Ledger State Reduction

Definition ∞ Ledger state reduction refers to methods and protocols designed to minimize the total data size required to represent the current state of a blockchain ledger. This involves techniques that compress or optimize how account balances, smart contract data, and other state information are stored. The goal is to decrease storage overhead for network participants.
Context ∞ This reduction is crucial for enhancing the scalability and efficiency of blockchain networks. A smaller ledger state lowers the hardware requirements for running full nodes, thereby promoting decentralization and faster synchronization for new participants. Research and development efforts consistently seek innovative ways to achieve greater state reduction without compromising security.