Definition ∞ Horizontal blockchain scaling refers to increasing a blockchain network’s transaction throughput by distributing the computational workload across multiple parallel processing units or shards. Instead of processing all transactions sequentially on a single chain, the network divides its data and operations into smaller, independent segments. This method allows for a greater number of transactions to be processed concurrently. It aims to significantly enhance overall network capacity and speed.
Context ∞ Horizontal blockchain scaling, primarily through sharding, is a prominent strategy for addressing the scalability limitations of major blockchain networks, notably Ethereum 2.0. Discussions frequently focus on the technical complexities of implementing secure and efficient cross-shard communication and data availability. A critical future development involves the successful deployment and stabilization of sharded architectures, which could dramatically alter the performance landscape of decentralized applications.