Block is a generic term for a chunk of data or code that can be processed as a unit. It's commonly used in the context of blockchain, where a block contains a set of transactions and other metadata, but you'll also find blocks in filesystems, memory management, and various programming languages.

How to use it in a sentence

Did you hear about the latest block that was added to the Ethereum blockchain? I heard it contained a smart contract that automatically orders pizza when the price of Ether drops below $1000.

I was trying to optimize my code, but then I realized I was just rearranging blocks on the Titanic - this monolithic architecture is unsalvageable and we need to start from scratch with microservices.

If you actually want to learn more...

• Martin Kleppmann discusses promising decentralized technologies beyond blockchain, like IPFS and Dat, which use blocks for efficient peer-to-peer data replication. Read more.

• Lock-in is often seen as bad, but some block-based systems like AWS S3 offer unique utility that can make the switching costs worthwhile. Read more.

• Understanding the different flavors of lock-in, from vendor to version to architecture lock-in, is key for architects evaluating block-based platforms. Read more.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.