(Command Line Interface) a text-based interface for interacting with a software application, such as the Chia blockchain software. CLI allows users to execute commands and perform actions using text input, rather than graphical elements like buttons and menus.
Chia (XCH)
The native cryptocurrency of the Chia blockchain, awarded to farmers as a reward for participating in the network.
Chia Network Inc.
The company behind the creation of the Chia blockchain. Founded by Bram Cohen, the creator of the BitTorrent protocol, Chia Network Inc. plays an influential role in the development of the blockchain but they notably do not control the Chia blockchain itself.
Farmer
An individual who participates in the Chia network by allocating storage space on their hard drive to store plots and earn Chia tokens as rewards. The term can also refer to the software component that sends proof requests to harvesters.
Farming
The process of allocating storage space on your hard drive to participate in the Chia blockchain network, contributing to the blockchain's security and earning Chia tokens as rewards.
Full Node
A type of node that stores a complete copy of the Chia blockchain, allowing it to independently validate every transaction and block. Full nodes contribute to the decentralization and security of the network. Almost all nodes on the Chia network are full nodes.
GUI
(Graphical User Interface) a visual interface for interacting with a software application, such as the Chia reference wallet. GUIs provide graphical elements like buttons, menus, and icons, allowing users to perform actions using a mouse or touchscreen.
Harvester
A component of the Chia farming system that scans stored plots to find proofs that satisfy the conditions of a new block. A harvester sends these proofs to the farmer (often the same computer), which then broadcasts them to the network.
Netspace
The total amount of storage space being used by all farmers on the Chia network. As netspace increases, the difficulty of earning rewards in Chia farming also increases. In Proof of Work cryptos, this is the equivalent of network hashrate.
Node
A participant in the Chia network that validates and relays transactions, helping maintain the blockchain's integrity and security. Nodes communicate with each other to propagate transactions and blocks throughout the network.
Plotter
A software component or tool that generates plot files for Chia farming. Plotters create plots containing cryptographic proofs, which are stored on the farmer's hard drive and used to participate in the Chia network.
Plotting
The process of creating files called "plots" that contain cryptographic proofs used during farming. Each plot takes up storage space on your hard drive and represents your chance to win rewards in Chia farming.
Pooling
The process of joining a group of Chia farmers to share resources and receive more consistent rewards, mitigating the unpredictable nature of solo farming.
Solo Farming
Farming Chia independently without joining a pool, relying solely on your own resources to earn rewards. Solo farming can result in less consistent rewards compared to pooling.
Wallet
A software application or hardware device that stores the private keys necessary to manage and access Chia tokens. Wallets allow users to send, receive, and monitor their Chia assets.
Plotting Terms
Bladebit
An extremely fast, RAM-based plotter for Chia farming that is designed to create plots using large amounts of system memory (RAM) instead of relying on storage devices like SSDs or HDDs. Bladebit can generate plot files at exceptional speeds, but requires a significant amount of RAM (usually around 340-360 GB) to operate efficiently. There is also diskplot and CUDA variations of Bladebit with lower RAM requirements and using fast SSD and GPUs respectively.
CUDA
(Compute Unified Device Architecture) a parallel computing platform and programming model developed by NVIDIA for their GPUs. CUDA enables developers to write software that takes advantage of the parallel processing capabilities of NVIDIA GPUs for tasks such as Chia plotting.
Compressed Plots
A newer type of plot file with a smaller file size, allowing farmers to save storage space. Farming compressed plots requires more computational resources, which could affect farming efficiency.
GPU Plotting
A faster method of plotting that utilizes Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to create plots in significantly less time compared to traditional CPU plotting.
Gigahorse
A GPU-based plotter for Chia farming that accelerates the plotting process. Gigahorse allows users to create plots significantly faster than traditional CPU-based plotters, resulting in more efficient use of storage space and potentially higher farming rewards.
IOPS
(Input/Output Operations Per Second) a performance measurement used to evaluate the speed at which a storage device can read and write data. Higher IOPS indicate better performance, which can be important in Chia plotting and other storage-intensive tasks.
JBOD
(Just a Bunch Of Disks) a storage configuration where multiple hard drives are combined into a single logical volume without any redundancy or performance enhancements. In Chia farming, JBOD configurations can be used to store plots across multiple drives.
Madmax
A popular, high-performance plotter for Chia farming, designed to create plots much faster than the default plotter provided by Chia Network Inc. Madmax plotter is optimized for systems with high-speed storage, such as NVMe SSDs, and can significantly reduce the time required to generate plot files.
NVMe
(Non-Volatile Memory Express) a high-performance storage protocol designed for modern SSDs. NVMe enables faster data transfer rates and lower latency compared to traditional storage protocols, such as SATA. NVMe SSDs are often used in Chia plotting for their speed.
RAM (DRAM)
(Dynamic Random Access Memory) a type of volatile memory used in computers as their main system memory (RAM). DRAM is faster than other types of memory but requires constant power to maintain its contents. In Chia plotting, different methods require different amounts of RAM.
Ramdisk
A virtual disk that uses a computer's RAM as storage instead of a physical hard drive. Ramdisks can be used in Chia plotting to temporarily store data for faster processing, although their use is limited by the amount of available RAM.
SSD
(Solid State Drive) a type of non-volatile storage that uses flash memory to store data. SSDs are faster and more durable than traditional hard drives but are generally more expensive. In Chia, SSDs can be used for plotting to increase plotting speed.
TBW Endurance
(Terabytes Written) a metric used to measure the lifespan of a storage device, such as an SSD. Endurance indicates the total amount of data that can be written to the device before it is no longer under warranty coverage. True endurance on high quality drives can far exceed the rated TBW.
VRAM
(Video Random Access Memory) a type of memory used by graphics processing units (GPUs) to store image data and other graphics-related information. VRAM allows GPUs to perform graphics rendering tasks more efficiently. In Chia plotting, GPU plotters have differing VRAM requirement.s
Advanced Terms
Block
A collection of transactions in the Chia blockchain, grouped together and secured with cryptographic techniques. Blocks are linked in a linear sequence, creating a blockchain that serves as a distributed ledger.
Block Reward
The reward given to the farmer who successfully creates a new block on the Chia blockchain. Block rewards are issued in the form of Chia (XCH) coins and serve as an incentive for farmers to participate in the network and secure the blockchain.
Block Space
The amount of data that can be stored in a single block on the Chia blockchain. As the block space is limited, there may be competition among users to have their transactions included in a block, which can affect transaction fees and confirmation times.
CATs
(Chia Asset Tokens) custom tokens built on the Chia blockchain that can represent various types of digital assets. CATs enable the creation of new cryptocurrencies, digital collectibles, and other assets on the Chia network.
Chialisp
A Lisp-based programming language used for writing smart transactions on the Chia blockchain. Chialisp enables developers to create advanced features like smart contracts and Chia Asset Tokens (CATs) by allowing them to embed logic directly into coins and coin spends.
Coin set model
A model used in the Chia network to represent unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs). The coin set model simplifies transaction validation and enhances privacy, while also enabling advanced features like Chia Asset Tokens (CATs) and smart transactions.
Coinbase
In the context of Chia, the term "coinbase" refers to the initial transaction in a block that creates new Chia coins as a block reward for the farmer. This transaction is also called the (coinbase transaction."
Cold Storage
A method of storing private keys or mnemonic phrases offline to protect them from unauthorized access or theft. Cold storage can involve using hardware wallets, paper wallets, or other forms of offline storage to ensure the security of funds.
DID
(Decentralized Identifier) a globally unique and resolvable identifier that does not require a central registration authority. DIDs are used in the Chia network to enable decentralized identity management, allowing users to create and manage their own digital identities without relying on a centralized authority.
Difficulty
A measure of how hard it is to find a valid proof in the Chia network. As the Chia netspace grows, the difficulty of farming increases, making it less likely for an individual farmer to win a block reward.
Mempool
A temporary storage area for unconfirmed transactions in a blockchain network. In the Chia network, nodes maintain their mempools, and new transactions are added to a node's mempool before they are included in a block.
Mnemonic
A human-readable representation of a private key, typically consisting of a sequence of 24-words. Mnemonics make it easier to back up and restore private keys, as users can write down or memorize the words instead of a long string of characters.
NFT
(Non-Fungible Token) a unique digital asset that represents ownership and cannot be exchanged on a one-to-one basis with another NFT. In the Chia network, NFTs are used for various purposes, including PlotNFTs and digital collectibles.
Offer files
Files used to facilitate secure and trustless transactions in the Chia network. Offer files contain information about the coins being offered in a transaction, allowing participants to verify the transaction without revealing sensitive information.
Partial proofs
Incomplete proofs submitted to a Chia pool by farmers. Partial proofs demonstrate that a farmer is actively participating in the pool, even if their proof is not sufficient to win a block reward. Pools use partial proofs to calculate a farmer's share of rewards.
Plot Filter
A mechanism used in the Chia farming process to quickly determine if a stored plot has any chance of winning a block reward before checking for proofs. The plot filter helps improve farming efficiency by reducing the number of unnecessary checks.
Plot NFT
A singleton representing ownership of a plot on the Chia network. PlotNFTs are used to facilitate pooling, allowing farmers to join together and share rewards, while maintaining individual ownership of their plots and block creation.
Private key
A secret cryptographic key that allows a user to sign transactions, proving ownership of their Chia coins. Private keys should be kept secret, as anyone with access to a private key can spend the coins associated with it.
Proof of Space and Time (PoST)
The unique consensus algorithm used by the Chia network, which combines Proof of Space (using hard drive storage space) and Proof of Time (verifying time elapsed) to validate transactions and secure the blockchain.
Proofs
Cryptographic evidence used in the Chia network to show that a farmer has allocated storage space for farming. Proofs are generated by scanning stored plots and are used to determine rewards in Chia farming.
Public Key
A publicly available cryptographic key that is used in combination with a private key to secure data and enable digital signatures. In the context of cryptocurrencies, a public key is used to generate wallet addresses, to which others can send funds.
RPC
(Remote Procedure Call) a protocol used for communication between different software components. In the Chia network, RPC is used for communication between the various Chia services, such as the node, wallet, and farmer, as well as for interacting with the Chia blockchain through the command-line interface (CLI) or graphical user interface (GUI).
Smart Transaction
A type of transaction on the Chia blockchain that includes logic in the form of Chialisp, a Lisp-based programming language. Smart transactions enable advanced features such as smart contracts and Chia Asset Tokens (CATs) by providing programmable functionality.
Timelords
Special nodes in the Chia network responsible for running the Verifiable Delay Function (VDF) to generate a Proof of Time, ensuring that blocks are produced at a consistent rate and maintaining the network's security.
VDF
(Verifiable Delay Function) a cryptographic primitive that requires a specific amount of time to be executed and generates a unique output. In the Chia network, VDFs are used to ensure that blocks are produced at a consistent rate and prevent various types of attacks.
