Definition
State pruning is a blockchain node maintenance process that removes or discards older, no-longer-needed state data from local storage while retaining the minimal state required for the node’s current operation and protocol validity. It focuses on trimming historical state representations, as opposed to finalized blocks or consensus-critical metadata, to reduce storage footprint and improve resource efficiency without altering canonical chain history.
In Simple Terms
State pruning is the process where a blockchain node deletes older, unnecessary state data it has already used, keeping only the current, essential information. This reduces how much data the node needs to store while still allowing it to follow and validate the blockchain according to the protocol’s rules.
Context and Usage
The term state pruning appears in discussions about node configuration, long-term storage requirements, and scalability trade-offs in blockchain networks. It is often contrasted with configurations that retain full historical state, such as an Archive Node, and is evaluated alongside techniques like State Sync, Sharding, and broader Data Availability considerations. Protocol specifications and client implementations use the term when defining permissible data retention policies.