Definition ∞ PoW checkpointing is a method used in Proof-of-Work blockchains to establish a fixed, agreed-upon point in the chain’s history that becomes extremely difficult to alter. This involves external parties or a predefined protocol rule confirming a specific block as final, effectively preventing reorganizations beyond that point. It enhances transaction finality and provides a stronger guarantee of immutability for older blocks. This mechanism can bolster security against deep reorganizations.
Context ∞ PoW checkpointing is often discussed in the context of securing smaller or newer Proof-of-Work chains that might be vulnerable to 51% attacks. News articles might cover projects that implement checkpointing to increase the cost of rewriting history, thereby improving trust and security for users. While enhancing finality, the debate around PoW checkpointing sometimes concerns its potential impact on decentralization if it relies on centralized entities for validation.
Blockchain Knowledge
Cryptocurrency Foundation
Cryptospace Newsfeed
