What is Difficulty?
The parameter setting how hard it is to find a valid block, adjusted every 2,016 blocks to keep the average interval near ten minutes.
Every 2,016 blocks the network compares how long that span actually took against the two weeks it should have taken and adjusts proportionally, within limits. More hardware means faster blocks means higher difficulty; hardware leaving means slower blocks and a downward adjustment.
It is a thermostat, and a well-designed one: it keeps issuance on schedule regardless of how much or how little mining capacity exists.
Related terms
Hashrate
The estimated total computing power searching for Bitcoin blocks, usually quoted in exahashes per second…
MiningMining
The process of assembling candidate blocks and searching for a valid proof of work, rewarded with the block…
MiningDifficulty adjustment
The recalculation of the mining target that happens every 2,016 blocks, roughly every two weeks.
How it worksBlock height
The number of blocks in the chain before the current one, counting the genesis block as zero. It is the…
This definition is part of the Bitcoin Logical glossary. For the fuller explanation, start with Learn, or see the live numbers on The Bitcoin Signal.