Bitcoin mining is the process of adding transaction records to Bitcoin’s public ledger. This ledger of past transactions is called the blockchain. The blockchain serves to confirm transactions to the rest of the network as having taken place.
It is possible for users to enter into peer-to-peer transactions with each other, without needing an intermediary like a bank or currency exchange.
Bitcoin mining is a process of solving complex mathematical problem which requires powerful computer hardware. The more powerful one’s computer, the higher are the chances for solving these problems.
If you want to mine for bitcoins, then you have to solve a mathematical problem first – this is called hashing. The solver is a computer that spends time and energy trying to come up with a hash that fits a certain difficulty level or standard.
The transaction fee is important for miners in order to get compensation for their work. Bitcoin transactions are free, but if they want to get their transaction confirmed faster they must pay an amount of bitcoin that will go directly to miners.
Bitcoin miners help keep the bitcoin network secure by approving transactions based on computationally intensive puzzles, and adding them to the blockchain when they are solved. They compete with each other for this task, which has created what some call “the bitcoin mining economy”, where bitcoins are produced at a predictable rate while also being discovered at an ever-increasing rate.