An Ethereum fork occurs when the underlying code of the Ethereum blockchain is updated or changed. This can happen for various reasons such as fixing security vulnerabilities, implementing new features, or resolving disagreements within the community.
There are two types of forks: hard forks and soft forks. A hard fork is a permanent divergence in the blockchain, resulting in two separate chains with their own transaction histories. On the other hand, a soft fork is a backward-compatible upgrade that does not create a new chain.
Forks can be contentious or non-contentious. Contentious forks result from disagreements within the community, leading to a split in the network. Non-contentious forks are generally accepted by the majority of the community as necessary improvements to the network.
Overall, Ethereum forks play a crucial role in the evolution and development of the Ethereum blockchain, allowing for upgrades and improvements to be implemented efficiently.
