Fork

Blockchain FundamentalsUpdated: October 15, 2025

Also known as: Hard Fork, Soft Fork, Chain Split

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Blockchain Consensus Mechanism Gas Fee Genesis Block Immutable Ledger Network Fee Soft Fork Transaction Fee Transactions

A change to a blockchain's protocol that creates two separate chains

A change to a blockchain's protocol that creates two separate chains, such as Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash.

Forks occur when there's a divergence in the blockchain protocol. Hard forks create permanent splits resulting in two separate cryptocurrencies, while soft forks are backward-compatible updates.

Related Terms

Soft Fork Blockchain

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