Definition
Node pruning is a blockchain node maintenance process in which locally stored historical data is selectively discarded or compacted according to predefined retention rules, while preserving the data required for current consensus, validation, and state reconstruction within a limited horizon. It characterizes how a node manages its storage footprint by trimming blocks, transaction data, or state snapshots beyond a chosen depth or scope.
In Simple Terms
Node pruning is the process of trimming older blockchain data from a node so that it keeps only what is needed to stay in sync and verify recent activity. It defines how much historical information a node stores locally, reducing storage usage while still maintaining the node’s core validation role within the network.
Context and Usage
The term node pruning is commonly used when distinguishing between different node configurations, such as full nodes with bounded history and archive nodes that retain complete historical data. It is frequently referenced in discussions of data availability, storage requirements, RPC endpoint capabilities, and infrastructure planning for nodes that must balance resource constraints with validation and query needs.