# Soft Fork

> A blockchain rule change that is backwards compatible. Old software still works, just with fewer features.

Canonical URL: https://fudfomo.co/glossary/soft-fork
Source: What The Block! Dictionary v1.0 (last updated 2026-04-25), browsable at https://wtb.fudfomo.co.

## Definition

A soft fork is a tighter set of rules added to a blockchain. Nodes that have not upgraded still see the new blocks as valid; they just do not enforce the new rules themselves.

Because it does not split the network, a soft fork is a safer way to roll out changes. Bitcoin's SegWit and Taproot upgrades were both soft forks.

## Related terms

- [Fork](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/fork): A change to a blockchain's rules. Sometimes minor, sometimes big enough to split the network in two.
- [Hard Fork](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/hard-fork): A blockchain rule change that is not backwards compatible. Old software cannot follow the new chain.
- [Consensus](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/consensus): The way a blockchain's computers agree on which transactions are valid and which version of the ledger is correct.

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