A Cardano block is a collection of transactions that are grouped together and verified as a unit. It's similar to a page in a ledger. Each block contains a hash, which is a unique cryptographic code that identifies the block and its contents. Once a block is created, it's added to the blockchain, which is a public, distributed database. This process is known as block production. The creation of new blocks is carried out by staking pools, which are groups of individuals who contribute their ADA to secure the network. Blocks play a crucial role in the Cardano network by recording transactions, ensuring security, and providing a historical record.
Block 5218003 Details
Epoch: 242 Number of transactions in block: 8 slot_no: 19255114 epoch_slot_no: 74314 block_no: 5217826 slot_leader_id: 4568166 size: 4311 time: 2021-01-16 18:23:25 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xcf97734f5fcecebc3986c8f0678d1023769c9d779d78e6faad70d075f6b87837Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1x23fpnnfh69ps2hvyszr7rd478s5gjkx7lh0epv7rdutuurtlr9q08qzt3 op_cert: \xa2c736bd92f607a213d5c1b47eb467a6b965b2676f4a5bba535a1c3c235093f5 op_cert_counter: 3