Merkle Patricia Trie

Definition ∞ A Merkle Patricia Trie is a data structure used in blockchain systems, particularly Ethereum, to efficiently store and verify the state of the network. It combines aspects of a Merkle tree with a Patricia trie, allowing for cryptographic verification of data inclusion and non-inclusion within a dataset. This structure optimizes storage and retrieval of account balances, contract code, and other state information. It enables efficient proofs of state transitions and compact representations of the entire blockchain state.
Context ∞ The Merkle Patricia Trie is a fundamental component often discussed in news concerning Ethereum’s architecture and its scaling efforts. Its efficiency is critical for full nodes to verify the blockchain’s state quickly and securely. Developments related to this data structure often involve optimizing its performance or adapting it for new scaling solutions. Understanding its function is key to grasping how Ethereum maintains its decentralized and verifiable global state.