Blockchain Development: What is fork?

CornerRight 1 min


Icons/Position/Pos. No. 1

Blockchain


Icons/Technology/Tech No.1

AI

There are schisms in blockchain projects, when the developers’ community splits in two, along with the blockchain itself. How does it work, and what does it mean to you?

Fork in Blockchain

In the software development process, a fork happens every time someone starts to work on a separate copy of code and changes it into an independent piece of software. It simply another version of the copied application – they fork into two branches and go their own ways.

The blockchain code works in the same way. A separate code brings to life a separate ledger.

It usually happens, when the developers decide to upgrade the code and introduce changes in the blockchain – and can go two ways:

Soft fork vs hard fork

The first case is often accidental – an update causes incompatibilities between the new and old software copies, and users with different versions create two branches. It forces the developers to repair the broken code, fix the incompatibilities and merge two ledgers. The result is one blockchain ledger, and this process is called a soft fork.

However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes part of the users refuse to introduce the updates due to various reasons, and end up with staying on the old version, or develop it into another direction.

That’s when we have a hard fork – a permanent separation between the two splinter versions.

Are blockchain forks bad for you?

It depends. Forks are a part of the development and progress, but hard forks create serious price fluctuations on the market, and often result in panic.

You can lose some transactions based on a certain type of blockchain, and if your business relies on it, you have to quickly adapt to the changes.

Similar blog posts

10 Common Software Architecture Patterns: Expert Guide

10 Common Software Architecture Patterns: Expert Guide

4 min

Did you know that before starting a software development project, an architect needs to pick the software architecture for it? This is a common best practice in the tech industry that allows teams to make the most out of the software and create a better experience for users.

Wed/Mar/2022
see details
3 Traps That Can Sink Your ICO – and How to Avoid Them

3 Traps That Can Sink Your ICO – and How to Avoid Them

2 min

In the first quarter of 2018, ICOs have already raised almost 7 billion dollars [Coinschedule.com]. The pie is big, and what’s even more important, it is booming – in half a year we will raise more funds in ICOs than in the whole of 2017.

Wed/May/2018
see details
A Short Guide to Security Tokens

A Short Guide to Security Tokens

1 min

ICOs are growing up. The time of Wild West in this area is already gone, and we see regulations starting to catch up with the changes. It brings in market regulations required for cryptographic tokens, aimed at bringing back the credibility.

Tue/Oct/2018
see details
11 types of software development you should know

11 types of software development you should know

5 min

If you’re looking to invest in a digital product or build a custom solution, it’s smart to get started by learning what the software development landscape looks like today. It might seem that programming is a pretty straightforward activity. You write code, test it, deploy it, and finally implement it – right?

Mon/Jan/2022
see details