Overview

The genesis block (Block 0 or Block 1) is the common ancestor of every other block in the chain. It is unique because it does not reference a previous block hash.

Significance

  • Anchor: Provides the starting point for the entire ledger.
  • Configuration: Often contains initial network parameters or special messages (e.g., Satoshi's message in the Bitcoin genesis block).
  • Trust: Establishes the initial state of the network.

Related Terms