What Is a ‘Light Client’ and How Does It Utilize the Merkle Root?
A light client is a node that downloads only the block headers of a blockchain, not the full transaction data. It uses the Merkle Root, which is contained in the block header, as a cryptographic proof of all transactions within that block.
To verify a specific transaction, the light client requests the Merkle path and verifies it against the Merkle Root, efficiently confirming the transaction's inclusion without downloading the entire chain.
Glossar
Light Clients
Verification ⎊ Light clients are software implementations that verify the state of a blockchain without needing to download and process the entire ledger history, relying instead on cryptographic proofs derived from block headers.
Merkle Path
Proof ⎊ This is the minimal set of sibling hashes required to reconstruct the Merkle root starting from a specific transaction's hash.
Block Headers
Information ⎊ Block Headers are the succinct summaries of a block's content and validation parameters, acting as the primary mechanism for chain linkage and Proof-of-Work verification across the peer-to-peer network.
Light Client
Architecture ⎊ A Light Client represents a streamlined architectural component in a blockchain network that verifies transactions and block headers without downloading the entire ledger history.