the previous blocks invalid.

To change the consensus and force the network to update its protocols.

There will essentially be a new chain written from then on for all blocks new blocks to be written to which therefore splits the chain. Which in turn results in a loss of hash power as those nodes which are updating are offline and not performing their day job!

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#981
  1. A softfork is a blockchain update which doesn’s split the chain. It makes previously valid blocks unvalid and thus allows the miners to stay on their blockchain, even if they don’t update. At least 51% are required to pass the softfork update though. A hardfork update happens when you expand the rule set, so when you make previously invalid blocks valid. That results in a new separate chain and a split in the hashing power and community.
  2. You would want to do a hardfork for example when the community starts to have different opinions or visions on the project. It might also be inevitable, if certain new rules have to be programmed into the chain.
  3. The risks are negative impact on the community and a reduction in hash power, which also leads to lower security.
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#982
  1. Soft fork is a contraction update which makes valid blocks invalid and a hard fork is the opposite which expands the block size so a previously invalid block becomes valid.
  2. To follow the example of Roger Ver and Craig Wright to promote a new currency.
  3. It splits the chain, community, hash power and makes things less secure.
1 Like
#983

  1. A Hard Fork is an update that makes previously invalid blocks valid. It is an expansion of a rule set.
    A Soft Fork is an update that makes previously valid blocks invalid. It is a contraction of a rule set.

  2. A Hard Fork creates a new currency, which splits the community but it makes the rules very clear. It is also the democratic approach to change consensus.

  3. The risks with doing a hard fork is that it causes a hash power split, making the network less secure.

1 Like
#984

  1. What is the difference between a softfork and a hardfork?
    Softfork is making previously valid blocks invalid and is contracting the rules in the update. The update should be exepted at least by 50% of the miners.
    Hardfork is makind previously invalid blocks valid and is expending the rules in the protocol. 100% of the miners should update.

  2. What are some of the reasons why you would do a hardfork?
    If some rules needs to be updated or fixed by all the miners or when you want to creat a new currency, based on the original one.

  3. What are some of the risks with performing a hardfork?
    The hash power is lower and stability fallows.
    The community is destable and split.

1 Like