Usually, everyone needs to get some useful information about the security of the networks that the cryptocurrencies are based on in order to enter the world of digital currencies. In fact, the first step to investing in digital currency is knowing the level of security and how they work. One of the most important components in the blockchain network, which is responsible for providing the security of assets as well as various transactions, is the consensus algorithm. The most famous consensus algorithms include the Proof of Stake algorithm and the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm.
Both of these algorithms have mechanisms to confirm the transactions made in the blockchain network and do their work without the need for an intermediary or a third party. So if you want to get more complete information about these famous algorithms, we suggest you stay with us until the end of the article.
Consensus algorithm in blockchain network
Before introducing the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm, we intend to familiarize you well with the consensus algorithm in the blockchain network so that you can understand the concept of this algorithm more easily. Consensus algorithm is basically a method with the help of which all active people in the blockchain network reach a common agreement about the current state of the distributed ledger and finally the consensus patterns, trust and credibility among the nodes and the blockchain that have a computing environment. , They create.
Consensus algorithm is known as an example of the most widely used error tolerance mechanisms, which was used for the first time in the field of network and computer. This famous algorithm plays a very important role in the blockchain network, and if you ever plan to mine Bitcoin, you will become one of the important and influential factors in it.
Consensus algorithm is a method by which the integration and coordination of users to the distributed location is provided. This algorithm ensures that all agents agree on events and happenings, even if some agents fail in the meantime. In other words, the system must be able to tolerate various problems and errors and continue its activity.
In general, a very long period of time has not passed since the establishment and creation of the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm, but in these few years it has been able to attract the attention of many people and achieve many successes.
Introducing the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm
Proof-of-work algorithm (PoW) is an example of consensus mechanisms in the blockchain network, which are used to generate blocks, confirm transactions, and maintain the security of the network in question. Note that the main method, especially this algorithm, is to solve complex mathematical puzzles, which requires a lot of computer processing power. For this reason, using the Proof of Work algorithm wastes a lot of processing power and electricity.
As it was said, the proof-of-work algorithm is one of the important mechanisms in blockchain consensus, and the first cryptocurrency that was able to perform mining with the help of the proof-of-work algorithm was Bitcoin. After Bitcoin, Ethereum and other altcoins also used this algorithm.
It is better to know that the Proof Of Work algorithm is basically a method that prevents malicious attacks and spam in blockchain networks. In 2009, Bitcoin also introduced the proof-of-work algorithm to users as the main algorithm used. This algorithm is considered a kind of consensus mechanism in the Bitcoin digital currency network, which is used to validate transactions, add new blocks to the network and confirm them.
The Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm allows for agreement or consensus on things like the inventory of addresses as well as the order of transactions on the Ethereum and Bitcoin networks. Today, with this algorithm in the blockchain, most miners compete with each other to solve different transactions faster and add them to the block.
It is better to know that the proof-of-work algorithm was the first and most popular consensus algorithm that was published, and it is still used by most digital currencies. This famous algorithm was launched in 1993 by a person named Dwork and Naor to deal with email spam and prevent attacks on online or internet services.
The proof-of-work algorithm was initially supposed to continue its activity in such a way that anyone who intends to send an email must solve a mathematical puzzle and publish the answer in the email as a proof-of-work. On the other hand, the recipient of the email receives the email by confirming the answer.
This purpose of the POW algorithm was not accepted at that time and no one confirmed it, but in 2009, Bitcoin digital currency introduced a new form of algorithm called consensus to users in the field of cryptocurrency. By using the proof-of-work algorithm, all the actors in the network confirmed the transactions that were done in one block of the blockchain, and based on the algorithm, the Bitcoin blockchain was created.
After the Bitcoin network used this popular algorithm, other digital currencies also used it as their own consensus algorithm. It might be interesting for you to know that the idea and basic design of this algorithm was published by Moni Novar and Cynthia Dvorak in the early 90s, but several years later, a working system based on it was implemented by a person named Adam Beck in a project called HashCash.
How the POW algorithm works
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the proof-of-work algorithm in the Bitcoin digital currency network is actually a kind of consensus mechanism that is used to validate and confirm transactions as well as add new blocks to the blockchain network. This algorithm eliminates the possibility of tampering and making unwanted changes in the blockchain network and allows nodes to not easily confirm the changed versions.
In other words, the nodes are allowed to recognize the hash value generated by the desired algorithm. The way the proof-of-work (PoW) algorithm works is that in the proof-of-work algorithm, digital currency miners compete with each other by solving complex mathematical equations, and when these equations are solved, the possibility of being confirmed by other miners increases.
In this way, if the time of a miner reaches the solution of the equation, he sends it to the network. Note that the answer to an equation is known as the hash of a block, and when the miner sends it to the network, it is confirmed by the confirmation of other miners at the end of the block.
Be careful that it is not possible for a block to enter the network without finding the correct hash, and such a thing will not be done at all. A miner who can find the correct hash will receive his reward from the network.
That is, if a network uses the proof-of-work (PoW) algorithm, in order to extract the digital currencies of this network, miners must compete with each other with the help of their powerful hardware so that they can easily solve difficult mathematical equations. It is better to know that most of the time this work is done with many random guesses by miners or hardware and it is repeated until a miner finally finds the correct answer.
The Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm has a variety of uses, and by using it, users can easily get Bitcoin as a reward and profit by solving various equations and verifying them.
Application of Proof of Work (PoW) Algorithm
The proof-of-work algorithm is used in most digital currencies, and its most famous application is in the Bitcoin network. As mentioned, Bitcoin digital currency introduced and implemented the basis of this algorithm for the first time. Be careful, the consensus algorithm used in the Bitcoin network is hash cache.
This algorithm can change the complexity of a transaction according to all the power of the network. Normally, the average time to build a block is 10 minutes. Mining is the process of creating a new transaction block and adding it to the blockchain. Also, the set of rules that check the correctness of the mining process is called the proof-of-work algorithm.
One of the types of use of the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm is to confirm the correctness of the mining process. This algorithm determines that those who have more power and capacity can get the answer to the mining equations much faster and get the reward of solving the transaction.
The mining process seeks to find a new solution in the block that satisfies the conditions. Finding this solution requires high computing power and the complexity of the network is not always constant and may change.
In this way, the miner who can find the solution or the correct answer as the first person, will get a great reward like Bitcoin. Usually, in such a system, those who have miner devices or more powerful computers can reach the correct answer sooner and win this unique prize or reward.
As you know, the price of digital currency is increasing day by day, and people who invest in popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin can increase their initial capital several times in the fastest time. For this reason, if you are thinking of buying a profitable digital currency, it is better to go for well-known options such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and others.
What digital currencies use the POW algorithm?
The emergence of Bitcoin in 2009 showed investors and cryptocurrency market players that the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm is a suitable and secure consensus mechanism for digital currencies. This algorithm is currently known as the most common consensus mechanism and is used by many cryptocurrencies.
The number of currencies that use this algorithm is very large, but Ethereum, Litecoin, DogeKuit, Bitcoin and Monero are among the most popular and popular options that can be named. Each of these digital currencies has its own price and special features, but most of them have a high value.
Of course, nowadays most investors buy Tether among different digital currencies. The Tether currency, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, is a well-known currency that has a great value. In recent times, this type of digital currency has been associated with an increase in price, and thus many people are moving towards it.
Proof of Work (PoW) Algorithm Security
Surely, up to this part of the article, you have obtained very comprehensive information about the proof-of-work algorithm, and now you know what uses and unique features this algorithm has. Note that miners get a private reward for the work they do in the blockchain network in the form of the native coin of that network.
In this way, many people have turned to mining digital currencies and the popularity of this work has also increased. Note that the higher the number of nodes and miners in a network, the more its security increases. Due to the fact that miners operate in a decentralized manner in the desired network, it is not possible to create two valid blocks at the same time.
Also, if the nodes obtain the answer to a puzzle at the same time and deploy it in the network, a forum will be created temporarily and the rest of the miners will choose the one with a heavier or longer chain among these two block makers. is confirmed as a valid chain. In this case, the transactions that were in the shorter chain or the invalid chain may be transferred to the heavier and longer chain.
Of course, sometimes these transactions may be rejected and not approved. Note that the purpose of the proof-of-work algorithm is to expand the chain, in this way, the longest chain has more credibility because more computational work has been done on it, and in the Bitcoin network, so that the malicious node can create malicious but valid blocks in the network. If it exists, it must provide more than 51% of the mining power of the network.
This work requires a lot of computing power and the energy spent on it was more than the income earned by the attacker. Note that the bigger the network and the more users there are, the probability of an attack will decrease by 51%. In this way, it can be said that the security of the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm is very suitable and acceptable.
The most important advantages of the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm
The proof-of-work algorithm, like other consensus algorithms, has great advantages, and investors who intend to use this model should know these advantages well before anything else. For this reason, in this part of my article, we are going to examine its most important and main advantages.
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high security
Preventing various attacks is one of the most important advantages of the proof-of-work algorithm, which is very important. It is better to know that this algorithm is considered a smart method to prevent various attacks such as respending and hacking.
In this method, miners easily provide inputs to the miner device, and this device, according to its processing power, converts the inputs into appropriate outputs, which are called hash codes. Hash codes are also proprietary and the hash of no transaction is the same.
Therefore, hacking cryptocurrencies that are based on the proof-of-work algorithm is a difficult task and hackers cannot do this easily. So if you are looking for a secure consensus algorithm, it is better to use the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm.
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Easy extraction
Another one of the most important advantages of this algorithm is the possibility of extraction and mining. Note that digital currencies that use the proof-of-work algorithm allow users to easily extract them using hardware and miners. In other words, you can extract currencies that are based on the proof-of-work algorithm very easily, and there are no restrictions in this field.
The disadvantages of the Proof-of-Work (PoW) algorithm are much less compared to its advantages, and therefore, day by day, there is a demand to use it more. So, if you intend to use this famous algorithm, it is better to check its advantages and disadvantages before anything else, then make your final decision.
Disadvantages of Proof of Work (PoW) Algorithm
It is true that the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm plays an important role in the blockchain network and is necessary for the operation of this network, but do not forget that each of the consensus algorithms, in addition to advantages, also has disadvantages that are going to be examined in this section of the article. Let’s look at the complete form.
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High power consumption
Among the main disadvantages of the proof-of-work algorithm is high and severe power consumption. Normally, miners have to keep their devices on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to solve Bitcoin problems and earn rewards. In this way, electricity consumption increases significantly. Also, due to the existence of numerous extractors, people need more powerful devices and in this way, more electricity will be consumed.
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Centralization of extraction
Centralization of extraction or mining is another disadvantage of the proof-of-work algorithm that cannot be ignored. The proof-of-work algorithm creates a cryptocurrency without the intervention of a centralized authority. For this reason, this system is almost centralized in practice and manages and controls only 3 mining pools. However, developers are looking to improve this problem and try to fix the centralization of mining.
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51% attacks
If different companies, individuals or organizations can take over 51% of the computing power of the blockchain network, the consensus algorithm will not work to ensure security, and that company or person can easily endanger the existing security by adding an invalid block to the network. throw
Authentication in Binance exchange
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Of course, it goes without saying that due to the embargo, users in some countries such as Iran cannot easily authenticate Binance. In this way, if you also intend to use this wonderful exchange, it is better to use VPNs from countries that are not embargoed when registering and authenticating.
Registering in this exchange does not need to go through very complicated steps, but it is better to enter all the information and items that are asked of you carefully and correctly so that you do not face problems later and you can use its services without restrictions. .
If you do not have enough experience to do this, it is better to seek guidance and advice from experts in this field so that you do not face problems later and you can do various transactions in a practical environment and do not witness the loss of a lot of capital.
If you use digital currency signals to predict or analyze the status of different digital currencies, be careful because all these signals are not valid and may sometimes have errors. So, apart from getting help from different signals, try to do other research and reviews to see a favorable profit and not regret later.
Binance online exchange is known as one of the best exchanges in the world and currently supports more than 700 different digital currencies. In this way, you can easily buy or sell any type of cryptocurrency you want.
last word
In this article, we tried to review the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm in a comprehensive way and provide you with useful information about how the algorithm works, its advantages, disadvantages, applications and other necessary things so that you can get to know them better. Of course, you can quickly increase your awareness in this field by joining the digital currency signal channel and get significant profits from investing in different cryptocurrencies.
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