Archive Node Size: Ethereum vs Solana vs Cardano
Here’s a fact well known among builders: the archive node sizes of these three protocols are fascinatingly different.🧵
- Ethereum (Geth): 20+ TB (grows 1 TB/year)
- Solana: 400+ TB (grows 80 TB/year)
- Cardano: ~700 GB (grows 150 GB/year)
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An archive node stores the entire state and transaction history of a network, making it an essential piece of infrastructure for developing and operating products.
Without access to an archive node, services can be disrupted. Instead of running them in-house, most builders use RPC services to access archive node data.
However, as a node's data size becomes bloated and difficult to manage, the cost of these RPC services naturally increases.
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Solana's archive node exceeds 400 TB, which is the largest among major chains today. Consequently, RPC services that support Solana archive nodes are limited, and the operational costs are very high.
If its database format isn't improved, the node size could surpass 1,000 TB within seven years. This could create immense cost issues, potentially making it impossible even for current providers to continue operating them.
The high cost of archive node services is either passed on to users or creates development constraints for products that rely on them. Therefore, an efficient archive node architecture is critical for a network's product development and ecosystem sustainability.
(source: getblock)
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Architectural Differences Driving Data Size
Ethereum is relatively heavy because it must track and store the historical state changes of all accounts.
Solana also records all account state changes like Ethereum, but it must additionally record data to verify the chronological order of transactions (Proof of History). This causes its data size to grow incredibly fast.
Cardano, on the other hand, uses the eUTXO model, which doesn't require tracking the final balance of all accounts. It only needs to record the history of which UTXOs were spent and created, making its data structure far simpler and lighter.
Each transaction can be validated independently, resulting in a smaller and more efficient overall data size. As a result, the Cardano archive node is approximately 585 times smaller than Solana's.
(source: adapulse)
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In conclusion, among these three protocols, Cardano offers the most cost-effective and stable environment for operating a node.
For an engineer, a great network starts with a well-designed client. This strong foundation makes running a node sustainable, which is essential for builders to create quality products and grow the ecosystem.
A narrative around technical superiority may build slower than hype from events like airdrops. But in the end, tech-based fundamentals reveal the most powerful and sustainable strength. This is where you'll find Cardano's true potential.😎
@goametrics @earlyBIRDPool FYI.
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The “Charles stole ADA” FUD is flat-out wrong.
@masatoalexander pushes the narrative that @IOHK_Charles single-handedly used the genesis keys to swipe 318 M $ADA.
That story only works if you first pretend ADA vouchers (AVVM) never existed.
So he claims ICO buyers got normal Byron keys/addresses and that vouchers were a myth.
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