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Chain Fork

Definition

A chain fork represents a divergence in a blockchain’s transaction history, leading to two distinct versions of the ledger. This event can arise from a protocol upgrade, a software change, or even a temporary network anomaly. Soft forks are typically backward-compatible and require only a majority of nodes to upgrade, while hard forks create a permanent, irreversible split requiring all participants to choose a chain. Forks are fundamental to blockchain evolution, allowing for protocol enhancements or dispute resolution.