What is Uncle Block (Ommer Block) in Ethereum?

Check the Crypto Market Today:

Bittime - Uncle block (ommer block) is one of the important concepts in the Ethereum blockchain, which relates to the way data is stored and validated in the system. In this article, we'll discuss what uncle blocks are, why they occur, how they affect mining, and what impact they have on the transition to proof-of-stake.

Understanding Uncle Block (Ommer Block)

An uncle block is a block that is almost part of the main chain of the blockchain, but is rejected because there are other blocks that are faster or more valid at the same level. Uncle block is also known as stale block or orphan block, although this term is not entirely accurate.

Uncle blocks occur due to the decentralized and asynchronous nature of the Ethereum blockchain, where each node can mine blocks independently and send them to the network. Sometimes, two or more nodes can find a valid block at the same time, but only one can be accepted by the network. Accepted blocks are referred to as main blocks, while rejected blocks are referred to as uncle blocks.

Uncle blocks do not simply disappear, but remain within the blockchain's data structure, referred to as a Merkle tree. A merkle tree is a binary tree that stores the hash of all blocks in the chain, including uncle blocks. This way, uncle blocks can be accessed and verified by other nodes, even if they are not included in the main chain.

Uncle Block Function (Ommer Block)

Uncle blocks have several important functions in the Ethereum blockchain, namely:

• Improves security: Uncle block helps prevent a 51% attack, where an attacker can control the majority of a network's computing power and alter transaction history. With uncle blocks, attackers have to remove not only the main block, but also the uncle block, which makes it more difficult and expensive to do.
• Improved scalability: Uncle blocks allow the network to adjust the mining difficulty level dynamically, based on the time it takes to find new blocks. If the time is too long, the difficulty will decrease, thus increasing the probability of finding blocks. If time is too short, the difficulty will increase, thereby reducing the possibility of uncle block. In this way, the network can maintain an average block time of about 15 seconds, which increases the transaction capacity and responsiveness of the network.
• Increase incentives: Uncle blocks provide incentives for miners to keep participating in the network, even if they don't manage to find the main block. Miners who find uncle blocks still get a portion of the block reward and transaction fees, referred to as uncle rewards. Uncle rewards are also given to main block miners who include uncle block references in their blocks, referred to as nephew rewards. Thus, uncle block reduces risk and increases fairness in mining.

Also Read How to Buy Crypto:

Impact of Uncle Block (Ommer Block) on Proof-of-Stake

Currently, the Ethereum blockchain still uses a proof-of-work consensus mechanism, where miners must use computing power to solve difficult mathematical puzzles and find new blocks. Even so, Ethereum is in the process of transitioning to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, where miners are replaced by validators, who must deposit a certain amount of ether to participate in the block validation process.

With this change, uncle blocks will become less relevant, as there will be no more competition between nodes to find new blocks. Instead, validators will be randomly selected to propose and validate blocks, based on the weight of their deposits. If there is a conflict between different blocks, validators will reach consensus through a mechanism referred to as finality, which guarantees that the validated block cannot be changed or canceled.

Dalam proof-of-stake, uncle reward juga akan dihapus, karena tidak ada lagi insentif untuk menemukan atau menyertakan uncle block. Sebaliknya, validator akan mendapatkan hadiah berdasarkan seberapa sering dan seberapa baik mereka melakukan tugas validasi mereka. Jika validator bertindak jujur dan konsisten, mereka akan mendapatkan hadiah. Jika validator bertindak curang atau tidak konsisten, mereka akan kehilangan sebagian atau seluruh setoran mereka.

How to Buy Crypto on Bittime

You can buy and sell crypto assets in an easy and secure way through Bittime. Bittime is one of the best crypto applications in Indonesia that has been officially registered by Bappebti.

To be able to buy crypto assets on Bittime, make sure you have registered and completed identity verification. In addition, also make sure that you have enough balance by depositing some funds into the wallet. For your information, the minimum asset purchase at Bittime is Rp10,000. After that, then you can make a crypto asset purchase in the application. Learn the Complete Guide on How to Buy Crypto on Bittime.

Monitor the price chart movements of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL) and other cryptos to find out today's crypto market trends in real-time on Bittime.

Also Read:

What is Block Size on Blockchain

What Is Ethereum (ETH) 2.0 and How is It Different from Ethereum

What is Blockchain 1.0? A Blockchain Starting Point

DISCLAIMER: This article is informational in nature and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to sell and buy any crypto asset. Trading crypto assets is a high-risk activity. Crypto asset prices are volatile, where prices may change significantly from time to time and Bittime is not responsible for fluctuations in crypto asset exchange rates.