Proof-of-History (PoH)

The method of incorporating time in the blockchain itself in order to reduce the load on the nodes of the network while processing the block is called Proof of History. This consensus mechanism was first deployed by Solana. In the earlier blockchains, receiving consensus on the time the block was mined was equally important to getting a consensus on the block transactions. Timestamping is crucial because it informs the network that a transaction has occurred in a specific order.

Proof of History (PoH) deploys Verifiable Delay Functions (VDFs). A single CPU core is capable of solving the VDF by performing certain steps. Since there is no permission for parallel processing, it’s simpler to determine the length of time for each step. Proof of History helps in making the blockchain lighter and faster by reducing the processing weight. Low fees and scalability are some of the advantages of the Proof of History consensus mechanism.