Block Gas Limits

Block gas limits define the maximum amount of computational work that can be performed in a single block. Gas is a unit of measurement for the effort required to execute a transaction or smart contract.

By setting a gas limit, the network ensures that blocks do not become too large, which would make them difficult for nodes to propagate and validate. In a sharded system, each shard may have its own block gas limit to maintain balance and prevent any single shard from becoming overloaded.

Adjusting these limits is a way to tune the network's performance and scalability. If the limit is too low, the network suffers from congestion; if it is too high, it risks centralization.

Finding the optimal block gas limit is a delicate balancing act for protocol developers.