What Is the Difference between a “Block Header” and the Full “Block Data”?
The block header is a small, fixed-size structure (80 bytes in Bitcoin) containing the metadata of the block, including the previous block's hash, the Merkle Root of all transactions, the timestamp, the difficulty target, and the nonce. The full block data includes the block header plus the complete list of all transactions included in that block.
Miners only hash the block header to find the Proof-of-Work.
Glossar
Block
Genesis ⎊ A block, within cryptocurrency networks, represents a foundational unit of data containing a set of transactions, cryptographically linked to the preceding block, establishing an immutable and chronological record.
Block Data
Content ⎊ Block Data encompasses the structured collection of validated information aggregated by a miner or validator before being permanently appended to the blockchain ledger.
Full Block Data
Provenance ⎊ Full Block Data, within cryptocurrency and derivatives, represents a complete and immutable record of transaction history for a specific digital asset or contract, extending beyond simple transaction amounts to encompass originating addresses, timestamps, and associated smart contract interactions.
Block Header
Genesis ⎊ A block header, fundamentally, encapsulates metadata pertaining to a specific block within a blockchain; it serves as the block’s identifying signature and is critical for maintaining chain integrity.
Merkle Root
Derivation ⎊ A Merkle Root functions as a cryptographic commitment to a dataset, representing a single hash value derived from recursively hashing pairs of data blocks within a Merkle tree.