Genesis File
The genesis file is a JSON-formatted document that establishes the primary state of a blockchain. It serves as the foundational block, positioned at height 0, of the blockchain structure. The subsequent block, at height 1, recognizes the genesis file as its predecessor.
The genesis file encapsulates various critical data points such as the initial token distribution, genesis timestamp, default configurations, and more. Here's a detailed breakdown:
Key Components
-
chainid:
- 2488 To ensure compatibility with third-party services familiar with Now Chain, it's advisable not to employ a network ID previously utilized in the Now Chain ecosystem.
-
period:
- Represents the minimum time interval between the timestamps of two consecutive blocks. Recommended setting is 3 seconds.
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nonce: - In the Now Chain, the nonce represents a secure Proof-of-Mobile for validating, ensuring the computational effort made to ascertain this token value. Consistently set to 0x0 in the NOW chain.
-
extraData: - EXTRA_VANITY: Preserves a fixed count of prefix bytes in extra-data for signer vanity. Typically, 32 bytes are suggested. - Signer Info: Denotes the validator address. - EXTRA_SEAL bytes: Fixed in number; this is the signature of the signer that seals the header.
-
gasLimit:
- Represents the collective Gas limit for every block. The GasCeil is set to 0x112A880 (18000000)
-
difficulty:
- Reflects the challenge encountered during nonce discovery for this block. Difficulty is set to 0x8000000 (134217728).
-
coinbase:
- A system-managed address designated for accumulating block rewards.
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number:
- Indicates the block's height in the chain, with the genesis positioned at block 0.
By understanding the structure and purpose of each component within the genesis file, participants can gain insight into the foundational principles governing the Now Chain.