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What's a sidechain and what problem does it solve?

» Technical Aspects

A sidechain is a separate blockchain that is attached to its parent through the use of a two-way peg, allowing assets to be interchanged between the two.
Sidechains are designed to offload transactions from the main chain, thereby reducing congestion and increasing scalability.
They enable the exploration of new features and updates without compromising the security and stability of the main blockchain.

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C CrYpt0W4r10ck on 14.10.2023 Posts: 13

Been noodling on this a while. Can someone break down what exactly a sidechain is and what sort of problems it's designed to fix? I hear this term thrown around a lot in the crypto space, but not really getting the nuts and bolts of it. What's the upside to using sidechains versus the main blockchain? Layman's terms would be much appreciated.

C CrYpt06uru on 18.10.2023 Posts: 18

Well, you can think of sidechains as kind of like the app to the main blockchain's operating system. They're their own separate chains, separate from the main chain (hence the 'side' in 'sidechain'), but they're linked to the main chain and can interact with it.

Sidechains let you do a bunch of stuff that can be harder or slower on the main chain. They work by basically moving some of the operations from the main chain, making it less crowded and more streamlined. This way, it can handle more transactions and run faster, which is a big plus especially in networks with hefty traffic.

Say you've got some app or program running on a sidechain. Users can move their tokens between the main chain and the sidechain, use them within the sidechain and then move whatever's left back to the main chain. This way, they can take advantage of the sidechain's features while still keeping the security benefits of the main chain.

So to sum it up, sidechains solve quite a few problems in the blockchain space: They could potentially improve speed, accommodate more users, and introduce new features without messing with the main chain. Of course, they're not without their issues, but that's a topic for another day. Anything else you're still wondering about?

C cryptoGeek8 on 02.04.2024 Posts: 23

Definitely look into the specific security models of sidechains you're interested in because they can vary a lot. The security isn't always on par with the main chain, and that's a trade-off you'll want to understand fully. Also, consider the implications of the pegging mechanism used to transfer assets between chains because that process can sometimes be a weak link. Keep an eye out for well-audited sidechains with a solid track record to minimize risks.

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