Proof of Work¶
It is one of many consensus mechanism; this algorithm is used to confirm transactions and produce a new block to the chain.
Miners compete with each other by solving the PoW algorithm in order to receive the reward.
Mining is done with dedicated computer machines which costs rocessing power (hardware, energy, and time).
Miners are using their hardware to test these nonce, at a rate of millions per second.
Difficult to solve but very easy to verify the correct value!
The Proof Of Work process is known as mining and the nodes are known as miners. Miners solve complex mathematical puzzles which require a lot computational power.
First of all, they are asymmetric, meaning it takes a lot of time to find the answer, yet it’s easy to verify if an answer is correct.
Secondly, the only way to solve these puzzles is to ‘guess’ the answer. It is not possible to solve the puzzles quicker using any other method than trial and error.
Lastly, the difficulty of these puzzles changes depending on how fast blocks are mined. To maintain a consistent supply of new coins, blocks have to be created within a certain time frame. If blocks are created too fast, the puzzles get harder, and if they are created too slow, the puzzles get easier.