Blocks are the fundamental unit of a blockchain — batches of transactions sealed and linked together in an immutable chain.
OpenScan.AI indexes every block as it is produced so you can browse, search, and analyze on-chain activity in real time at xdcscan.io.
What Is a Block?
A block is a package of data added to the blockchain at a regular interval (the block time). Each block contains:
- Block number (height) — the block’s position in the chain.
- Timestamp — when the block was produced.
- Transactions — the list of transactions included in the block.
- Parent hash — a cryptographic link to the previous block, which is what makes the chain tamper-evident.
- Validator / miner — the account that produced the block.
- Gas used and gas limit — how much computational work the block consumed versus its cap.
Block Production and Finality
On EVM-compatible chains such as XDC Network, validators take turns proposing blocks, and the rest of the validator set votes to confirm them. A block is considered finalized when the consensus rules guarantee it cannot be reverted. OpenScan.AI displays the finality status of each block so you know when a transaction is truly irreversible.
Reading a Block Page
When you open a block in OpenScan.AI you will typically see:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Height | The block number |
| Hash | The unique fingerprint of the block |
| Transactions | Count and full list of included transactions |
| Validator | The block proposer |
| Gas used / limit | Total gas consumed by all transactions |
| Rewards | Block rewards paid to the proposer, where applicable |
Why Blocks Matter
- Confirmation tracking — the number of blocks built on top of your transaction (“confirmations”) measures how safe it is from reorganization.
- Network health — block time stability and gas utilization reveal congestion and validator performance.
- Forensics — every historical state change is anchored to a specific block height.
Next Steps
- Transactions — what lives inside a block.
- Gas & Fees — how block space is priced.