What Is A Block Header?
A concise summary attached to each Bitcoin block, providing essential details about that block. The block header contains:
- Block Height: Indicates the sequence of this block in the blockchain.
- Block Hash: A unique identifier for the block, acting as its Proof-of-Work.
- Previous Block Hash: Ensures the integrity of preceding blocks by linking to the prior block's hash.
- Timestamp: Notes the date and time the block was added.
- Merkle Root: Represents a hashed summary of all transactions in the block.
- Difficulty: Specifies the block's mining difficulty.
- Nonce: A random number aiding in the mining process.
Primarily, miners hash the block header when validating a block, optimizing efficiency, and promoting transaction processing.
