Understanding Input Sizes for P2PKH Transactions on Ethereum
Ethereum’s public-key-based cryptocurrency, P2PKH (Pretty Good Privacy), allows users to make secure transactions without revealing their private keys. However, the input size of a P2PKH transaction can be confusing for beginners and experienced developers alike.
Input Size: What Does It Mean?
The input size of a P2PKH transaction refers to the length or number of bytes of input data used in the transaction. This information is crucial in determining whether a particular input size is feasible or not.
Default Miner Implementation: Pay Per Public Key
To understand why the default miner implementation on Ethereum uses pay per public key, we need to dig into the details of how transactions are processed and verified on the network.
A P2PKH transaction consists of two inputs:
- Push Value
: The input value used in the transaction (in bytes).
- Signature: A cryptographic signature (using a private key) that proves the identity of the sender and confirms that they control the associated public key.
The miner’s implementation uses push + sig + push + key = 1 + 72 + 1 + 61, which means:
- Push Value: 1 byte
- Signature Length: 72 bytes (assuming a SHA-256-based hash function)
- Public Key Length: 61 bytes (again assuming a SHA-256-based hash function)
Why Pay Per Public Key?
The use of a pay per public key implementation by miners allows for efficient verification and processing of transactions. Here’s why:
- Hash Function: The SHA-256 hash function is used to create a unique input value, which is then signed by the sender.
- Verification: The signature verifies the identity of the sender, ensuring that the public key associated with the transaction is indeed controlled by the sender.
What about the Default Miner Implementation?
The Default Miner implementation uses pay-per-public-key because it allows for efficient and scalable transaction processing. By using a single input value (push + sig), a miner can verify the signature and mine the public key in a single operation, reducing computational costs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the input size of P2PKH transactions is crucial to designing and deploying secure and efficient Ethereum nodes. The Default Miner implementation uses pay-per-public-key to optimize processing efficiency, which can result in different input sizes depending on the specific use case or deployment variant used.
Please note that this information is subject to change as new versions of Ethereum are released, and updated implementations may change miner behavior. For developers and users looking to build secure and scalable nodes, staying up to date with the latest developments is crucial to ensure optimal performance and security on the Ethereum network.