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How Is a “Sidechain” Different from the Main Blockchain?

A sidechain is a separate, independent blockchain that is connected to the main blockchain (parent chain) by a two-way peg. This peg allows assets, typically the parent chain's native currency, to be transferred back and forth between the two chains.

Sidechains are often used to test new features or provide greater scalability by offloading transaction processing from the main chain, without compromising the main chain's security.

Can a UTXO Transaction Be Replayed on a Sidechain?
What Makes the ECDSA Process “One-Way” and Why Is This Critical for Security?
What Is the Difference between a Rollup and a Sidechain?
What Is the Difference between a Hash Function and an Encryption Algorithm?