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 8663623 Details
Epoch: 406 Number of transactions in block: 10 slot_no: 90272146 epoch_slot_no: 243346 block_no: 8663446 slot_leader_id: 5495683 size: 9493 time: 2023-04-18 17:20:37 proto_major: 8 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xdd25ac7f4b5fd70c89b891e094a72167a9c1d2fb611ffafba3082ea8de7fe7b3Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk16rypntlhatkcnyrr2w99jmasvnzh9p7utsc6hjc2ezwavqquw79stjmj5a op_cert: \x9217dae5723eacfef632abdbe2db4cc1b0a3b4e01f13b675da099f6b8cc343b7 op_cert_counter: 8