Chain of States

A chain of states in Ethereum refers to the sequence of states that have been created over time in the Ethereum blockchain. Each block in the Ethereum blockchain contains a state root, which is a hash of the world state at the time the block was created. When a new block is added to the blockchain, it includes a reference to the previous block's state root, thus forming a chain of states.

This chain of states allows for the verification and validation of transactions that have occurred on the Ethereum blockchain. By looking at the chain of states, one can determine the current state of any account on the blockchain, including its balance and smart contract code. Additionally, the chain of states provides a historical record of all transactions that have occurred on the Ethereum blockchain, enabling transparency and accountability within the network.

Visual Representation

Block 1       Block 2       Block 3       Block 4
+---------+   +---------+   +---------+   +---------+
| State 1 |←--+| State 2 |←--+| State 3 |←--+| State 4 |
+---------+   +---------+   +---------+   +---------+

In this example, each block contains a snapshot of the current state of the Ethereum blockchain. As new transactions are added to the network, they are processed and validated by miners, and the resulting changes to the state are recorded in new blocks. Each block contains a reference to the previous block in the chain, creating a linked list of states that can be traced back to the beginning of the blockchain.