What Is a Hard Fork (Blockchain)?
A hard fork refers to an event in which a blockchain undergoes a “split,” resulting in two separate blockchains that run in parallel, each with different parameters from a shared previous chain.
Hard Forks in Cryptocurrencies
During a hard fork, the compatibility between different versions of the blockchain is broken.
Even if the transaction history and parameters were the same before the fork, the histories of both networks diverge after the event, and any subsequent activity on one chain does not affect the other.
Hard forks can occur accidentally due to bugs or errors in the blockchain, or they can be intentionally initiated due to disagreements within the cryptocurrency community.
Community Debates and Cryptocurrency Evolution
Hard forks are significant events and are typically communicated well in advance to the cryptocurrency’s community.
They are the subject of extensive discussions and debates within the crypto community as participants assess the advantages and drawbacks of modifying specific characteristics of a project, such as block size, rewards, or hard caps.
Ethereum’s Notable Hard Forks
Ethereum has also experienced notable hard forks.
In 2016, Ethereum underwent a well-documented hard fork following the DAO‘s replay exploit, continuing the original chain as Ethereum Classic.
In 2020, Ethereum faced an unexpected but minor hard fork due to a failure to communicate unscheduled upgrades to the community and infrastructure providers properly.
This resulted in discrepancies in software versions, including infrastructure provider Infura running outdated and conflicting software.