Definition
Orphan rate is a blockchain performance metric that quantifies the proportion of blocks that become orphan (or stale) relative to the total number of blocks produced over a given period. It reflects how frequently concurrently mined blocks fail to remain in the canonical chain after consensus resolution, and is typically expressed as a ratio or percentage of orphan blocks to all candidate blocks.
In Simple Terms
Orphan rate measures how many mined blocks end up discarded instead of staying in the main blockchain. It compares the number of orphaned blocks to the total number of blocks that miners tried to add, showing how often blocks lose out when the network decides which chain is the main one.
Context and Usage
Orphan rate is discussed when analyzing blockchain consensus behavior, network propagation characteristics, and the stability of the canonical chain. It is used in protocol research, mining analysis, and security evaluations to characterize how often blocks are superseded during chain selection. The metric is often examined alongside parameters such as block interval, network latency, and consensus rules to describe overall chain quality.