What Is an “Orphan Block” and How Is It Resolved by the Network?
An orphan block, often called a stale block, is a valid block that a miner successfully found but which is not part of the main chain because another miner's block was accepted by the majority of the network first. This happens due to network latency.
When a node receives an orphan block, it is temporarily stored. Once the node receives the parent block that links the orphan block to the main chain, the orphan block is discarded, and the transactions it contained are typically re-included in the next valid block.
Glossar
Parent Block
Framework ⎊ The term "Parent Block" within cryptocurrency derivatives, options trading, and broader financial derivatives signifies the foundational, underlying asset or contract upon which a derivative instrument is built.
Transaction Fees
Cost ⎊ Transaction fees represent a quantifiable expense incurred for processing and validating transactions across diverse financial systems, functioning as a critical component of network participation and security.
Network Latency
Propagation ⎊ Network latency, within cryptocurrency, options trading, and financial derivatives, represents the time delay for data transmission across a network, critically impacting trade execution speeds and arbitrage opportunities.
Block Reward
Incentive ⎊ A block reward serves as the primary economic incentive for miners or validators to participate in securing a blockchain network.
Valid Block
Confirmation ⎊ A valid block, within a blockchain context, represents a data package cryptographically appended to the chain following consensus protocol stipulations, signifying transaction finality and state updates.
Orphan Block
Genesis ⎊ An orphan block represents a blockchain block validly mined but not incorporated into the main chain due to a network fork or timing discrepancy, creating a temporary divergence in the distributed ledger.