Definition ∞ An erasure coding paradigm is a method for data storage and retrieval that adds redundant data to protect against data loss. It breaks data into fragments and encodes them with parity information, allowing reconstruction even if some fragments are lost. This approach improves data durability and availability by distributing data across multiple storage units.
Context ∞ In decentralized storage networks and distributed ledger technologies, erasure coding is crucial for ensuring data integrity and fault tolerance without relying on full replication. It reduces storage overhead compared to simply duplicating data, making it a key component in scalable and resilient blockchain-based storage solutions. Discussions about data availability layers often reference this technique for efficiency.