BIP110 is desktop-only for now

Please open this simulator on a desktop or laptop screen.

BIP110 Fork Simulator

BIP110 activation has two possible split points: mandatory signaling if the threshold is missed, or reduced-data rule enforcement once the deployment becomes active.

01

Blocks have version bits

Each block header has a version field. By default a miner doesn't set the version bit, so the block is not considered to be signalling support for BIP110.

02

Signaling sets bit 4

A miner signals for BIP110 by setting bit 4 in the version field.

03

A signaling window opens

BIP110 counts signaling blocks across one 2,016-block difficulty period. Gray cells have not been mined yet.

04

Signals accumulate

Blue blocks are signaling blocks. The counter needs 1,109 signals, which is 55% of the full window.

05

Scenario: Lock-in threshold met

The 1,109th signaling block crosses the threshold with 417 blocks still unmined. That means this window has enough signals for BIP110 to lock in at the next period boundary.

06

Lock-in is not activation

If Window 476 meets the threshold, BIP110 locks in at 961,632. That means activation is scheduled, but the reduced-data rules do not start until one full difficulty period later, at 963,648.

07

Fork Risk

From the activation height, any blocks which don't comply with BIP110's reduced-data rules will be rejected by BIP110 nodes, but they will be accepted by non-BIP110 "Standard" nodes. More on this later.

08

But what if 55% is not met?

Run another 2,016-block window with only a small number of signals. This time, the threshold is not on track to be reached.

09

Scenario: Lock-in threshold not met

The period ends below 55% signaling, so this window does not lock in BIP110.

10

Mandatory Signaling

If the 55% threshold is not met, BIP110 nodes reject non-signaling blocks from height 961,632.

11

Mandatory Signaling Fork Risk

During Difficulty Window 477, any non-signaling block can split the chain: BIP110 nodes reject it while Standard nodes may still accept it if otherwise valid.

12

Next: Forking

After either split point creates incompatible tips, the same forking mechanics decide which chain accumulates more work.

Go to Forking →