<blockquote>
  <p>Or, in other words, when difficulty changes, does it only affect one chain(maybe main chain or side chain) or the whole network.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Difficulty adjustments are calculated from the timestamps of the blocks in the chain. Two different chains may have different difficulty adjustments.</p>

<p>However, since the network will eventually agree on the chain tip, it will also agree on the difficulty.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-19T08:46:48.267Z
2016-11-19T08:46:48.267Z
Nick ODell
<p>As far as I currently know, the difficulty is changed every 2016 blocks.But as for the number 2016, I have a few questions. Does it mean the blocks generated in whole network or just the 2015 blocks generated in the same chain before it?Or, in other words, when difficulty changes, does it only affect one chain(maybe main chain or side chain) or the whole network.</p>

<difficulty>
About how the bitcoin network changes the difficulty of mining
Tricky_Hunter
# About how the bitcoin network changes the difficulty of mining

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-11-19)

As far as I currently know, the difficulty is changed every 2016 blocks.But as for the number 2016, I have a few questions. Does it mean the blocks generated in whole network or just the 2015 blocks generated in the same chain before it?Or, in other words, when difficulty changes, does it only affect one chain(maybe main chain or side chain) or the whole network.

**Tags:** difficulty


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-11-19. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

> Or, in other words, when difficulty changes, does it only affect one chain(maybe main chain or side chain) or the whole network.

Difficulty adjustments are calculated from the timestamps of the blocks in the chain. Two different chains may have different difficulty adjustments.

However, since the network will eventually agree on the chain tip, it will also agree on the difficulty.


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