Why Blockchains Are Slow, and What It Costs to Make Them Fast

#blockchain #computer-science #technology #throughput #scalability

Join us for a talk organized as part of the Introduction to Blockchain Technology: Practical Assignment course at the Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu.

Blockchains are notoriously slow compared to traditional systems, but why? This talk breaks down the fundamental bottlenecks of blockchain performance, from consensus mechanisms and block propagation to state growth and execution limits. We'll then explore the trade-offs involved in making them faster: what do scalability solutions like sharding, Layer 2 rollups, and higher-throughput consensus actually cost in terms of decentralization, security, and trust assumptions?

Who should attend:
Students, researchers, and anyone curious about the real engineering trade-offs behind blockchain scalability.