Computational Complexity

Definition ∞ Computational complexity quantifies the resources, such as time and memory, required to execute an algorithm. It provides a measure of the difficulty of solving a problem algorithmically, often expressed using Big O notation to describe resource growth relative to input size. Understanding computational complexity is crucial for assessing the feasibility and efficiency of cryptographic operations and network consensus mechanisms.
Context ∞ Within the cryptocurrency domain, discussions around computational complexity are pertinent to the design of proof-of-work algorithms, the efficiency of zero-knowledge proofs, and the scalability limitations of certain blockchain architectures. Concerns about energy consumption and transaction processing speeds are directly linked to the computational demands of these systems.