Blockzeit

Blockzeit, or block time, is a term used in blockchain technology to describe the average time required for a network to generate a new block. It is a characteristic of a blockchain protocol and depends on the consensus rules, network conditions, and transaction volume. Blockzeit influences how quickly transactions are confirmed and how the network balances throughput, latency, and security.

Blockzeit is typically measured as the time difference between the timestamps of successive blocks and is often averaged over a rolling window to smooth short-term fluctuations. In practice, the target block time is set by the protocol and may be achieved within a range that accounts for network propagation delays and occasional variances.

Typical values vary widely by protocol. For example, Bitcoin targets about 10 minutes per block, while Ethereum targets roughly 13 to 15 seconds. Other networks may have faster or slower targets depending on their design goals, such as higher throughput or stronger finality guarantees. Some proof-of-stake networks use very short slot-based intervals, sometimes under a second, while others may operate in tens of seconds or more.

Several factors influence blockzeit. The consensus mechanism (proof of work versus proof of stake), block size or gas limits, network latency, and overall transaction load all play a role. Shorter block times can improve user experience by reducing confirmation times but may increase the rate of orphaned or stale blocks; longer times can reduce such risks but delay finality and user confirmations.

Blockzeit is a key metric for evaluating a blockchain’s performance and security posture, and it is often discussed alongside throughput, finality, and network reliability.