Benchmarking Bitcoin Script Evaluation for the Varops Budget (Great Script Restoration)

The discussion revolves around the computational aspects of blockchain validation, emphasizing that the average block is unlikely to reach the upper limits of the computational budget. This implies that the complete validation process for a block should be significantly quicker than the worst-case scenario, potentially under 100 milliseconds. However, the precise speed would benefit from empirical data derived from benchmark tests on actual blocks to confirm this hypothesis.

Moreover, the conversation touches upon the Initial Block Download (IBD) times, suggesting that they might not be as critical an issue as one might think. The reason provided is that the default IBD mechanism in core blockchain implementations typically employs the 'assumevalid' feature, utilizing very recent checkpoint blocks. This approach means that the average user does not fully validate approximately 99% of scripts, which could significantly reduce the time and resources required for a user to synchronize with the network. This insight suggests a nuanced understanding of blockchain network operations, highlighting areas where efficiency gains are possible without compromising the integrity of the validation process.