Reasoning behind block weight limit

I would like to understand the logic behind limiting the block size using a specifically defined ‘weight’ unit of measurement, instead of using bytes, the ordinary unit for digital information.

Answers and further discussion are appreciated!

Where can we see this max block weight and where “weight” is defined?

Here is a brief mention. I remember reading more specific details in a previous post from tromp a while back.

edit: Another post here which actually might provide the answer (by jaspervdm); Incentive to reducing the UTXO size.

I guess it’s some degree of protection against someone trying to spam dust to ruin the network’s scalability, significant or not.

Correct. By reducing tx weight for additional inputs, it incentivizes spending old inputs and therefore results in more data being pruned.

That’s the intention anyway, but over time, I’m pretty sure the effect on the UTXO set is negligible if any effect at all.

1 Like