واژهنامه
Off-Chain
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Off-chain refers to any transaction, computation, or data storage that occurs outside the main blockchain. Off-chain activity is faster and cheaper than on-chain, but relies on a mechanism to eventually settle or anchor results back to the blockchain.
Off-chain examples
- Lightning Network — Bitcoin payment channels process payments off-chain; only opening/closing transactions are recorded on-chain
- State channels — two parties lock funds on-chain, interact off-chain, settle the final state on-chain
- Mining pool share submission — miners submit shares to the pool off-chain; only payouts touch the blockchain
- Exchange order books — centralized exchanges match trades off-chain, settling net balances periodically
Off-chain vs. on-chain
| Property | Off-chain | On-chain |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Instant | Depends on block time |
| Fee | Near zero | Variable (gas/fee market) |
| Security | Depends on implementation | Full blockchain security |
| Transparency | Private or semi-private | Public |
