What Is the ‘Genesis Block’ and Its Unique Hash Characteristic?

The genesis block is the very first block of a blockchain, the starting point of the chain. Its unique hash characteristic is that it does not contain a "previous block hash" field, as there is no preceding block.

The genesis block's hash is hardcoded into the software of the blockchain's nodes. This block initiates the chain, establishes the initial rules, and often includes the first set of transactions or a special message from the creator.