What is Sharding in Blockchain? – BTC wires

Of& nbspSumedha Bose

Have you ever tried to put 10 heavy books on a cardboard box?

You will notice that the box can not bear the weight and will inevitably crumble. Now try placing the books individually on 10 different boxes.

There! You understand the basic concept of sharding– share the load.

You could also read: Blockchain Technology

Sharding: explained

To put it simply, a fragment is a portion of a database that contains only part of the information. So, if implemented in a blockchain, it will contain only a portion of the entire blockchain.

The information is stored in a shared way in a fragment and is stored separately in a server instance.

As you know, a blockchain is mainatined on the nodes and, when sharding is implemented, each node contains information only on the fragment. This information is shared and, therefore, decentralization is maintained,

One of the main problems with blockchain is scalability. Sharding can help solve this problem if implemented correctly.

You can also read: Scalability of Blockchain

How does it work on a blockchain?

A blockchain that uses sharding, can not use the Proof of Work (PoW) consent algorithm that requires the majority of participating nodes to approve the transaction.

Since sharding essentially means a fragment containing only a specific part of the information, it can not be validated by most nodes.

In this way, it works on a pole test consent algorithm (PoS).

Therefore, when sharding is implemented, only specific nodes called "stakers" can validate the transaction. In this way, the mining requirement is almost canceled and is a cheaper alternative to the PoW consensus algorithm.

Why should you use Sharding?

Blockchain is an excellent technology, but has some problems that can be solved through the use of sharding.

It is well known that the speed of the blockchain transaction is much slower than that of Visa or American Express. This makes it a less viable alternative to online fiat transactions. Sharding is one of these methods that developers are considering to improve transaction speed.

Sharding also guarantees greater security for the blockchain because it only identifies the loyal stakers that have been designated as responsible for the validation of the transactions.

Therefore, if Sharding is implemented in a blockchain, it can effectively solve some of these latency and scalability problems that prevent the technology from reaching its true potential.

Here are some articles you could read next:

Sumedha Bose

Sumedha uses words like her crutch to get by in life. He takes a keen interest in discussing, dancing and destroying patriarchy in his spare time. You can be contacted at [email protected].