Understand the delay of the propagation of the Ethereum block: a deep immersion in Bitcoin
As one of the pioneers in the cryptocurrency space, Ethereum has established a high bar for scalability and performance. When it comes to spreading newly created blocks to the entire Bitcoin network, how long does it have? In this article, we will explore the reasons behind the delay, its average value and what it reveals on the underlying infrastructure.
The basic concepts: Blockchain propagation
When a new block is created in the Ethereum block chain, all nodes in the network must be spread. This process involves multiple steps:
- Validation : The newly created block is validated by nodes in the network using complex mathematical algorithms.
- Transaction classification : The validated block is classified as individual transactions.
- Block creation : A new block is created, which contains ordered transactions.
Why does propagation take time?
The propagation delay can be attributed to several factors:
* Network latency : As more nodes verify and add blocks to the chain, increase the latency of the network. This slows the propagation process.
* Block size limits : The block size limit in Ethereum is 1 MB, which means that the longest blocks take longer to spread.
* Transaction complexity
: The most complex transactions require additional calculations, which increases the propagation time.
Average propagation delay
Estimates vary according to the source and network conditions. However, according to several reports and studies:
- The average propagation delay for newly created Ethereum blocks is about 4-6 minutes.
- For Bitcoin, the propagation delay is typically faster, which varies from 1-3 seconds.
Why do we see such long delays?
Several factors contribute to these delays:
* Network congestion : As more nodes bind to the network, traffic increases, which leads to slower propagation times.
* Transaction complexity : The most complex transactions require additional calculations, slowing down the process.
* Network latency : The longer it takes to validate a block and add to the chain, the greater the general delay.
Conclusion
The delay of the propagation of the Ethereum block is an essential aspect of its decentralized architecture. While this delay may seem significant, it is essential to understand its underlying causes and its impact on the network. As the cryptocurrency space continues to evolve, we can expect improvements in scalability and performance, which will lead to faster propagation times.
Sources:
- “Ethereum 2.0” (2020) – Ethereum Foundation
- “Bitcoin Block Propagation Time (2020) – CoinmarketCap
- “Blockchain propagation delebre” (2019) – Cryptoslate
