If you want to go beyond just Bitcoin, you’re going to have to start learning about the terms hard and soft fork. In the case of Bitcoin, these terms refer to two different types of changes to the Bitcoin software. As we have seen in the past, hard forks have been the source of some controversy and uncertainty over whether the new version of Bitcoin will survive to be the next generation of Bitcoin and become the official version of Bitcoin. The term “soft fork” refers to a change to the Bitcoin software that isn’t as dramatic as a hard fork. Soft forks are changes that are not as keenly debated because they do not require everyone to upgrade to the new version of Bitcoin.
The path forward for blockchain technology adoption is made a lot easier when you can understand the difference between a fork and a soft fork. Often, when you have plans to buy digital currencies (you can look here to know how), you might have across both of these terms. While there are several terms used to describe the process of a blockchain changing its rules, the two most important are hard and soft forks. The former is the name given to the event that occurs when an existing blockchain forks into two separate chains, while the latter refers to the change in protocol that occurs in response to a hard fork.
In the cryptocurrency world, soft forks and hard forks are two different events that occur to either improve or remove certain security-related features from a blockchain. This is why you often hear the phrase “Hard Forks,” and “Soft Forks” used interchangeably.
Hard fork
The term hard fork is an interesting one. It’s an event that occurs when a new version of a cryptocurrency’s protocol is implemented. The change can involve several different things: a new currency being introduced, new rules being added to the protocol, or even a change to the network’s rules.
When a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin forks, it means the ledger is copied, and the new blockchain has a more complex structure. For example, Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is a fork of Bitcoin (BTC), whereas Ethereum Classic (ETC) is a fork of Ethereum (ETH). If a forked coin’s blockchain is programmed to use the same mining algorithm as the original coin, then the new coin will follow the same rules as the original.
Everyone is familiar with the term “hard fork,” which refers to the process by which a blockchain splits into two different blockchains. A hard fork is a split of a blockchain into two, which causes a chain split and two blockchains. A hard fork is an important event in a blockchain since it allows for updating the ledger in a decentralized manner, which is a key requirement for any cryptocurrency that wants to be immutable.
Many ICOs, such as Tezos and Bancor, have taken a controversial stance on hard forks, which refers to the action of changing a blockchain’s rules or consensus mechanism. While forks are usually seen as a positive thing, they are not without their risks, as it can lead to unintended consequences or even a chain split.
Soft fork
When crypto first came into the spotlight, it was a popular buzzword. A soft fork is exactly what it sounds like: a change that is made to the blockchain without requiring consensus from the entire network. In the case of Bitcoin, soft forks can be used to reverse certain transactions, prevent certain transactions from being recognized, or otherwise alter the network. A soft fork is preferable to a hard fork, which would require everyone to upgrade their software to accept the new rules.
The confusion in the cryptocurrency world stems from a misunderstanding of the term “soft fork.” Soft forks are similar to hard forks, as they both modify the network protocol. The difference is that soft forks are much less disruptive, as they only change protocol rules on a small subset of the network rather than the whole network at once. Because of this, soft forks are not as disruptive as hard forks.
The so-called soft fork is a proposed improvement of the existing blockchain protocol, where a new feature called (soft fork) is added. Now there are many soft forks; one of them is the Segwit.