A hard fork is a severe and irreversible divergence in the protocol of a blockchain network that renders previously valid blocks or transactions invalid. It happens when the network’s rules are modified or changed, resulting in a split from the previous blockchain.
Following a hard fork, two incompatible blockchains coexist, each with its own set of rules and consensus procedures.
HODL is a bitcoin community term derived from a misspelling of "hold." It is the practice of keeping one's bitcoin assets for an extended period of time, regardless of market swings or short-term price volatility.
A hash is a fixed-size alphanumeric string produced by a hash function, which accepts any size of input data and produces a unique, deterministic result. This cryptographic technique maintains data integrity and is frequently used to validate files, passwords, and digital signatures.