Merkle Tree

Merkle tree is a specialized data structure employed by blockchains to ensure the integrity and security of information. It operates by organizing transaction data into a hierarchical structure of hashed nodes. The bottom-most layer of the tree consists of individual transaction hashes. These hashes are then combined and hashed together in pairs, creating a new set of hashes at the next layer. Throughout this iterative process, the merging of hashed data nodes persists until reaching a singular root hash, which is referred to as the Merkle root. The Merkle root assumes the role of an exclusive identifier for the complete collection of transactions, facilitating streamlined verification and the detection of any unauthorized alterations or tampering within the blockchain network.