Definition ∞ Blockchain throughput optimization refers to efforts to increase the number of transactions a blockchain can process within a given timeframe. This involves various technical improvements to enhance network capacity and speed. The goal is to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of distributed ledger systems. Such optimization is vital for supporting widespread adoption of decentralized applications.
Context ∞ Blockchain throughput optimization remains a primary focus for protocol development, addressing limitations that hinder mainstream application adoption. Layer-2 solutions, sharding, and more efficient consensus algorithms are current approaches to expand transaction processing capabilities. The ongoing pursuit of higher throughput balances the need for speed with maintaining decentralization and security.