How Is the Mining Difficulty Calculated in a Proof of Work Blockchain?
The mining difficulty in a Proof of Work blockchain is calculated based on the network's target block time. The protocol automatically adjusts the difficulty to ensure that the average time to find a new block remains constant.
If blocks are being found too quickly, the difficulty increases. If they are being found too slowly, the difficulty decreases.
This calculation is typically based on the time it took to find the previous set of blocks, often a 2016-block window in Bitcoin's case.
Glossar
Proof of Work Blockchain
System ⎊ Proof of Work Blockchain is a distributed ledger secured by a consensus mechanism that requires participants, known as miners, to expend verifiable computational effort to solve complex mathematical problems to validate transactions and propose new blocks.
Mining Difficulty
Algorithm ⎊ The mining difficulty, fundamentally, represents a dynamically adjusted parameter within blockchain networks, primarily designed to maintain a consistent block generation rate irrespective of computational power fluctuations.