Hard Fork

A hard fork is a significant change to a blockchain's underlying rules that creates a permanent split in the network. It results in two separate versions: one following the old rules and another with new rules. This can happen when the community or developers decide to upgrade or modify the system, but not everyone agrees, leading to a divergence. Think of it like a road suddenly splitting into two; vehicles can choose which path to take. Hard forks are common in blockchain networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum to implement updates or address issues, but they can also lead to the creation of new, separate cryptocurrencies.