Understanding of the behavior of the Ethereum nodes when the transaction bottom is not full
Ethereum Blockchain is designed to process transactions in order to allow them to grow and resize without interruptions. However, there are moments when the pool of transactions in Ethereum nodes such as Geth or Erigon can accommodate all the new transactions inside the block, leading to partial blocks or even network overload.
In this article, we immerse ourselves in what happens when the group of Ethereum transactions is not full, that is, when there are not enough transactions in the pool to complete the new creation block (i.e. transactions).
What does Geth/Erigon do if the transactions bottom is not full?
When the Ethereum node meets a situation in which the transaction bottom is not enough to insert a new block, it will try:
1.
- To combine the existing blocks with new transactions
: if there are transactions not confirmed in the group that can be joined with existing blocks without generating new ones, the node will do so to try to maintain the space and prevent the overload of net.
- Use the “partial block” mechanism : in some cases, if the transactions bottom is too low to fill the entire block, the node can generate a partially full block (also known as “partial block”) . This means that although not all transactions in the block are included, they will still be visible on the blockchain.
The knots immediately generate a partially full block?
Not always. While some nodes can decide to generate a partially full block to prevent overload and maintenance of the stability of the network, others must not do it or use alternative methods. Here is the reason:
* Limited optimization optotisation options: Geth/Erigon nodes have limited optimization features compared to other Ethereum clients such as equality or remix. They can only process blocks with an average size of about 1-2 MB.
* Restrictions of origin : The nodes may not be able to generate a partially full block due to resources restrictions such as insufficient memory or processing performance.
* Network conditions : poor network conditions, such as high congestion or frequent transactions that refuse the network, can lead the nodes to give priority to additional tasks on the generation of partial blocks.
Alternatives and mitigation
To relieve the problem of the transaction bottom that does not completely fill the block, some customers and Ethereum operators use alternative strategies:
* Use “planning”
: it is possible to plan the nodes to create new blocks in specific times or intervals to maintain the stability of the network.
* “front priority” implementation : some nodes prefer transactions based on their urgency or importance, ensuring that critical transactions are first developed.
* The use of additional blockchain additional protocols: other blockchain protocols, such as Polkadot or Cosmos, can be more suitable for some cases of use and can help relieve the problem with the transaction bottom that does not completely fill the block.
In conclusion, when the Ethereum node meets a situation in which the transactions fund is not full, it will try to manage the situation in different ways. While the nodes can generate partially filled blocks or prefer additional activities on the generation of partial blocks, these measures are not always effective and can lead to network overload.