Definition ∞ A Merkle Mountain Range is a data structure used in blockchain technology to efficiently represent and verify a continuously growing list of data elements. Unlike a standard Merkle tree, which requires all data to be known upfront, a Merkle Mountain Range can append new data without needing to rebuild the entire tree. It maintains a collection of Merkle trees of varying sizes, allowing for efficient proofs of inclusion for any element. This structure optimizes storage and verification for dynamic data sets.
Context ∞ Merkle Mountain Ranges are particularly relevant for blockchain protocols that deal with streaming data or require frequent updates to large transaction histories, such as those found in some scaling solutions or sidechains. Their efficiency in handling additions and providing proofs without excessive computational cost makes them a subject of active development. This data structure contributes to the scalability and performance improvements in decentralized systems.
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